I have always been an entrepreneurial person. Even though I may not have realized it at the time, looking back, it’s very easy for me to see the signs that I was destined for entrepreneurship. I began countless “side-hustles” including a successful Shopify store, started a personal lifestyle blog, and thrived when I was left on my own to make strategic decisions.

When I finally quit my 9-5 job in 2018, everything in my mind and body was telling me it was the right thing to do. And now that I am a full-time entrepreneur – I know I’ll never be able to go back to working in an office full-time (although for many, that’s their ideal path, and I think that’s great!)

I’ve come to realize that there are a few signs and internal tells to help you realize if you too are meant to be an entrepreneur. Maybe if someone had shared these with me years ago, I would have begun my own business sooner! So I’m hoping to do the same for you. Here are some major signs and realizations that you are meant to be an entrepreneur.

You are creative

Do you love thinking big? Do you sometimes have trouble falling asleep because you have so many ideas running through your head of things that you want to do, build or create? If you are constantly running on idea-mode, then you may be well-suited to become an entrepreneur!

One of the great things about working for yourself is you are free to create whatever you want. You have total creative control of your brand, your service or product, and your business. If you thrive in creative settings, then this will be a welcome change for you!

You like doing things on your own terms

Entrepreneurs are, by nature, independent people. You have to be, to be able to start and run your own business! So if you find that you consistently have a certain way that you like doing things – whether it’s making your daily to do list, setting your work hours, or prioritizing your workflow – AND you don’t like when someone else tries to tell you to do otherwise, it’s pretty safe to assume that you would enjoy (and even thrive) as an entrepreneur.

You’re self-motivated

When you’re an entrepreneur, you’re fully in charge of your time and your business. And this is great! What’s not great, though, is that unlike an office job, where you show up and get paid for the time you spend at work – as an entrepreneur, you only get paid when you’re putting in work. Whether it’s selling your own products or services, partnering with others, or doing the work to setup passive income, the bottom line is the same: your business doesn’t work unless you do.

This means that you have to be incredibly self-motivated to be an entrepreneur. Off-days are okay, but they can’t happen all the time (especially at first, when you are getting things set up and cranking). Self-motivation, and being a real self-starter, is a crucial quality of every entrepreneur.

You experience a moment of clarity

This is a personal anecdote, but I’m hopeful that sharing it will resonate with someone reading it right now!

When I was at my last agency job before making the leap to entrepreneurship, I experienced a defining moment of clarity that, in many ways, was the final straw of my decision.

I had been brought on board at this marketing agency specifically to help a new client in the education space develop her online courses, and build out her inbound marketing – a speciality that I had developed over the past few years working for big personal development brands like Brian Tracy International.

I developed a great relationship with the client, who was whip-smart, funny, and motivated as hell to help others. I began writing her sales and nurture emails, and she remarked one day, “Wow, you are NAILING my voice!”

Which made me realize – the reason I was “nailing” her voice, was because I wasn’t changing my own voice that much – I had so much in common with this woman who wanted to help other people and build programs and a following and an online brand.

And almost as if a lightbulb went off in my head, I heard a voice inside me say, so clearly: “I should be doing this for myself.”

What I was helping this client with was EXACTLY what I wanted to be doing for other people. I knew the systems. I knew the process. I knew the tools. I had the marketing knowledge. I just needed the perfect business idea – I needed to discover my reason-for-being, or my purpose. Which I did – through a lot of self-discovery and work (a lot of which I share in my book, 35 Days of Confidence, if you want to go through the same process!)

And as SOON as all this information became clear to me, I knew I was ready to quit my 9-5 and dive headfirst into my own business. I couldn’t stand to wait any longer to fulfill my own purpose. Like I said, everything in my body was telling me I was ready. And so I went!

You feel like you’re destined for something greater

Looking back, the true defining moment that helped me discern my path to entrepreneurship was a deeper feeling that I was destined to do something MORE – that I had a greater purpose to fulfill. 

After I started working with success guru Jack Canfield, I become obsessed with the idea of purpose – the unique motivation that EVERY person has to make a positive impact on the world by using their specific blend of talents, strengths, gifts, passions, and service.

I knew I was doing good work (more or less…) at the places I worked – but what difference was I really making? Who was I helping? How was I making the world a better place?

I couldn’t find a good answer – until I had my moment of clarity mentioned above and knew IMMEDIATELY how I was meant to serve others, using my talents, skills, and passions.

And as soon as you have that realization too – that you have a desire to help and serve others – it’s pretty hard to keep that inner voice quiet!

Do you have a desire to serve others? Do you feel, deep-down, that you are meant to be an entrepreneur? Then you have an exciting road ahead of you, my friend! And I want to help you navigate it. Download my free “Quit Your 9-5 Jumpstart Guide,” or begin your process of self-discovery of your passions and purpose by working with me directly!

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Header photo by Adriana Zuniga-Williams