Not everyone will agree with me – but there are reasons why some people are rich and some are poor. Serious young entrepreneurs have successful entrepreneurs they admire, respect and look up to as role models. I, however, think many of these young entrepreneurs fail to understand the lifestyle these successful entrepreneurs live to record these successes. Successful entrepreneurs have developed lifestyles to help them achieve success in the long term.

Looking at my failures personally and observing successful entrepreneurs across Africa and USA, these 3 vital lifestyles will prepare any young entrepreneur to achieve their desired success.

• Choose to act in a way that improves your skills daily

Everything about an entrepreneur should be intentional and full of purpose. If there is a lifestyle that successful entrepreneurs don’t take for granted, it’s the lifestyle of acquiring skills and learning new things. As a young entrepreneur, you need to be very committed and intentional in developing the required skills to grow, manage and sustain your business and career.

• Make up your mind to sail through struggles and barriers

By making up your mind, I mean accept the fact that you will face challenges. That being an entrepreneur, you will not have a smooth ride. Accept failure as part of the journey. When this deep truth sinks deep into you, you now make up your mind that despite the challenges you will face as an entrepreneur, you will break through; break forward to achieve your dreams by facing every challenge with confidence.

• Practice delayed gratification

Many young entrepreneurs have killed their careers and businesses because they fall for the immediate benefits and forget about the future.

In entrepreneurship, it is not always about what is good today; it is about what is good for your business in the future. For example, when your business starts recording some little profits, you will have to subdue your ego and continue living in the same house, not buy a car, not change your wardrobe, not change your managing lifestyle to a lavishing one, so you can reinvest the profits into the business for it to thrive in the future. Either you are a hasty-hustler (instant gratification) or a strategic entrepreneur (delayed gratification).

Becoming a successful entrepreneur is not magic; it does not happen overnight. You must, however, understand that it takes a lifestyle.

I wish you the best in your hustle.