NINE skills that are hard to learn but pay you back forever

There are lots of ways to measure your skill level in Academia - called hard skills - tests, exams, qualifications and titles, but there's nothing to measure what is often referred to as soft skills - no tests, exams or anything much...

I call these soft skills, "Entrepreneur skills". This is because without them you'll struggle to make it big as an entrepreneur or as someone who is self employed.

You need soft skills to succeed, otherwise you might not be able to eat :/

I found a list of these soft "Entrepreneur" skills on the Internet and reshared nine of the most important ones below:

1. Effectively managing your time ? Learning how to organise and optimise your business and personal life is a game changer. Find a system that works.

2. Developing empathy ? The ability to feel what others feel is what makes good sales and service people truly great. Empathy as in team spirit, "Esprit d'corps" motivates people to try harder.

3. Mastering your sleep ? Establishing a sleep ritual can help ensure you have restful nights. If your nights are not peaceful your days are not peaceful. I use a sleep mask and have learnt to breath through my nose = 30% improvement and impact

4. Learning to Positively self-talk ? "Ultimately it doesn't matter what others think of you," writes Shobhit Singhal, "but what you think of yourself certainly does, and it takes time to build that level of confidence and ability to believe in yourself when nobody else does."

On the other side of positive self-talk is negative self-talk, which can slowly chip away at your confidence.

5. Being consistent ? Whether you're trying a new exercise routine or trying to develop a new habit, being consistent is vital to maintaining any kind of success.

6. Asking for help when you need it ? Knowing when you need help and then asking for it is surprisingly difficult to learn and do because no one wants to be perceived as weak or incompetent.

7. Knowing when to shut up ? Some people talk to much. Sometimes you just need to shut up and listen instead. There are many instances when keeping to yourself is the best course, such as when we are angry, upset or agitated. Often we can blurt out anything and everything that comes to our mind and later regret it.

8. Listening to understand ? The first step to listening: stop talking. Repeat back what you heard to the other person. 

9. Mastering your thoughts ? Influenced by our self-talk, your thoughts become things. Being aware of the thoughts in your own mind is the first step and meditation or open journaling your feelings is a useful way to see where you are.

The great thing is these soft skills can be learnt from books, online, offline and all over the place - but the reality is, most of us learn them through personal experience. The tough version.

I hope you invest time to develop soft skills like this for yourself.