Ali Beheshti, CEO @ Zealie, on Innovative Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship and innovation tend to go hand-in-hand, as entrepreneurship requires the ability to produce new ideas, develop and provide better solutions, and lay the groundwork for new products. Some entrepreneurs grind and hustle, putting in 80-hour work weeks, but that doesn't necessarily make them the most successful entrepreneurs. Those that flex their innovative muscles, not those that are the hardest working, are who achieve breakthroughs and ultimately, success. The following are some of the more innovative traits of entrepreneurs.

They take notes

Have you ever had a brilliant idea standing in line at the grocery store, only to forget what it was you thought of five minutes later? Innovative entrepreneurs know better than to let even the smallest of ideas slip their mind. Since your working memory is only capable of processing small bits of information at a time, great innovators take as many notes as possible. To put this into perspective, Thomas Edison alone left behind 3,500 after he died.

They recognize the creative process

The classic creative process comprises preparation, incubation, illumination, and implementation. Quite possibly the most critical phase of the creative process is “incubation,” as it occurs just before the epiphany. Innovative entrepreneurs recognize this and find ways to nurture this stage, whether it be going for long walks in nature, practicing yoga, or taking long showers. Because incubation requires the need for mental detachment, any activity that allows for disengagement will allow ideas to “come out of the blue.”

They embrace their fears

Failure is inevitable as an entrepreneur. The greatest entrepreneurs recognize it and welcome the fear of failing. Fear itself can encourage progress and innovation. It heightens awareness and, when embraced, develops and unbreakable desire to survive and excel, no matter the cost.

They have multiple interests

Much like embracing the creative process, innovative entrepreneurs dabble in multiple interests, as they can often overlap and feed off each other. Having numerous interests also removes the pressure of succeeding in only one venture.

They are highly confident

Many me think entrepreneurs come off as arrogant and difficult to talk to; however, they are just highly confident individuals. Their heightened confidence allows them to perform better in extremely stressful situations (which often occurs as an entrepreneur). It also enables innovative entrepreneurs to jump at opportunities where others would merely see risk, and find victory where others would find roadblocks and failure.

Ali Beheshti is a serial entrepreneur, currently the founder and CEO of Zealie, a revenue cycle management company. Ali is highly experienced in a multitude of industries, including behavioral health and law. To learn more about Ali, visit his website, AliBeheshti.com