Over the years I’ve had the honour to play a major role in many business competitions. At different points, I’ve been an organizer, a judge, a facilitator, and a mentor or a tor-mentor.
These events were organized for a wide range of people. They involved young and old, new and experienced, and local and international entrepreneurs.
As part of a judging panel, there would always be a discussion on what were the qualities that made a good entrepreneur. How should we pick the top entrepreneurs.
In addition to these questions, I have always thought about how great entrepreneurs became great entrepreneurs. What differentiated them from the others.
In my quest for answers, I went back to the roots of the word, entrepreneur. I found that throughout history there were observable hallmarks of entrepreneurship.
Right from the beginning of time, our Creator has established entrepreneurship as one of the natural order of life. As humans, we are to look after ‘the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ (Gen 1:26 NIV)
In other words, we are commissioned to look after the state of the economy and the environment. This requires an enterprising mindset and behavior.
We need to exercise entrepreneurial leadership and cultivate the values of creativity and innovation, courage, learning, perseverance, and ongoing improvements. We need to take initiatives to make things happen.
One of the earliest uses of the word ‘entrepreneur’ occurred during the 16th century in France.
Entrepreneurs were referred to as mercenary leaders who formed bands of renegade soldiers to serve the rich and famous. They were described as ‘hardy, usurping and intent to risk their lives and fortunes’.
Great entrepreneurs have an electrifying and infectious passion. They are willing to even die for a cause and because of that, there are few things in the world that can stand in their way to success.
In the 17th century, the French referred to an entrepreneur as ‘entreprendre,’ a person who undertook an important task or project. The equivalent of the term in English was probably ‘undertaker.
I do not think the people of old were referring to a person who managed a funeral. Still, there were some truths to it.
Entrepreneurship is first and foremost a cultivated mindset.
It should not be associated with just people who own and run their own businesses. Many of them are not necessarily entrepreneurial.
For example, I do not think that a person who runs a shop selling products and services without any major changes and improvements is exhibiting any salient feature of entrepreneurship.
On the other hand, many employees and self-employed are entrepreneurs. They think about the disciplines of entrepreneurship and more importantly, they act on it.
Great entrepreneurs are people who do not accept current situation. They are willing to bury the past and design a better future.
They seek to disrupt current patterns and create the next breakthrough.
While others are thinking about what’s next, they are deliberating about what’s coming after ‘what’s next.’ They are looking ahead of the curve and around the bend to be future-ready and take action for the future.
They are not unduly concern about being like the other people. That’s why they can come across as being more unreasonable than reasonable, abnormal than normal.
Great entrepreneurs are restless souls, always desiring to know the unknown and discover the undiscovered so as to expand their worldview.
They undertake to recreate themselves rigorously, relentlessly, and unrelentingly. They are dream chasers and world changers.
They are constantly thinking of new outlooks and ways to not only serve humankind but also reshape us for a higher level of achievements. They seek to influence others and change the way they think, speak, act, work, and even the way they live.
They will not accept ‘impossible’ as part of their working lexicon. They set new records and chart new directions.
They undertake to create a world that has never existed before.
How can you be such an undertaker?
To be continued…
Go4It!
I hope this message will find a place in your heart.
By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.
Visit my Inspiration blog at http://liewinspiration.
For my opinions on social affairs, please visit my Transformation blog at http://hsrpatrickliew.
Please visit my website, www.patrickliew.net
Please read my reflections and continue to teach me.
Life is FUNtastic!
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