Entrepreneurs use creativity to build something that works. That’s a very general definition. In business terms, an entrepreneur builds something that works, and the measure is revenue, profit, and longevity.
So what are the “principles of entrepreneurship”? How does an entrepreneur pull this off?
The idea is…
- To be creative
- To take initiative
- To stay motivated
- To generate profit
- To empower and support others
- To provide value
Entrepreneurship is a way of life, no doubt. But the context for the entrepreneurial imperative is business. The business world encourages entrepreneurs to take risks with the promise of profit.
I am a firm believer that entrepreneurship is about far more than just building a successful business. (Another way to put this: Entrepreneurship is about more than just making money.)
Let’s transform the concept by applying the verb form of the word – “to entrepreneur.”
How can you *entrepreneur* your life? How can you apply creativity, initiative, motivation, and abundance to everything in addition to your business?
Many entrepreneurs do these things naturally, which is why they become entrepreneurs in the first place. Yet, becoming such a person is a process – not an overnight thing. No one is born a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs come from various backgrounds, family lines, ethnic groups, etc.
There is only one defining characteristic that all entrepreneurs share: the entrepreneurial mindset. And by mindset, we mean: “a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.”
Just one quick look at the above definition provides our answer. Since a mindset is “a habitual or characteristic mental attitude,” then the entrepreneurial mindset must naturally be part of the entrepreneur’s business *and* personal life.
The trick, of course, lies in pulling that off successfully. No entrepreneur really wants to work all the time. That defeats the very purpose of creating your own business!
As Tim Ferriss so artfully explains, virtually all entrepreneurs come from the 8-5 working world and thus bring along an employee mindset into the entrepreneurial world. Working all day comes naturally for most people…unfortunately.
So what are we aiming for in applying entrepreneurship to personal life?
First, not to work. That’s right. We need to crystallize that point right at the beginning.
White sand beaches and crisp, refreshing mohitos are enchanting, but the relaxation phase cannot and does not last forever. Soon enough, the snake charms us again. Really, we do it to ourselves. That’s how we got there in the first place, right?
This is precisely why entrepreneurs are especially prone to workaholism. We love to work because it brings us so much meaning in life. Work is good, but only if it’s the kind of work that truly inspires, enriches, and enhances the quality of life.
Most profit-building projects do not do this for us. We’re only going to find that style of fulfillment in going to work on the self – in pursuing personal passions, causes, growth, and adventures. True, there are the occasional business pursuits or work activities that do create great personal fulfillment. But why limit yourself to only one way of going about this?
The point is simple: entrepreneurs need to plan life in such a way that prioritizes self-promoting activities. And that’s the whole point of becoming and being an entrepreneur: to create the lifestyle of your dreams!
In the end, it really is up to you to *entrepreneur* your own life. You’ve got to discover what it is you truly want to do. This can be hard at first, especially as the impulse to work creeps into every vision you concoct.
I’m certainly not suggesting that work is totally out of the question. Just try to rethink your idea of work. For example, say you’ve always wanted to teach but have avoided the vocation because of lack of pay, poor support, burnout, and all the other things typical teachers complain about.
Why not become a very different kind of teacher? Focus your efforts on being positive and uplifting in the classroom and around colleagues. Remember: the idea here is to be creative, to take initiative, to stay motivated, to generate profit, to empower and support others, and to provide value!
Related Articles:
- How to Integrate Personal & Business Development
- Work and Play: Strike a Balance
- How to Upsell Your Customers and Clients
- Creating Passive Streams of Income
- The Great Formula
- The Tipping Point
