Hello friends,
alright, no bad jokes today, I promise, but what! This is truly no joke, it’s the last article of the week. How did we fly through the week? Oh! I forgot I’m Batman, oh, boy! I was about to say Batmat, confused where I was starring, Aladdin or Batmat, again, I mean Batman. Ahaha, I just couldn’t help myself, maybe it’s international bad jokes week.
Oh! My! God! The audience is leaving, quick let’s get back on track. I was like, wow! Now, this topic would make an awesome article. What say you? All right, read on and let me know what you think in the comments section. Now, is there such a thing as a born entrepreneur or a built entrepreneur? I will present and it’s all up to you what you feel.
I recently read an article in Forbes and it goes into both theories, i.e., really successful entrepreneurs that have been around for decades are born entrepreneurs and the same article stated that entrepreneurs are built too. It describes it as nature meets nurture (this very popular statement in this very old debate). I will provide the link to this article at the end as a resource which you may also look into and consider.
I have read tons of information around this which I will provide as resources. Have you read yesterday’s article Learn how to learn. Going to school teaches business language? This is one of the main reasons why I personally feel entrepreneurs are bred while there is a very tiny percent who are born entrepreneurs. Sure, there is so much research out there with regards to genetics or DNA that has been compiled by names such as Professor Kathryn Shaw, Professor Scott Shane, Professor Tim Spector, etc. I feel that some are just downright born with innate genetic genius and one such person that springs to mind is Stephen Hawking.
Now, not every day a Stephen Hawking can be produced hence why there are certain exceptions, but if we were to think about it, entrepreneurs build skills, while some might build their skills later in life others have built it starting very early in life. Entrepreneur talents are skills such as good communication, creativity, innovation, self-starter and I am sure there’s more that can be added. These skills can only be built by doing, not talking about it, actual action and experience and this experience ultimately show you where’s one’s strongest points, or genius, as in the case of Warren Buffet, who is brilliant in investments, Bill Gates in software and Steve Jobs in technology.
I mean perhaps I should add in the article in the link up there, that kids should do more, participate more, don’t reject their experiences, and try and just listen as much as they can especially from better role models, surely, it’s up to parents to ensure they have harmony and balance. It’s hard, right? Every kid wants their childhood, every kid shouldn’t hold themselves back from transmitting what they feel, and no kid is the same, but this is where I feel the best of the best entrepreneurs are built, from a very young age, the introduction of some really sharp skills which they’ve just built on. Now certainly wealth and time plays a role in who children get into contact with and what they get into contact with because having higher standards really takes away a lot of unnecessary areas where a child can get distracted if one was to look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. When certain unnecessary elements are removed from a child’s life their mindset becomes stronger so that they can focus on their skills even through playing or creating something innovative until they find their true talent/s. Now, this sort of entrepreneurship can only happen at a very young age when the child in a supportive environment, if the child is around people who have an entrepreneurial mindset.
One such piece of content which I will leave below stated that an entrepreneur has to have a strong belief in self, the ability to define their own destiny.
You know when I think of Stephen Hawking, I always saw a perfect combination of a genius and a man who made mistakes too, the fact that he didn’t know how inspiring he was going to be by not ever giving up even when he was told he had x amount of time left to live, he just went on ahead like tomorrow might just be that day when he dies, he played with his surprised bonus years so darn well that he has given so much to mankind. He certainly showed me how brains, genius, and talent can be appealing and quite likely the most worth one can really have is themselves. I mean if we think about it, people can have the brains, and entrepreneurship is not for everyone, some people are comfortable with where they are, whereas to become an entrepreneur it sincerely consists of the forces of circumstances, drive, massive passion without giving up. Entrepreneurs strive for more meaning they are willing to drag themselves out of the quicksand and mud if that is what has to be done, they usually have the spirit to prove people wrong, without making that the goal though.
I like it, where I read somewhere that true entrepreneurs practice, learn and play, to quote exactly, “where NBA meets MBA”. The same article stated that sure everyone can call themselves entrepreneurs and most entrepreneurs have driven themselves right to the ground before they could earn their spot.
Now, to find out for yourself, I have put a few resources here to read, all very good ones, leave your thoughts in the comments section. Yes, I know, when you see how many articles have the same title, you’d realise this a dinosaur question which I had no idea about until recently.
Are successful entrepreneurs born or made?
Are entrepreneurs born or made? Research says born but there’s a catch
Essay – Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Are entrepreneurs born or made?
Yours sincerely,
T. Dench Patel
Thank you for the comments and support. Thank you for offering to donate if there was a donate button on here. I prefer not to take donations. You can support by purchasing my books (Paperback or Kindle), The South African: True Colours, The South African: Roamer or my children’s book Light. These books can be found on Amazon mainly and other sites in your country.
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Note: Do keep referring back to this site as much as possible, as I grow, a more profound perspective may form and so I will always come back to each of these articles to re-evaluate them.
