Entrepreneurs by definition are just like big Children

Today the question was put to me would i consider myself a big risk taker, launching yet another business and in the worst economic climate the world has ever seen. If you calculate and measure the possible outcomes then business is about probability not risks. The only risk is blind faith or lack of research.

Entrepreneurs are like 6 year old kids with ADD

Quite simply that’s the best definition for an Entrepreneur, before i explain why i’d like to tell you a story.

Young Entrepreneur

A six year old boy sits in Pre-School and his teacher, as part of the art class, instructs the children to draw a picture of anything in the room they like. Then places a flower in a pot on the teachers table for inspiration. Most of the children begin to draw a picture of the flower, except for one little boy who is busy, tongue hanging out of mouth, drawing a picture of a very strong man with massive muscles.

The teacher questions the boy “I asked you to draw me something in the room, what is it you are drawing for me”. Without looking away from his masterpiece he replies “God!”.

A little taken aback the teacher tries to clarify that she had meant an item in the room after all not even the parish Preist knows what god really looks like.

Confused the boy looks up at the teacher and without missing a beat slides the paper across the table – “You can show him if you like!”

The Entrepreneurial Mindset

To be in business you must absolutely believe in what you do and in your product or service. Like children entrepreneurs haven’t had the drive and creativity beaten out of them by social norms and pressures.

A child can be perfectly happy and may be indifferent to you giving them a new toy. However try to take that toy from them and prepare for world war 3. Why is this? Well it comes down to focus. The only thing of importance in their whole world at that moment is re-gaining control of the toy and since they are so focused there is nothing that they won’t do to get what they want. There is no such thing as taking no for an answer, failure is incomprehensible (but hey if they do fail… is that a bright shinny thing over there, time to move on).

So is that the extent of the commonalities? Not really. Entrepreneurs are stereo typically – inpatient, imaginative, ask why a lot (repeatedly), frustrated when they don’t get their way, loud, easily distracted… The list goes on.

The mindset of an entrepreneur is so far away from that of an employee’s, if you are making the jump to the new rich ask yourself – “What would a six year old do if confronted with this problem!”

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