In a society constructed around self-centeredness and rivalry, numerous individuals have begun excessively glorifying their skills, enveloping their aptitudes in a shroud of quasi-sacred awe.
Surrounding them are fans and storytellers who amplify their accomplishments to legendary heights, turning average people into revered icons.
In the meantime, individuals who lack these seemingly “exceptional talents” frequently retreat into self-doubt, succumbing to the falsehood that others are innately superior—more extraordinary, nearly superheroic.
It’s no surprise that we’ve created tin gods—individuals whose individual benchmarks have turned into society’s metrics for value.
Based on these criteria, we are considered either exceptionally talented or completely misguided. This perspective has influenced our various systems, notably education. Despite our individual differences, we have created an educational framework that imposes a uniform standard, attempting to accommodate everyone with a single approach.
People who do not fit in are often labeled as dropouts, outcasts, or failures rather than being encouraged to explore and nurture their individual talents. This explains why many people navigate through life with feelings of inadequacy, pursuing a narrow version of success that might not suit them personally.
These systems and mentalities have stifled numerous potentials—many possible Steve Jobses and Bill Gateses—who were led to believe they were failures merely due to their inability to conform to the academic framework.
Today, we honor Steve Jobs for transforming the tech industry; however, if he had pursued a conventional career post-college dropout, would anyone have taken notice? Despite this, he proceeded to establish one of the globe’s most lucrative technology firms—not by following norms, but by boldly straying from them.
Undoubtedly, entrepreneurship holds significant importance in generating employment opportunities and fostering economic growth. Innovators such as Jobs have showcased this fact. Nevertheless, similar to numerous potent ideas, entrepreneurship tends to be overemphasized at times. Consequently, it has grown into something almost mythical, leading paradoxically to widespread apprehension among people.
Gradually, a misleading story has taken hold—that becoming an entrepreneur requires extraordinary abilities or a special talent that can neither be acquired nor taught. However, is this actually the case? Should these constraining ideas be accepted?
In this article, we will delve into the layers of mythology surrounding entrepreneurship. By unraveling these myths, we aim to demystify entrepreneurship and make it accessible to everyone who is ready to take the leap.
Origin of the Myth
Entrepreneurship fundamentally rests on two main supports: innovation and creativity. Innovation means “to make alterations in something established through the introduction of new techniques, concepts, or goods.” Creativity entails “utilizing one’s imagination or novel thoughts to generate something fresh.” (as per Concise Oxford Dictionary)
Based on these two definitions, we can assume that every individual possesses the potential for creativity and innovation; it ultimately comes down to making a conscious decision. As human beings, we are inherently gifted with the capability to be creative and innovative (we will revisit this idea subsequently).
Nevertheless, several external elements influence our ability to utilize these capabilities. These include the surroundings in which we grew up and our structured educational experiences.
If we grew up in surroundings where it was ingrained in us that the sole path in life was to work for a big company, we would likely not consider leveraging our inventive and entrepreneurial skills to start our own ventures.
Moreover, if these narratives were accompanied by tales of specific entrepreneurs who ‘failed,’ our aversion to taking risks might lead us to retreat into our comfort zones, thereby hindering the development of our creative and innovative abilities.
Moreover, the global education system is designed to create employees rather than entrepreneurs. From primary school onwards, we are instructed to focus on excelling in our examinations, obtaining a solid degree, perhaps pursuing additional degrees, which supposedly ensures a high-paying job and a prosperous future.
Given the widespread adoption of that mindset around the world, it only takes a handful of courageous individuals to make the daring move of launching their own business.
And because they are outnumbered by the majority seeking jobs, they are seen as “super”; possessing traits that others do not have.
However, that is simply a misconception! Certainly, specific traits are required to thrive as an entrepreneur. Nevertheless, the reality is that anyone making a choice to do so can exhibit innovation and creativity, thereby becoming an entrepreneur.
The Naysayers
People who disagree with the notion that anyone can become an entrepreneur usually do so primarily because they are unaware of the flawed societal structures that hinder entrepreneurial efforts.
These flawed systems, which society has established, should be held accountable rather than the individuals themselves. Additionally, some people conflate entrepreneurship with effective managerial practices. As such, when an entrepreneur encounters failure, many tend to believe that their concept was at fault.
Although this holds merit in certain cases, often it comes down to their managerial approach, particularly their proficiency in managing personnel and finances—being an entrepreneur doesn’t automatically make someone a capable manager. This is something several entrepreneurs overlook, leading to setbacks.
Despite this, another reality is that in entrepreneurship, failure can be considered success. Therefore, an entrepreneur sees their failure as a hidden advantage, which, when managed correctly, will drive the business to even greater achievements!
Taking off the Shroud
Now that we understand entrepreneurship isn’t exclusive to just a select few gifted individuals, we must change our mindset; recognizing this reality is one step, but truly embracing it is an entirely different matter.
It is only when we acknowledge this fact that the veil can be lifted, allowing us to view entrepreneurship in the proper perspective. So, how do we achieve that?
The initial step is to persuade ourselves that each of us is individually crafted with unique creativity and innovation. The entity that created us in Its own likeness embedded these creative and innovative traits within us.
“As inherent to the human race,” writes Eugene Raudsepp in his book
How
Creative
Are
You?
Once we persuade ourselves of this truth and make an effort to embody these traits within us, we might be astonished by our own remarkable potential.
Science suggests that utilizing the right hemisphere of our brain enhances creativity. Given that everyone possesses this part of the brain, it implies that each individual has the potential for creativity.
Thus by stimulating that creative part of the brain we will begin seeing things differently from what everyone else sees. It may make us seem insane to them, but there is the trick!
For instance, after Steve Jobs left college, he continued attending one class as an auditor and mentioned that without taking that calligraphy course, the Mac might never have come into existence.
Back then, he used to sleep on the floor at his friends’ places and would return Coke bottles for money. Wouldn’t you have considered him crazy? But the reality is right before our eyes! Thus, don’t hesitate to explore ideas beyond conventional wisdom.
Feel free to reach out for interaction: +1 (914) 259-0242
www.soleilvision.com
The author is a vibrant entrepreneur who serves as the Founder and Group CEO of Groupe Soleil Vision, which includes entities like Soleil Consults (US), LLC, NubianBiz.com, and Soleil Publications. Possessing deep expertise in strategy, management, entrepreneurship, premium audit advisory, and web consulting, his career has spanned both Ghana and the United States. Known for his insightful contributions to areas such as corporate governance, leadership, e-commerce, and customer service, Jules stands out as a leading thinker. His writings delve into subjects ranging from economics and information technology to marketing and branding, establishing him as a key figure in dialogues about development and business innovation throughout Africa. Via NubianBiz.com, he vigorously promotes intra-African commerce and tech-led expansion aimed at bolstering small and medium-sized enterprises across the region.
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