Entrepreneurs aren’t made, they’re born – or so the saying goes. While you can pick up skills that entrepreneurs need, by the time you’re an adult you either have the entrepreneur bug or you don’t.

So, how do you know if you’re that type of person to step out on a limb, take a risk, and start up your own business or venture?

Here are three signs that being an entrepreneur may be right up your alley.

You’re Tenacious

Tenacity is one of the defining characteristics of an entrepreneur. In Angela Duckworth’s best-seller Grit, perseverance is a key component of long-term success, and tenacity is perseverance to the next level.

Entrepreneurs don’t give up easily. Some never give up at all; they just refocus their efforts while continuing to try, grind, and strive. Even entrepreneurs who get lucky and knock it out of the park quickly in their first go-round got to that point because they persevered through the hard times – and there will be hard times.

If the thought of failing makes you queasy, being an entrepreneur may not be for you. If you view failure as an opportunity, you have the tenacity you’ll need to succeed.

You’re Confident

Entrepreneurs that are insecure and not confident in themselves or their abilities are few and far between.

Confidence isn’t just a prerequisite; it’s the first prerequisite. You can succeed in business in a lot of ways without any above-average talent or ability if you’re confident and know how to handle yourself, and are secure in who you are and what you can do.

For a case study, look at the career of P.T. Barnum, the legendary showman. P.T. Barnum exuded confidence. He came from modest means – his father was an innkeeper and tailor – but he was sure of himself. He started a weekly newspaper when he was 19 years old. From that, he owned a general store, speculated in real estate, founded a statewide lottery, and auctioned books for a living – all before the age of 24, when he sold his businesses and moved to New York City.

The rest is history: P.T. Barnum started a career as the world’s greatest showman, founded a circus that later turned into the “Greatest Show on Earth,” wrote books, and even became a philanthropist and politician – serving in the Connecticut state legislature and as mayor of Bridgeport.

He was able to do these things not because he was of elite intelligence or skill, but because he believed he could.

If you want to succeed, you need to first believe you can. All successful entrepreneurs do.

You’re Creative

The entrepreneurs who make it are creative. This doesn’t mean they’re good at music, or writing, or art. It means they’re capable of flexibility, of looking at things from different angles in different ways.

Innovation, after all, is nothing more than taking something that already exists, or is at least a possibility, and coming up with a new and better way to do it. You don’t have to create something out of thin air that is entirely new to succeed at entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs can usually see what other people are missing. That’s also known as vision – but creativity is a big, big part of vision.

You may have all of these traits and not be an entrepreneur, but chances are, if you are this type of person, being an entrepreneur may be your next stage in your life journey.

EO Birmingham helps entrepreneurs get the knowledge, mentorship, and networking they need to succeed, from startup leaders to established executives. Learn more about joining our organization today.