Tell me more ×
Answers OnStartups is a question and answer site for entrepreneurs looking to start or run a new business. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite
1

This will probably be a open-ended question, considering that it might be very opinionated... But I'm curious to hear from the community here-- why do some fail at getting past the conceptual phase of their venture and others seem to be quite good at it and enjoy it? I'm especially curious about the psychology and the traits you feel make an entrepreneur successful in at the very least getting off the ground.

I know first hand that experience is a big one. Tiny successes build confidence, which make more successes. I don't think that is all there is though.

share|improve this question

3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

Fear

The lizard brain is talking.

That's why many entrepreneurs fail today. Not because they are not competent enough or because their idea is not good.

Because they face different fear behavior. Procrastination is one of the most common.

You mention psychology. Psychology is probably the most determining factor to success. Before competence & idea.

That's why I suggest to every entrepreneur to read about it. There are many books that talk about psychology with even using the word. E-Myth is one of the most popular book on the subject, 7 Habits is another (first chapter) and many others.

share|improve this answer
Balls! takes a certain personality and confidence not to have that fear. Its easier to start a business while you are young, and harder to start that 1st business as you get older. This is how you get the college drop outs (Gates, Zuckerberg) that do so well. Experience, knowledge, and support help you GROW BALLS, and overcome that fear. – Frank Jan 8 '11 at 23:45
Wow, I really loved Godin's video about the lizard brain. I thought it was exceptional. It really had an impact on me-- thanks! – EricR Jan 9 '11 at 2:17
I'd like to see some real studies, not just a few anecdotal hunches. Most entrepreneurs are bold enough to have moved beyond the "lizard brain" stage that keeps people from becoming entrepreneurs in the first place. It is much more likely the idea is "not good enough" for the market, not because of fear. – Henry the Hengineer Jan 9 '11 at 6:46
@The NeoTycoon: I didn't found any when I started being interested on the subject. I'm doing one (study) since a while now. I'm involved in the local Microsoft Innovation Center and meet and talk with hundred of entrepreneurs like us. Results in 2 or 3 years. Regarding existing ones. Check the work of Michel Crozier & Viktor Frankl. Also go in the Procrastination wikipedia page, look at the references at the bottom. Typing "Psychology Entrepreneur" in google will show you many other results. Not specifically related to entrepreneurs, but very close to what you are looking for. – user3997 Jan 9 '11 at 10:55
up vote 1 down vote

Ever heard about E-Myth?

From Onstartups:

Years ago Michael Gerber coined the the term E-Myth, referring to the entrepreneurial myth of people going into business to do what they love, only to realize that 80% of the business has nothing to do with their passion--but instead with building and running a company.

This often results in one of two outcomes: The founder hates his job or the business fails--usually the former follows the latter quite closely.

Many times the "block and tackle" type tasks that starting & running a business requires overwhelms the startup. Outsourcing this can help (as suggested in the above referenced onstartups post) but that only brings you so far - it's not all "build your super awesome idea and customers come rushing in" type of fantasy that gets promoted.

But, if you approach startups with the right perspective, expect to do a lot more than you initially expected, and can read / correctly interpret eemingly conflicting inputs from multiple sources, you have a chance to gain some traction. Whether that traction meets your definition of success is up to you.

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

See also this post for theories about why some startups fail.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.