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Are You an Entrepreneur? What Makes You Tick?
By Drew Meyers | November 30, 2008
I’m currently reading How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein. There was a particularly interesting paragraph regarding the need for achievement and its relation to entrepreneursip that was heavily influenced by findings by David C. McClelland (the author of The Achieving Society) I wanted to share.
McClelland, found that individuals with a high need for achievement tended to be less influenced than others by suggestions as to what they should do, think, or believe. They were “orientated forward in time toward longer-range goals, even when that means foregoing immediate pleasures.” They were less conforming and cared less about public recognition. What influenced them most in engaging problems were facts. They preferred the counsel of experts to friends. They were not gamblers. They tended, in fact, to be conservative in games of chance and daring in games of skill, at which they usually overestimated their chances of success. While others viewed entrepreneurs as risk takers, McClelland noted that they did not see themselves this way. They typically accepted challenges only when they perceived that there was an acceptable chance of success and when the main determinant of success was their skill. And, contrary to common assumption, McClelland asserted that entrepreneurs were motivated primarily by the sense of achievement rather than the desire for money. Profits were important because they gave the entrepreneur “definite knowledge”of his or her competence. But real satisfaction for the entrepreneur came from making the world conform in a very specific way to his or her will.
If you relate to this as well as I do, chances are very good that you’re a entrepreneur — so, are you?
You can learn more about David Bornstein and his book at Howtochangetheworld.org.
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