Recently I have been having some interesting conversations about how one becomes an entrepreneur. Is it a skill that can be taught, or does one just come by it naturally? Is there a set of steps that one has to follow in order to be successful as an entrepreneur?
It is my opinion that it is likely a genetic disposition, that – combined with the nurturing from parents, and other factors – helps build and strengthens a certain mindset that is indispensable for an entrepreneur. I feel the nurturing is basic and important; the morals, the ambition, the ethics and the way of thinking are being taught here. A good parent teaches their child how to make good decisions, they encourage them to go after their dreams, and have self-esteem, and trust their abilities.
Education is something a parent really needs to be on top of. It isn’t all about making sure their kids do their homework, but they need to be active in what and how the school’s approach to education is, and whether it is the best school for their child.
Albert Einstein, the famous physicist, is part of my series on famous immigrants. I already covered Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern in one post, then Madeleine Albright and Rita M. Rodriguez. Today, I want to tell you a bit about Albert Einstein, who I’m sure you have heard of 
The fact he was a genius fits in with my opinion on entrepreneurs.
But let me continue with my train of thought first.
Photo above by laverrue
Entrepreneurs
How many people can honestly say they can think outside the box? How many actually do? Was this ability taught to them by their parents, or perhaps by a mentor? In School or college? While their education surely had an influence, I do think the very basic entrepreneurial instinct is a gift not shared by everyone.
I deal with many entrepreneurs on a daily basis. In my opinion, this is what they all share.
- Learning comes easier and faster for them. A business person running his own business, big or small, can usually assess facts and figures very quickly.
- They are usually more confident and optimistic than other people. Looking forward and seeing opportunity rather than contemplating over misfortune.
- Entrepreneurs have strong instincts and the ability to think creatively.
- Entrepreneurs have management abilities, organizational and marketing skills.
- Entrepreneurs are capable of building strong work teams, and have high motivational skills.
Do not follow where the path leads, rather go where there is no path, and leave a trail
- David Perkins
An entrepreneur is constantly thinking. When they come up with an idea they act on it without hesitation. They are passionate and eager to start a project. Working many hours a day is the norm for them – their work is a main part of their lives, and life doesn’t start at 9 and stop at 5.
Entrepreneurs make great leaders. They usually have the ability to speak to the people. They accept and learn from failure. Knowing how to turn it around to something positive, moving swiftly on to the next task at hand. They love the challenge and aren’t afraid of taking realistic risks with an uncertain outcome.
Entrepreneurs are not indecisive. They will think a project though, and after gathering the facts, they will dive in.
As far as learning these skills, I would have to say entrepreneurship is not a speed reading course. Instilling self-confidence and self-esteem at an early age is important, and I feel that is all part of the parents responsibility and actually, it should be done with all children.
Education
Education is very important to me. I do believe it is an endless, unlimited process in life! When it comes to children, I believe a parent should always stay on top of their child’s education and speak up when there are concerns.
Before I started school, my family had taught me a lot. This became a problem in first grade. I was a quiet kid, but often the teacher noticed I was starring off in to space.This was because I had finished my work. My teacher became concerned that I would become bored, so she gave me extra tasks to do. Then one day when we were given a math sheet to do, she really pushed the wrong button. My mother had always praised for neat work, and I didn’t like to use an eraser because I hated the smudges it made. On this particular day, I was determined to have a perfect paper so I made the answers on the math quiz the same size as the printed numbers.
I finished the addition and subtraction assignment up long before the others. Decided I would check it over it a couple of times. Then I raised my eyes to look at the board where our artwork was displayed. I didn’t notice the teacher getting up from her desk. Suddenly she tapped my shoulder and asked to see my work. She looked it over and told me to erase all the work and make the answers bigger. That hit me hard since I had already written it up so nicely.
That afternoon, I told my parents of the event. The next day I pretended to be sick but I didn’t fool my parents at all. They became more concerned about this school, so they made an appointment with the teacher and later with the principal. By the time my parents were through, they ended up speaking to the superintendent.
To make a long story short: my parents looked for a better suited school for me and my brother. We transferred in the middle of the year, but adapted well.
My mother encouraged us to ask the teacher questions since it was mid-year. She encouraged me to ask my teacher what size my letters and numbers should be. And I did.
