Employee Mindset vs Entrepreneur Mindset

Anonymous once said, “Being an entrepreneur does not require owning a business anymore”.

Out of curiosity, I asked myself a question “If not owning a business than what would I need to be an entrepreneur??

After spending time with fellow employees and some entrepreneurs, I figured out that being an entrepreneur or employee does not require any special ability.

The one and foremost thing that is required is the mindset to become one.

The way our thinking patterns work, habitually out of the thinking we adopt the results likewise.

When I asked an Entrepreneur “What made Entrepreneurs so different?”

He replied, "they are the two sides of the same coin". After all, both work late nights (Sometimes), extra hours, waiting for weekends, hangover Mondays etc etc.. Everything they do is almost similar.

You can totally relate this to yourself if you are an employee or an entrepreneur.

The thing that set them apart is their mindset.

Employee's mindset is Directive, Entrepreneur's Mindset is ownership.

To understand their mindset much better let us go through these 5 major question people ask about Employee Mindset vs Entrepreneur Mindset.

1. How do They start?

Employees think before starting. Employees restrict their future growth by thinking about perfecting different skills.

Instead of starting things on a positive note, they start doubting their capabilities and strengths.

But entrepreneurs know little about everything.

They don't step themselves for mastering them in one particular field, unlike others.

Also, entrepreneurs don't waste their time by falling into the perfection trap.

They believe in learning new things along their entrepreneurial journey.

2. How do they work?

Employees come up with excuses to postpone their work, until and unless he or she is a workaholic.

Entrepreneurs don’t have a choice. One mistake and repercussions can be catastrophic for their business.

Entrepreneurs have three main boosters to start with their work at anytime : love, patience, and dedication.

They grab opportunities and come up with different plans or strategies to finish the given task quickly.

I am not saying employees are any different but entrepreneur’s approach is different. They hustle. They work hard and they excel because at times, they don’t have a choice.

3. What they dream of?

Workers with “employee mindset” basically dream of breaking the 9-5 routine, and having a lavish lifestyle.

Whereas on other hand, entrepreneurs have a solid plan for shaping their dreams. They move ahead with proper strategy.

4. What is the priority? Money v/s Time?

Well, for employee’s money matters the most, there is no question about it.

Employees invest in their future growth by focusing on money. They look for the safe returns only.

But entrepreneurs know “Time is Money”.

Hence, they shift their focus from money to time by giving enough amount of time for months and months without even seeing the profit.

5. How do they handle failure?

Failure is inevitable. If you are not ready to embrace the failure, you won't be able to come up with fresh ideas.

Workers with “employee mindset” lose their confidence in their struggling period. They look failure as the dead end.

But entrepreneurs see opportunities in failure. They recover them and improve with every fall.

Employees work hard, take initiative, they are dedicated to accomplishing objectives, no doubt in that.

You can clearly figure out the difference, employees mindset is always to improve their weaknesses.

Whereas, Entrepreneurs mindset is always to improve their skills.

If you are an employee, whenever you go for an interview you always come across this question

“What is your weaknesses & what you have been doing to overcome your weaknesses?”, right?

After all, employees are taught that weaknesses are bad and they should be improved. Which is no lie. We all improve and learn from our weaknesses.

But not in the case of entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs view focusing on weaknesses as futile, instead, they draw on their strengths.

After seeing the difference, what do you think what are you? An entrepreneur or an employee?