What determines if you will build something that matters? How do you know if you'll be a successful entrepreneur? Blogger and serial entrepreneur Brian de Haaff shares these entrepreneurial insights in today's Promotional Consultant Today. Here's a hint: Their success has nothing to do with where they got their MBA or how much money they raised.

If you observe entrepreneurs long enough, according to de Haaff, their business habits can tell you everything you need to know. Here's what he says:

1. They are goal-setters: Everyone knows that setting goals is important. However, many people just give lip service to the idea and fail to live a goal-driven life. Successful entrepreneurs do not get where they are by accident. They know how easily they can get distracted by the daily minutiae of running a business. That is why they set a strategy and look to their goals first to plan their daily agenda. They even look forward to bigger challenges because they know how to tackle hard problems— by setting small achievable goals and continually moving forward.

2. They bounce back quickly: Successful entrepreneurs are not immune to life's troubles. I know this to be true. There have been times when my life has become a little too real for my liking, and my first impulse was to hide away for a while. This is a natural response to stress. But successful entrepreneurs know they cannot check out for too long. There are people counting on you and decisions that must be made. If you have a tendency to get down and stay there, you must remember that you have started something that is now bigger than yourself. So even when you do not feel like it, you have to be resilient and bounce back.

3. They live with purpose: Successful entrepreneurs know that there is no such thing as work-life balance; no nice, tidy separation between work and the rest of life. However, they also understand that while work is vital to life, developing relationships is important, too. They are aware that owning a business puts extra strain on the people they love. They take time to invest in those relationships that matter so much. Do not focus on your business at the expense of your family and close relationships.

One of the greatest aspects of owning a business is that you learn something new every day, sometimes even without realizing it. And you will never stop learning. If you make these habits part of your life, you will not only position yourself to be successful, but you will also be happier while getting there.

Source: Brian de Haaff seeks business and wilderness adventure. He has been the founder or early employee of six cloud-based software companies and is CEO of Aha!-a leading product roadmap software. Two of his companies were acquired by Aruba Networks (ARUN) and Citrix (CTXS).