Thanks to technology, the thought process that everyone can become CEO of their own business is very high.  This in turn has create a new term:  Faux-trepreneur.  This fake entrepreneur never sticks it out.  When it gets tough they quickly fold and return to the world they knew before, blaming everything, but never examining themselves, their failed business plan or execution.     

So after having dealt with many CEO’s and CEO wannabes we thought it would be helpful to list some of the traits that the successful business leaders have in common. This might surprise you, but what sets them apart isn’t some laundry list of attributes. It’s their actions. What makes them unique is what they do and, perhaps more importantly, what they don’t do.

1.       They don’t focus on money!

They don’t whine about how hard they work for peanuts. They just do it. And because they’re passionate about what they do and focused like a laser beam, the money eventually comes, big-time.

2. They don’t think about work-life balance.

They’re mostly workaholics. What that means is their work comes first. It’s what they live for. They live to do what they love, and that’s work.  But not just as if its work.  It focused around their passion.  The reason they launched their idea.

3. They don’t try to be what they’re not.

Focus.  They think about their ideas and how to turn them into great products and services. And they deliver.

4. They don’t have day jobs.

Successful leaders understand commitment.   They “burn the boats on the beaches.”  They don’t just dip their toes in the water or play at it.   They don’t do a little of this and a little of that. When they hit on something they think is really cool and exciting, they go all in.

5. They don’t give in to fear.

They don’t let fear paralyze them.  Sure things can go wrong.   They just don’t let their fear stop them from taking risks. They do listen to some voices, though: the voice of reason and their instincts.