19/09/2020
On Saturday morning I found myself pondering what it means to be an entrepreneur as I read through 's new book - Property Success Mindset (yes Paul I am finally getting around to reading it and it was definitely worth the wait ). It made me wonder if people are born with the gene or if it is a state of being created by circumstance - you know, that age-old debate between nature and nurture.
To me, entrepreneurship requires limitless beliefs (as opposed to limiting beliefs). It requires not just a willingness but a “wantingness” to fail (if you don’t know what I mean by this you should read Go for No (Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz) and the absolute tenacity to pick yourself up, review and improve before starting to plan and do again. It requires the ability to feel the fear and do it anyway. It requires the courage to take risks and to chase dreams. It requires you to go “all in”.
So then I was thinking about kids and whether they are born with those things built in as standard. I have five year old twins so ready made subjects for analysis. Are their beliefs limitless or limiting? I had to think about this one. My conclusion...with each passing day they move further from limitless to limiting. As they experience the world they start to believe they are not as good at x, or can’t do y. It’s something I try to address in the moment where I can.
Do they have the willingness and wantingness to fail? For sure! They will push through “no” after “no” after “no” in the certain knowledge that they will eventually reach a “yes” and with the awareness, whether conscious or subconscious, that every “no” brings them closer to a “yes”.
They definitely have the ability to take risks - you just need to see them climbing to know this...and to dream big!
And what about their tenacity to pick up, review and improve and then go again? Well here’s a real-life example. Due to Covid they are now at the same table in their class so their competitiveness has been turned to collaboration. There are 6 on their table and each week there are prizes for star of the day, and star table of the week. The boys have been chasing both since returning to school. They have come close a few times. I have heard them outline to each other the behaviour and actions required for success. It is a part of the discussion on the walk to school every day. It became even more focused this week as my husband attached rewards to a successful outcome. So Friday morning I was informed they had a new plan...as a good part of the points awarded to the star table each day was for clearing up, they had decided they wouldn’t empty everything from the box for the final day as it was taking too long to clear up and this is what they had identified as the key weakness...
The outcome?...one achieved star of the day (for getting involved and help others...albeit I’m sure this was for his own ends)...and they both won star table.
And the rewards?...
€25 each to spend at Smyths Toys and a trip to McDonalds...happy, motivated boys!
Which brings me to this...I spotted it and thought I’d share for anyone who wants to nurture their own kidpreneur....
https://kidpreneursacademy.com/welcome1
I guess what I'm saying is that I believe there is an entrepreneur in all of us. With some it has been nurtured and allowed to grow. With others life, circumstances and those that we surround ourselves with, have combined to at best, bury it deep inside us and, and at worst, to squash it so firmly that we would never take the risk, grasp the opportunity or dare to dream.
So maybe it's time for a change of mindset, a change in those we surround ourselves with and a time to feel the fear and do it anyway. Good luck!
