If you want to be successful, learn from those who have already achieved success. What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur? What makes someone pursue their dreams and make them come true? How can we work on our flaws and become better at what we do? 

Successful entrepreneurs often share some of the same traits. Based on these common characteristics, here are a few things you can learn from successful entrepreneurs.

Never Stop Learning

All entrepreneurs share one common trait—the constant desire to learn. The best entrepreneurs know that they don’t have all of the answers, and they always have more to learn.

Learning doesn’t always mean the conventional classroom. One of the wealthiest people in the world, Bill Gates, dropped out of Harvard to dedicate more of his time to learning about computer software systems. His pursuit of knowledge led him to create Microsoft, one of the most well-known software programs in the world.

Believe in Yourself

A common characteristic of entrepreneurs is that they have an unwavering belief in themselves and their vision, even when others don’t.

In 1980, Ted Turner founded the first 24-hour news channel, CNN. Critics were harsh on Turner and CNN, with doubts that the channel could find enough news to fill 24 hours. Turner pushed ahead with his idea despite oftentimes being the only person who saw its potential.

CNN is now one of the most popular news networks on tv today, and the 24-hour news cycle is commonplace in nearly every newsroom. Had Turner listened to the critics, the media landscape would look drastically different today.

Learn to Thrive in Uncertainty

What makes an entrepreneur stand out from the crowd is their ability to forge ahead during times of uncertainty. They call the shots, and they aren’t afraid to make the tough decisions, even when venturing into the unknown.

The founders of Instagram took inspiration from other existing photography apps when developing plans for their own. Unlike other photo apps at the time, Instagram was slated to become a photo-sharing platform specifically for images taken on mobile phones. The founder, Kevin Systrom, was unsure about the potential success a platform like this would see.

Through times of uncertainty, entrepreneurs find inspiration from other successful companies to guide their decision-making.

Become Friendly with Failure

The best entrepreneurs have all faced points of failure throughout their careers. However, what differentiates a successful entrepreneur from the rest of the crowd is their ability to embrace failure as an opportunity for learning and growth.

In the early days of Apple, Steve Jobs was obsessed with perfection. He would often scrap nearly completed projects if they failed to meet his exceptional expectations. This passion for perfection led to Jobs being ousted from the company he built from the ground up.

During his time away from the company, Jobs learned the importance of letting go and putting faith in the talent and vision of his employees. When he later returned to Apple in 1997, Jobs’ new outlook revitalized the struggling company and pushed it into the spotlight for years to come.

There is a lot we can learn from the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, and many of their traits can be applied across all aspects of life. To learn more about successful entrepreneurship, check out more of our blog posts here.