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"Becoming a successful entrepreneur takes more than a great idea and important connections (although both do help). Making the shift from the steady life of a full-time employee to the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship requires a shift in mindset that many overlook. In fact, some of the work habits you so carefully honed as a good employee don\u2019t necessarily translate well into the world of an entrepreneur.\nAccording to the Small Business Administration, only half of new businesses will survive to see their fifth year. Making that mental switch from employee to entrepreneur can help you avoid being one of those businesses that doesn\u2019t make it. Here are seven tips for thriving while adjusting to life as an entrepreneur:\n1. Learn to say no\nAs an employee in a big company, you probably got used to saying \u201Cyes\u201D to any and all requests that came your way. After all, \u201Cyes\u201D meant you were reliable and a team player and that can-do attitude probably earned great reviews from your manager. However, this approach won\u2019t get you far as an entrepreneur. For starters, with the time-pressed entrepreneurial schedule, agreeing to and doing everything just isn\u2019t possible. But more importantly, as an entrepreneur, you need to set the agenda, not just follow everyone else\u2019s wishes. Get used to saying \u201Cno\u201D to everything but your main priorities.\nSee also: 10 Startups to Watch in 2014\n2. Forget about perfection\nMaybe you used to have a boss that needed to get a project as close to perfection as possible. Or, there were endless rounds of revisions before something was ready to go. While that may be the way at a large company, a small business or startup won\u2019t have the resources to get something to \u201Cperfect\u201D and the whole notion of perfection isn\u2019t possible anyway.\nAs an entrepreneur, perfectionism becomes a liability. The longer you wait for every detail to be just right, the slower your business will move. Focus on the high-impact, high-priority items, and accept 80% (sometimes less) for everything else. As the poster at Facebook famously says, \u201CDone is better than perfect.\u201D\n3. Don\u2019t be afraid of long hours\nMany people equate the entrepreneurial lifestyle with The Four Hour Work Week or logging in from a beach in Tahiti. While both of these may be possible, the typical entrepreneur often finds that he or she needs to work longer hours than back at the office. On some days you might be trading in the 9-to-5 for 9-to-midnight. This is why it\u2019s important to start something you love. And remember that you\u2019re working to build your own dream, not someone else\u2019s. You never want to dedicate more time to following someone else\u2019s dream than your own.\n4. Get ready to wear multiple hats\nAs a company employee, there\u2019s someone to call when the server stops working. And you probably don\u2019t think about if the floor was vacuumed or the plant was watered. But, when you strike out on your own, you\u2019ve now got to fill a number of different roles\u2026from tech support one hour to sales and marketing the next, and accounting, even cleaning. With this reality, you can\u2019t afford to have an ego. Before setting off on your own, ask yourself if you\u2019ll be comfortable wearing all these hats, including the less-than-glamorous ones.\nSee also: 10 Apps You Need to Dominate Your Work Day\n5. Cope with the social isolation\nWhen you were working at a big company, you may have complained relentlessly about your colleagues and managers. However, once you leave the office you might be surprised to discover just how much you relied on Jane in accounting or Mike in shipping for your social interaction.\nThe first few weeks of being on your own can be quite a shock, particularly if you\u2019re working out of your home. Do what you can to combat this social isolation. Keep in touch with former colleagues. Work from a coffee shop for a few hours. Find a shared office or co-working space and attend lots of local networking events.\n6. Stick to a schedule\nIs your new business largely autonomous project work? Is there no set schedule because you\u2019re building your startup from square one? As you make the transition to working for yourself, try to keep your existing schedule as much as possible. Being in charge doesn\u2019t mean you should get rid of your alarm clock or take four-hour lunches. Having some semblance of a schedule will help you stay disciplined and productive.\nWith that said, many professionals choose self-employment because they\u2019re tired of the strict and arbitrary schedule of the corporate world. So there\u2019s no need to recreate the same drudgery in your new venture. If you need some time in the afternoon to take care of your kids, walk your dog, or get outside while it\u2019s sunny, go ahead. Only you can decide what kind of schedule is best for your business and your life.\n7. Create an entrepreneur fund\nWhile success as an entrepreneur often boils down to mindset, there are a few practical considerations as well. In one word\u2026it\u2019s cash. You\u2019ll be going from a salaried employee to wondering when your next check will come in. If possible, before you leave your job, put away an entrepreneur fund with 3-6 month\u2019s worth of expenses (perhaps more, depending on the nature of your new venture). Having a solid safety net will allow you to focus your energy on building your new business, rather than worry about how you are going to pay the bills."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/05/30/becoming-an-entrepreneur/>