Why Become an Entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship: the art of taking “calculated risks” in order to create what you desire to see manifested in the world.

Why become an entrepreneur? Because you hate the way that the world currently looks, and you desire to change it!

The upside of imagination

Imagination is having a certain vision of the world of how it should be. Furthermore, imagination is all about tying together disparate ideas in your mind together, and concentrating your power and forces to create that vision.

Idealism is good

I am the forever optimist and idealist. I believe in the unlimited potential of the human mind, and human ingenuity.

Furthermore, I think I am quite ‘foolish’. But perhaps we need some foolishness in order to even have enough audacity/boldness to attempt great things.

A lot of people diagnose this as being “over-confident” — almost treating it like some sort of sieges or mental dysfunction. Or someone who has “too big of an ego”. But I think this is precisely what you need in order to do great things!

Never let anyone discourage you by telling you that you’re selfish, crazy, or too ego-centric.

An entrepreneurial life is the best life

We cannot change the fact that the world is a capitalistic one. Furthermore, when studying history and philosophy — the love of gain and “avarice” seems to be deeply intwined in human DNA.

While a lot of people think that love of gain/avarice is a vice, I see it as a virtue. Why? The roots of discontentment and disability to be pleased is what DRIVES us forward! It is what DRIVES us to the heights! If we were too easily pleased in life, there would be no human ambition.

As my buddy Jay-Z says:

“I’m never satisfied, can’t knock my hustle.”

Which means:

The reason why I hustle (work) so hard is because I am never satisfied.

Thus, if you can channel your dissatisfaction into a POSITIVE and MOTIVATING force; dissatisfaction can be one of your greatest assets. Your inability to be pleased might be the source of your inner-power!


Extracting the maximum upside from capitalism, and the minimum downside

If you live in a capitalist economy (almost the entire world at this point), it seems that an entrepreneurial life is the best life. Essentially the goal is to be self-employed, to do what you love, and earn enough money to pay the rent. My personal definition of success is:

Do what you love for a living without being homeless.

If you’re self-employed and a ‘sole proprietor’ of your own business, there are so many benefits. Tax write-offs, ability to control your own schedule (and thus your life), and essentially to live a more interesting/uncertain/chaotic/fun life.

Employment as modern-day slavery

If we have learned anything from history it is that all great civilizations have been built on the backs of slaves. And for those who think that slavery no longer exists, think again.

In America, we still got millions of slaves (many of whom are also very well-paid). If you’re working on Wall Street and making a million bucks a year, yet you gotta pay for your expensive mortgage, private school for your children, working 120 hours a week, and don’t even have the opportunity to take a nap– you’re probably a slave to your job. You cannot quit your job, because you’re too deep in the hole. This is often referred to ‘golden handcuffs’ or having a ‘golden cage’.

Entrepreneurship as the goal to personal freedom

If you desire to live the best life possible, and derive the maximum advantages of reality and being alive, it seems that entrepreneurship is necessary. Starting your own business is necessary. As long as you are employed by an institution, have a boss, or have to always show up at work at a certain time, you will never be 100% free.

Why be free? You don’t gotta be free (a lot of people prefer being dependent on others). But my personal belief is this:

If you desire to become the most epic you possible, your personal freedom is a necessary pre-requisite.

And trust me– having personal freedom ain’t the final goal. The final goal (I think) is maximizing your creative, artistic, and philosophical output in terms of your art-works, writings, and thoughts.

If you don’t fear death, you got nothing to fear

“I just avoid the potential of death or permanent disfigurement. In my personal life, I take any sort of risks.” – Nassim Taleb (paraphrased)

This is where I think studying philosophy (especially stoic philosophy) is beneficial to ‘memento mori’ (remember that you must die) and that you will die.

Embrace the ‘regret minimization framework’ in your personal life, and thrive to the maximum!

ERIC