Children are resilient and adapt easily, but still the re-enforcement of parents is needed. Praise children when it is justified, and encourage them with gentle pushes when it is necessary.
Albert Einstein
I think Albert Einstein, the greatest physicist in history, is a great example for this topic. This is why I chose to tell you a bit about him – what I learned about him while researching his life.
Einstein was born in Germany in 1879. When he was in his teens, his parents moved to Italy, leaving him to finish highschool in Munich – but he didn’t. Instead, with the help of a note from his doctor, Albert went to Italy in 1895 to join his parents.
At 16, Albert moved to Switzerland to attend a new highschool. He then entered the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. There, he meant Mileva Maric. She was the only woman enrolled at the institute; she was studying mathematics. Mileva was a very good friend to Nikola Tesla (just thought I would throw that in). Eventually, Albert and Mileva married. They had 3 children together.
After graduating, Albert went on to inventing and writing papers including the well known Special Theory of Relativity, based on motion, the speed of light, and the General Theory of Relativity. He described his ideas on the a curved world and its affects on light.
Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922, before he came to the United States in 1933, accepting a position at Princeton University. He became an United States citizen in 1940.
After his death in 1955, Einstein’s brain was removed and preserved. This was not revealed until 1978 though, and several studies have been preformed on his brain since.
Great Men’s Brains
Two other famous man I’d like to mention are the mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss, and the philologist and criminal Edward H. Rulloff. These two share one fact with Albert Einstein: all 3 of these men had abnormalities found when their brains were examined after their deaths. Which suggests that this was the reason for their genius. So they were definitely born to be brilliant – even brilliant criminals.
As for Albert Einstein – his brain weighed 2.7 pounds (1,224.7 grams), which is less than the average human’s brain – what was missing was a part of a bordering region called the lateral sulcus; and the parietal operculum in the frontal lobe of the brain was vacant. Further studies showed the area which is responsible for speech and language was abnormally smaller than usual, while other parts were enlarged. Now this is very interesting because I read Albert did have a speech problem at an early age. Continuing right along, the region of his brain that was enlarged is accountable for numerical and spatial processing.
Carl Friedrich Gauss – Carl was a German mathematician and scientist who contributed the number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, electrostatics, astronomy, and optics. At the time of his death, his brain was removed for medical research. The results: his brain weight was discovered to be 1,492 grams, and the cerebral area was equal to 219,588 square millimeters. This is larger then the normal brain.
In 2006, The Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize for Applications of Mathematics was established by the International Mathematical Union and German Mathematical Society. It is an award for outstanding mathematical contributions in business and technology.
Thumper explained to me that the Gaussian filter, that many graphic designers use, is named after Gauss. There was some speculation as to who had discovered the theory first though – Carl or Adrien-Marie Legendre, who had written a paper on it a few years earlier.
Carl Gauss was the one who had proven the theory, and the filter was named after him. The filter mathematically calculates the distribution of color errors evenly.
Edward H. Rulloff was born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; the actual year of his birth is uncertain. His parents were both German immigrants. Edward moved to New York where he published the book Method of the Language under the name E. Leurio. He was also a linguist. Carl even taught languages to fellow inmates during his frequent incarcerations.
He was highly respected for his philosophy, but in the end, his criminal history caught up with him. The New York Dispatch named Edward “The Most Remarkable Criminal of the Age”.
Upon his sentencing for a murder and robbery, Mark Twain wrote letters to the New York Tribune and to the governor, attempting to save Rulloff from death. New York Governor John T. Hoffman rejected all appeals for Rulloff though, and Edward H. Rudloff was hung for murder and robbery in 1871.
Conclusion
Why did I name these men? What do they have to do with entrepreneurship? Well – they all share a brain that is larger than the average person’s. They were born this way. They accomplished outstanding scientific work, and it was not taught to them in school; they were born to be outstanding. The ways they lived their lives, from birth to childhood to death, has indeed helped them achieve great things – but all this was built upon what was there already.
In my opinion, the same applies to entrepreneurs. They may have had good education, but I believe they have more than that. They have the instinct, the mindset, and the motivation. They are born entrepreneurs.
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