Some say it starts young. That they are the kids who figure out how to share the swings and slide at the playground, giving everyone the same amount of time and somehow convincing them of the necessity of sharing. This demonstrates problem solving, a key component that appears to be part of the mindset of all entrepreneurs.
Of course it could be something later in life that sparks someone to start thinking like an entrepreneur. Boredom in schoolwork or at a job sometimes leads to wandering thoughts that turn into a great idea about an existing product or a brand new one. Sometimes a person feels stifled, as if their potential cannot be met in their current situation. This too, sometimes leads to entrepreneurship.
Whatever age it begins to form, the mindset of an entrepreneur is not difficult to discern. Excitement at fresh ideas, a fluent understanding of some complex problem, and a seemingly singular focus on one area often reveals an entrepreneur.
Many entrepreneurs list parents or grandparents as their inspiration. Often times merely watching someone else solve a problem or create something can spark the very same desire to solve, create, or change. Some entrepreneurs speak of a father who always tinkered with things, perhaps only on the weekends, but it is something the entrepreneur never forgets.
Of course some aren’t as fortunate as to have a direct influence such as a parent when it comes to entrepreneurship. But still, the mindset can be honed by a teacher or even by books. Many entrepreneurs are voracious readers. They read everything they can get their hands on, from cereal boxes to newspapers to library books. Reading frequently inspires new ways of thinking, and sometimes just a single idea in a novel can be a jumping off point.
You can’t necessarily go by grades when it comes to discerning future entrepreneurs. Most are bored by regular schoolwork, and instead spend their energy on one or two outside projects. While grades are important, especially when it comes to getting into college, they are not the be-all and end-all of entrepreneurship. However, just because the high school and college days have passed, doesn’t mean the entrepreneur mindset can’t be developed. Everyone has a passion or two and even if it’s forgotten, it can often be recalled by a “trip down memory lane”. This enthusiasm can lead a person to invent or change something, or simply to look at it in a whole new way.
In this, the information age, many new entrepreneurs are turning their focus towards the internet, and with good reason. Never before has the entrepreneur has such a platform with which they can leverage their entrepreneurial energies. Everything they need to succeed is there for the taking and with a little imagination, research and common sense, the average person can become extremely successful.
To help develop the mindset, you should get out of whatever rut you find yourself in. If books and personal development have never been on the agenda, put them there. Inspiration can appear quite suddenly when you do something outside of your norm, and the internet is a breeding ground for new ideas that the entrepreneur can pursue. No matter what age, the mindset of an entrepreneur can be developed or honed. It takes courage to follow an inspiration, but set your course in the right direction and it can be a very rewarding path.