Show notes from Episode #128 of the Sweaty Startup Podcast.
What’s the mindset of an entrepreneur?
What makes somebody an entrepreneur? Where does the drive to be a successful entrepreneur come from?
Nick is joined by Max Maher to talk about what drives them, and why they’re happiest as entrepreneurs.
Passionate Curiosity
Max talks about the joy he takes in his work he does, feeling that he’s doing a disservice to those around him if he’s not doing his best work. A lot of entrepreneurs come in with the mentality of working hard now so they don’t have to work later, but that mindset can make it extremely difficult to even make it one year into building a business.
Max and Nick both attribute their success and entrepreneurial longevity to passionate curiosity, and that if they have the opportunity to build something, they dive in full force for months and years to build it. Their work ethic is not a short-term attitude, it’s a personality trait.
Craving Uncertainty
Along with passionate curiosity, both Nick and Max share a drive to experience uncertainty. Similar to the thrill felt in the closing minutes of a close sports game, entrepreneurs are excited by the uncertainty they get to experience every day.
Most people thrive on certainty and desire structure in their lives, entrepreneurs love to roll the dice and take on risk. The epitome of this is Elon Musk, who had more money than he ever needed after selling PayPal and then moved on to risk it all for his next ventures, getting to the point of borrowing money for rent before closing a major deal.
Entrepreneurs thrive on new challenges, and don’t want to solve the same problem twice.
Not Just Money
In the early days, it’s all about survival with your money on the line. Money starts as your scoreboard, but soon becomes a tool for you to use to grow your business. The end goal doesn’t need to be money; for Nick, his goal is to live a life he loves and make the lives of his friends and family better, and entrepreneurship allows him that opportunity.