Being -or becoming- an entrepreneur does really take more than to be a risk taker. You need to be smart and intelligent to be an entrepreneur.
All the decisions that an entrepreneur will have to take, from small to big decisions, are directly going to impact his businesses and mostly… HIS LIFE!
One bad decision and his life can get ruined.
So, are you smart enough to be an entrepreneur?
It doesn’t mean that there is a minimum required IQ to become an entrepreneur, or some tests to take to proof you have all the intellectual abilities to be an entrepreneur.
Moreover, it has been proved that in the entrepreneurship area the experience -“street smarts”- matters more than intelligence -“book smarts”- in every situation.
But intelligence in entrepreneurship is very broad. The larger and the more an entrepreneur have skills the better it is.
After all, the better you are from your competitors the more you will have chances to succeed, right?
According to the multiple intelligences theory proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983, there are 8 different types of intelligence. They are:
1.Intra-personal intelligence:
It’s the required intelligence to be able to analyze and detect your own strengths and weaknesses.
Good entrepreneurs will recognize their strengths and weaknesses so they will be able to work with people that complement them.
2.Interpersonal intelligence:
People who have high interpersonal intelligence interact more effectively with everyone.
They are able to sense their feelings, motivations and temperaments so they will be able to negotiate effectively.
And most of all, they enjoy and love working with people.
3.Linguistic intelligence:
It’s the ability to communicate fluently and easily ideas, to read, to write and to tell stories.
Entrepreneurs need these skills to be able to communicate with the team, investors and also customers. To make sales and to write business plans.
4.Visual/Spatial intelligence:
It’s the ability to visualize and imagine what will happen in the future. What we want to see happen and how we could make it really happen.
This ability is important for entrepreneurs because it allows them to see how everything is going to go according to what they are going to do and to choose the best scenario.
5.Bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence:
People with this kind of intelligence love movement. They enjoy sports and to stay active as much as possible.
They are very aware of their bodies and they learn through movement and experimentations.
The perfection of this ability is achieved through perfect mind-body coordination.
Entrepreneurs with good bodily intelligence are usually the ones that build and invent new products that make life simpler and easier.
6.Logical-mathematical intelligence:
It’s the ability to think logically and resonate with numbers.
Entrepreneurs have to use this logical thinking a lot, to calculate the risks they are willing to take and minimize them. To be aware of the financial side of their business and resonate accordingly.
7.Naturalist intelligence:
It’s all the sensitive, ethical and general view and understanding of the world.
Entrepreneurs can use this intelligence to see the apparition of new markets and trends. Which can help them to plan ahead for the upcoming campaigns and events they plan to do.
8.Musical intelligence:
It includes the appreciation of music patterns. It’s the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, and tone.
In addition of being a key to any business that is related to the music industry, this skill helps entrepreneurs to be better listeners and carefully orchestrate their moves.
All these intelligences are certainly useful for entrepreneurs. You certainly have some -at least-, so develop them and work on yourself. (There are plenty ways to improve your overall intelligence.) You will not regret it.
After all, the better you are the better are your chances to succeed.
Also, don’t forget to have the right attitudes and set the right beliefs.
But if you don’t have any of the skills and abilities mentioned above, the most important thing is to don’t let anyone tell you that you are not smart enough to be an entrepreneur. Smartness gets acquired, as others do, you can too. You can even surpass them!
Anyone can become a successful entrepreneur if they deeply want to.
Don’t you think so?