It's one thing to dream about building a billion-dollar company, but it’s another to get there. Just because you have an amazing idea doesn't mean that you will turn it into an instant success.  The world of entrepreneurship is riddled with uncertainties, and the sooner you accept that you're not guaranteed anything, the quicker you'll develop the resilience you need to be successful.

The top business owners know that mistakes are inevitable and failure is always around the corner, and that powers them to keep refining their ideas, products, and business models until they succeed. Some optimism is essential when starting a business, but you need to be smart enough to calculate the risk you're taking and make smart decisions.

Effective Time Managers

In entrepreneurship, time is the only level playing field. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, regardless of who you are and where you come from.  What makes the difference, however, is how you use your time.

The most successful entrepreneurs are some of the best time managers around. They wake up early and spend long hours thinking of ways to add value to their business.  They itemize their tasks routinely and remain focused, working on one thing at a time. They’re disciplined and consistent enough to do quality, reliable work that keeps their customers satisfied and moves them closer to achieving their goals. If you’re serious about your business, you need to know how to use your time efficiently and masterfully, every day.

Willing to Make Sacrifices

Most entrepreneurs start out as nine-to-five employees with a side hustle, but they soon realize that turning that side hustle into a full time business requires more than just a few hours on the weekends. Entrepreneurs that achieve success do it by putting their business above everything. They make sacrifices for their business because they know it’s the only way they can make their dreams come true. They commit to leaving their cozy beds and their families early in the morning so they can start working on their goals.

To build a successful business, you'll need to fully immerse yourself in your business. You have to live live it, breathe it, and work it on 24/7. Be willing to give up little pleasures in your life that waste time, (like binge watching your favorite show) that don’t help grow your business.

Daily Goal-Setters

Every start-up founder plans their long-term goals before they get their business off the ground, but the ones that succeed spend every day reminding themselves what needs to get done through smaller, daily goals. Making short-term goals gives them clarity at a smaller scale, and that way, they never become overwhelmed by their long-term vision.

So, regardless of how ambitious your mission may seem, start your day on the right foot by asking yourself what you want to achieve before the sun sets. If you end up failing to do what you had planned, figure out why.  What you could have done better? The business world has many ups and downs, and nothing will ever go exactly the way you want it to. Nevertheless, setting daily goals will help you stay on track to achieve your long-term goals down the road.

Persistent Go-Getters

Taking action for an idea you’ve been sitting on for a while is a monumental achievement, but what many entrepreneurs don’t realize is that it’s only the first step of the journey. Without persistence, it becomes easy to get sidetracked, lose focus, and procrastinate, especially when you're not gaining instant traction and success.

Succeeding in business is all about avoiding distractions and remaining resilient to the many challenges that you’ll face along the way. Believe in your product, tackle your problems head-on, and push towards the finish line, even if it seems impossible. When things appear to be taking longer than you anticipated, don't give up. Instead, create short-term goals that will help you achieve your long-term goals, and keep moving forward.

The answers above were given by Daniel Pessin as advice to new entrepreneurs. In his opinion, these characteristics are prerequisites for all entrepreneurs in any industry.