My friend Maureen Thomson sent me a terrific blog post called Stop Crying That There Are No Jobs. Create One. The title is a little misleading, however.

The real gist of the piece by Paula Pant is that there’s a difference between employee and entrepreneurial mindsets. She illustrated that disparity beautifully.

When we start a business, most of us bring along some invisible baggage—a well-conditioned employee mindset. Until we start thinking and acting like an entrepreneur, success will keep a safe distance.

In the interest of speeding up the process of operating from an entrepreneurial perspective, here are some of my favorite jumpstarts for your entrepreneurial spirit. (You’ll notice that none of these are passive activities.)

° Go to the library. Whenever I’m in a slump, a trip to the library never fails to get me unstuck. Every shelf is loaded with possibility.

° Stop what you’re doing and track down the Fall 2011 issue of Yes! magazine. The theme is New Livlihoods and the stories are fabulously inspiring.

° Interview self-bossers. Choose the Joyfully Jobless, not just the self-employed. Let their passion rub off on you.

° Pay attention. Listen to the compliments that come your way. They may hold the key to a profit center. Listen to what people say is missing in the world for more clues.

° Play every day. Even if you aren’t yet running a business full-time, do something—no matter how small—to move yourself ahead each and every day.

° Break your goals into 90-Day Projects. Not only does this help you become clearer about where you are now and what needs to be done next, you’ll eliminate the overwhelm that often accompanies a big goal or a longterm project.

° Give your projects a theme. I’m a nag about this one because it makes such a huge difference. A theme helps you focus your mind and sparks creative thoughts.

° Pick an entrepreneurial hero or heroine and become an expert on their life.

° Carry a notebook. You never know when a great idea will strike or when you’ll see something worth remembering. Richard Branson carries one at all times. So should you

° Read a novel. Not just any old story, however. Read novels that feature entrepreneurs as main characters. Mysteries, especially, feature them. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn.

° Have regular tune-ups. One seminar does not finish the learning process. Go back to the well as often as possible.

° Immerse, don’t dabble. Even if you have multiple passions and diverse business activities, know your priorities and pursue them with wild abandon.

° Acquire good tools. Use the best tools you can afford to do the best work you are capable of.

° Create an inspiring working environment. Your office or studio should be a place that welcomes you.

° Subscribe to Winning Ways. Read what successful entrepreneurs read. It’s an on-going reminder that you mean business and are always on the lookout for ideas and resources that can move you ahead.

° Put the odds in your favor. Memorize these five steps on How To Build Your Own Luck

1. Get a hobby. Find the thing that fascinates you most. You’ll recognize it instantly. It’s the thing you feel you have to do every day or the day is wasted.

2. Obsess. Get to know it so well nothing about it is unpredictable, including its ability to surprise you. This part of the process wile take approximately one lifetime.

3. Charge for it. If you’re so crazy about it and so good at it, go pro!

4. Flourish. If you’ve followed steps one, two and three, this is the easy part.

5. Succeed. Do it so wildly that everyone tells you how lucky you are.