How 'Entrepreneurs' Differ From 'Employees'

1. Entrepreneurs improve their skills; employees improve their weaknesses.

If you've ever been on a job interview, you've probably answered this question: "What have you done to improve your weaknesses?" This is a sensible question . . . to an employee. After all, employees are taught that weaknesses are bad and that they should be improved.

Not entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs view focusing on weaknesses as futile; instead, they draw on their strengths.

2. Entrepreneurs may produce lousy work; employees are perfectionists.

Employees, constantly under the watchful eye of their bosses, strive for perfectionism. After all, nobody wants a black mark on that all-important performance review.

Yet entrepreneurs thrive on lousy work, because putting out lousy work means that at least they're producing, and it’s better to create and fail than to not have created at all.

3. Entrepreneurs delegate; employees practice 'DIY.'

Entrepreneurs are always looking for ways to get things off their plate. They know the monetary value of their time, and focus on the things only they can do.

Employees are the opposite. They try to do everything themselves, and see it as a weakness when they can’t juggle it all. They try to know every single aspect of the business. The mantra “If you want it done right, do it yourself” is the employee’s mantra.

4. Entrepreneurs mono-task; employees (try to) multitask.

There’s no such thing as multitasking. Despite what employers want, this statement is true. Studies show it’s impossible for our brains to focus effectively on more than one thing at a time.

Entrepreneurs recognize that multitasking means doing nothing well, so they “mono-task” instead.

Employees, however, are trained to worship multitasking and beat themselves up when their brains won’t cooperate.

5. Entrepreneurs thrive on risk; employees avoid it.

If you ask many people in the employee mindset why they won't start a business, they'll say they need the security of their day jobs. Not having access to a pension, steady paycheck or health insurance is too risky, they say.

Yet entrepreneurs thrive on risk.

Without risk, there’s no reward, and rather than scaring entrepreneurs away, this knowledge invigorates them. As Peter Drucker said, “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

6. Entrepreneurs believe in seasons; employees believe in balance.

Ahh, work/life balance. That is every employee’s most coveted dream, the most sought-after treasure.

But entrepreneurs know that balance isn't achievable. Instead of seeking balance, they believe that to excel in one area of their lives, others will suffer. They accept that the areas of their lives rotate through seasons.

Instead of fighting for an unachievable balance, they recognize that one thing will always have to take precedence over the others.

7. Employees are threatened by smarter people; entrepreneurs hire them.

In the corporate jungle, it’s survival of the fittest. If you’re not the smartest, most well-connected or hardest-working person in your department, you’re stuck at that bottom rung of the ladder.

Employees, therefore, are threatened by those who are smarter than they. They view the smarter guys as competition.

Entrepreneurs hire those people. They know that without a great team, their business will fail, so they hire up.

8. Employees think without starting. Entrepreneurs start without thinking.

Employees restrict their future growth by thinking about perfecting different skills. Instead of starting things on a positive note, they start doubting their capabilities and strengths.

Entrepreneurs know little about everything. So, they start their work with a little input. They don’t waste their time by falling in the perfection trap. They believe in learning new things along their entrepreneurial journey.

9. Employees dream their plans. Entrepreneur plan their dreams.

No matter how big your dreams are, dreams without plans have no significance. Employees build castles in the air. They dream of breaking the 9-5 routine. They dream of having a lavish lifestyle. On the other hand, entrepreneurs have a solid plan for shaping their dreams. They move ahead with a proper strategy.

10. With Employees, frustration is permanent. With Entrepreneurs, frustration is temporary.

The freedom from frustration depends on the way the person tackles it. Employees know they have to go through the same boring routine again and again. As a result, they lose their interest and become arrogant with their co-workers and family members.

While managing various roles, entrepreneurs also face frustrating moments. Their problems are temporary because they want to make a living by doing what they love to do.

11. Employees work hard. Entrepreneurs work smartly.

Employees rub their ass to get in Boss’ good books. By doing the good work, more and more files pile up on their desks.

Entrepreneurs classify their work by categorizing them under the category of Urgent and Not Urgent. They follow a Pareto’s Principle by doing 20 per cent of the work which generates 80 percent of the results.

12. Employees fall under a particular job category. Entrepreneurs create their own profile.

Employees have to perform tasks according their respective job profiles. Irrespective of their interest, they are forced to work in an alien environment.

Entrepreneurs are not specialist. As they have to lead the group from the front, they perform general tasks. They enjoy autonomy and independence.

13. Employees blame others. Entrepreneurs correct themselves.

In order to achieve something big in life, you need to have the courage to accept your faults. There is no use in playing the blame game. Workers with ‘employee mindset’ have a habit of blaming, justifying and complaining.

Entrepreneurs know they are responsible for all their decisions. Instead of suppressing their mistakes, they are open to accepting their mistakes.

14. Employees look holidays as a relief. Entrepreneurs look holidays for strengthening their beliefs.

Employees anxiously wait for the holidays. They just want to relieve themselves from the office stress. Some plan out for a weekend trip before facing the boring Monday again.

Entrepreneurs also wait for the holidays. But, they plan out their business plans for coming out from the Monday morning dilemma. Distraction-free environment helps them in increasing their productivity.

15. Employees break down after failure. Entrepreneurs wake up after failure.

Failure is inevitable. If you are not ready to embrace the failure, you won’t be able to come up with fresh ideas. Workers with an ‘Employees mindset’ lose their confidence in struggling period. They look failure as a dead end.

Entrepreneurs see opportunity in every failure. After being knocked down, they don’t lose their enthusiasm. They recover and improve with every fall.

So, are you an Employee or an Entrepreneur?