Steve Jobs represents one of the key figures of the business world, according to Julien Foussard. Both a businessman and inventor, he was often described as being a visionary and pioneer.
The quote analysed here underlines several of the important attributes that an entrepreneur must have: self-confidence, determination and the desire to drive change.
Entrepreneurship implies believing in oneself, reasons Julien Foussard
Julien Foussard has said it time and again: not everyone is made to be an entrepreneur. Having an idea, no matter how revolutionary it may be, is not enough to make it work. It is important to believe in yourself and in your project if you want to overcome the obstacles and difficulties you will face.
Today, everyone is pushed to make something of themselves, to succeed on their own, to make their dreams come true. Yet, in fact, things are really not that easy. Indeed, each project is very specific when it comes to entrepreneurship. There is no magic start-up method, no copy-paste strategy that can be followed to the T.
According to Julien Foussard, the most important thing is to be resilient. In times of doubt, the only person you will be able to count on is yourself. It is extremely important that you believe in yourself and in your project right from the beginning of your business venture. Always keep in mind that starting a business will require you to dedicate yourself to it one hundred percent for the next number months, or even years. It is important to be committed to a project that has meaning for you and that you are passionate about. Believing in yourself means believing in the projects you implement. If you don’t believe in the project, then who will? remarks Julien Foussard.
The adventure that is entrepreneurship and your desire to achieve your goals, will bring you to excel and step out of your comfort zone. It is really important to know yourself well when you are getting ready to launch a new project: by knowing your strengths and weaknesses, you will be better placed to anticipate how you might react in a given situation.
What most defines entrepreneurship resides in the vast amount of freedom you have at your disposal: the choice of activity, of time management etc. This freedom can be rather daunting. The fact that you no longer have a boss, that no one is limiting you, obliges you to take on the responsibility.
By being self-confident and showing that you are responsible, you will become a great leader, insists Julien Foussard.
In this perspective, being courageous and having the will to step forward and take your destiny into your own hands are essential.
Wanting and daring to rise to the challenge are essential according to Julien Foussard
Being a leader implies having self-control, being able to take a step back, and requires a certain amount of charisma. A leader has to show not only clients but also stakeholders that he is self-confident and that the project is under control. When you are the one in charge, your staff rely on you. It is therefore important that your employees are able to trust you.
Before launching a project, many young entrepreneurs believe that their creativity, their intellect and their innovative ideas will be enough to succeed. This is thinking too narrow, according to Julien Foussard. What matters most is courage.
A businessman that lacks self-confidence and poise can act in two ways:
On the one hand, fearing to take on a new challenge will cause his situation to stagnate, therefore missing new opportunities and preventing his business from developing.
On the other hand, deciding to rise to a challenge but without convincing anyone, will reveal his lack of self-confidence and inability to win the confidence of others.
If you believe in yourself, you will inspire others to believe in you.
So, how does one boost self-confidence? Julien Foussard shares some advice.
Confidence in one’s abilities cannot be had at the flick of a magic wand: it requires a process of introspection. To believe in oneself first requires accepting oneself, one’s qualities, one’s flaws and imperfections.
Boosting your confidence can also come through action. By staying in a passive state in which not a single initiative is taken, or by waiting for others to take things into their own hands, you are not giving yourself the means to boost your confidence, remarks Julien Foussard.
Instead, rid yourself of this passive state, leave to one side your issues, and see the difficulties and challenges you face as real opportunities to excel and evolve on both a professional and personal level.