Jean-Baptiste |
I have a question for you: What is an entrepreneur?
And don’t worry … this isn’t a pop quiz. One of these
days, I’ll spring a pop quiz on you, but today’s not the day. Always be
prepared, though.
Let’s get back to my question …
What is an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneur: man, I love that word. (Cue the chorus of hallelujahs.)
It’s so majestic. It just rolls of the tongue: entrepreneur. Please take a
second to say that word out loud. Awesome, right?
Anyway, the classic definition of an entrepreneur is someone who starts
his own business. And last weekend, I learned that a French economist named
Jean-Baptiste Say first coined the phrase “entrepreneur.” Jean-Baptiste (we’re
on a first names basis) lived from 1767 to 1832 and lived thru the French
Revolution.
So what is an entrepreneur according to Jean-Baptiste? He says it’s
someone who takes resources from a lower level to a higher level of
productivity.
That’s different from someone who starts a business, isn’t it? I
haven’t lived thru the French Revolution, and I don’t have a hyphenated first
name, but I’m quite positive that Jean-Baptiste’s original definition is not
the same as the classic definition. It’s not the same thing.
Your mind is probably spinning at this point. Questions must be going
off like wildfire in your head. Is this
true? Has the definition of entrepreneur really changed over time? If this is
true, what else is true? Is the world really flat? Does Santa Clause exist?
Calm down. We can get through this together.
Now I’ve always thought of myself as an entrepreneur in the classic
sense, but now that I know about Jean-Baptiste, it occurs to me that everyone
out there could be an entrepreneur. You don’t have to start your own business.
Everyone out there has resources, and everyone out there has the license to
bring those resources to a higher level of productivity.
I think that deserves a full on “HALLELUJAH!”
Now, this might scare some people because if you are an entrepreneur,
you have a degree of responsibility for using the resources at your disposal
wisely. And truth be told, elevating resources to a higher level is a great responsibility. Some people
would rather keep their head down and just punch in and out without trying for
anything more.
But today, I challenge you to imagine what the world would be like if
we were all entrepreneurs working at the highest level of productivity. I just
got chills. I’m writing this outside in the snow so that could be the reason
for the chills, but still … it would be an amazing thing and we would reach new
levels that this world hasn’t seen.
So think about what goes on during your day. And when something is
bugging you, ask “What is an entrepreneur, and what would he or she do?” And
then start talking about the problem or solution. Talk with your supervisor,
tell your friend, tell your significant other. Shine a light on it and start
looking for solutions. That’s the only way to make it better, to be more
productive. The very thought process of you looking for these opportunities
will make you perform better. Got it, people? I mean … entrepreneurs.
Related Posts:
The New & Improved You
Be Here Now
The Price is Right
Related Posts:
The New & Improved You
Be Here Now
The Price is Right
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