First off, there’ll be no cheesy quizzes. Those things are worthless, and are mostly there to help fluff up a book that should have been an article.

No, there’s no 10-question form that will tell you if you have what it takes. I’ve been doing this long enough, and talked to enough people to know within 10 minutes (most times, even less) if they have what it takes to make it on their own.

There’s one sure-fire why to tell if you have what it takes...

The One Question Quiz

Okay, I fibbed a little. There is a quiz.

It only has one question, and the answer will show pretty accurately, if you have what it takes to make it as an entrepreneur. It’s usually the first thing I ask, after the pleasantries, when I’m talking with someone about their home-based business ideas and plans.

Here’s the question…

What are you doing to move your plans forward?

That’s it. The answer to that one question will tell you more about your future as a home-based entrepreneur than anything else.

There’s a saying that goes “you’re a human being, not human doing.” It’s a nice little platitude that says, slow down and just be. It’s good advice.

But as an entrepreneur you have to be both - a human being, and a human doing. One thing you can’t be is a human planning.

See, the answer to the one question quiz, and the sure-fire way to tell if you can make it, comes down to action. What you are doing.

Planning is important. But over planning is not. There comes a time when you have to do it. Stop talking about it, thinking about it, day-dreaming about it, and do it.

You can’t make it as a firefighter by dreaming about it and planning to be one. You can’t make it as a doctor by watching [1] Scrubs and imagining it. And you can’t make it as an entrepreneur by planning to be one.

The way to tell if you can make it as an entrepreneur is to start. The guaranteed way to be a successful entrepreneur is to be an entrepreneur. Not plan to be one.

There’s one sure-fire way to tell if you have what it takes…

Take action.