Taking the brave step in the journey towards entrepreneurship can be a lonely road. Self-doubt will persist and you will constantly question whether the correct choice was made: should I have left the security and stability of full-time work to the unpredictability and greater responsibility that comes with starting something from scratch?

A successful entrepreneur needs to develop strong communication and leadership skills. They need to be a team player but possess the courage to make hard decisions.

It’s not only skill that makes an entrepreneur, but adopting certain mindsets that lay the foundations of success. Here are three such mindsets.

1. Embrace the unpredictability

Unpredictability can be a good thing. The presence of unpredictability means you are not set on a certain path. Traveling down a specific route takes away opportunities to do things differently because you only play by specific rules and dimensions as set out by the route.

Unpredictability means everything is on the cards, you can identify opportunities that you otherwise would not have come across. A free roam lets one try and test different ideas and methodologies. It breeds innovation.

Some of the best discoveries are conceived because they did something different to the norm.

2. In silence there is wisdom

It’s very easy to complain when things are not going your way or talk about how great you are going to be. These are empty words if there are no actions behind it.

When you are silent, you get the chance to introspect and ponder. Contemplation can bring about many great revelations and epiphanies. It’s here where people often learn more about themselves, their own strengths and weaknesses and develop as a human being.

Complaining or bragging is largely pointless – sure there is a time and place to blow off some steam and celebrate accomplishments.

3. Adapt today, not later

It makes sense to adapt to as and when the landscape changes. A delay in adapting is as fruitful as standing in the sun and waiting to apply sunscreen after you have been sunburnt. It’s too little too late.

Companies such as Blockbusters and Blackberry are examples of those who chose to adapt too late or not adapt at all.

Constantly adapting and keeps you competitive. A certain Albert Einstein is reported to have said: “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

If you keep getting the same results, try something new. You can’t control everything but one thing that is in your control is the free will to make the choice to try something different and adapt.