Vagabonders, Mavericks, and Entrepreneurs

What is the attraction for Vagabonders, Mavericks, and Entrepreneurs that keep them from adapting to a traditional life path? If I had to pick three words, I would select adrenaline, challenge and risk.

If I were to pick a question, they might all ask themselves, I see a problem, I wonder if I can solve it? Or I have a vision, I wonder if I can fulfill it? Or, if I take the path less traveled, quoting Robert Frost, I wonder what would happen? Or this looks really dangerous, I wonder if I can do it?

Laird Hamilton was one of the first giant wave surfers. His dad always worried and asked him why he would take such risks. Hamilton said I can’t live worrying about limitations. Risking death to find out who we are is beyond most of us.

What Are Some Common Thoughts of These Three Personality Types?

The first thing you can say about these three types of people is security is not a high priority. They all put themselves in line for failure that most people taking the traditional path cannot tolerate. Therefore, you would have to say that they don’t see failure the way most people see it. They know failure doesn’t destroy their self-image.

Most people are raised with the idea that failure is a stigma. It would create a judgement by all who know them. It might make them feel their parents would be disappointed. They may not be able to face their peers. Their self-image might take a lethal blow.

Our subjects of today’s talk think not reaching for something really challenging to engage their time is a failure. They become bored with routine. They become bored if they don’t have enough challenge and risk. They become bored with the predictable. They are able to accept their peers, friends, and parents’ judgments. They don’t think they will fail.

Is Fear of Death and Fear of Failure the Same Thing?

An extreme athlete drops into situations that could be fatal. That is why they do what they do. They don’t think they will die. An entrepreneur has a vision and he thinks he can fulfill it. He thinks he will be no worse if he fails. He will try something else. Henry Ford failed at three businesses before he succeeded with the Model T. And yet you might find some people would rather die than speak in front of an audience.

Start ups try to hit the wall as fast as they can because each is a learning experience. Thomas Edison supposedly failed at creating the light bulb 10,000 times. How do these people sustain through failures. They don’t see them as failures. Just obstacles to be overcome.

One guru said if you fail, change your strategies. Another said you can tell your commitment by the result. If you didn’t get the result you wanted, you were not committed. Another says every wall has a door. Their mentality is there is no stopping a person that has no fear of failure. And that is the bottom line, they don’t fear failure.

Is the Need for Challenge the Big Separator?

The other side is they need the excitement of challenge. They desperately want to know who they are and what they can do. This is why they often go to extreme lengths to challenge the status quo, the normal, or the impossible. In one Mission Impossible movie, Tom Cruise told his handler Anthony Hopkins that a task would be more than difficult. Hopkins said, that is why we don’t call it Mission Difficult.

What was Elon Musk thinking when he took on the car industry with a new concept? What was Christopher Columbus thinking when he took off from Spain when everyone thought at a certain point you fall off the earth? What are solo rock climbers thinking when they climb big rock faces without ropes?

The question could be asked, what are you willing to risk to do something that hasn’t been done before? Its scary. What are you willing to risk to do something that just you haven’t done before? Climbing Everest has been done, but no one knows if they personally can succeed until they try it.

I teach surfing. I start beginners in waist deep water and push them towards the beach in a foam wave. It is amazing how many people are afraid to stand up on the board. I tell them you have a fear of standing up, what are you afraid of? It works for most of them, but many still aren’t willing to let go of the board to stand up even though they paid to learn to surf.

Is your life going according to plan or are you afraid to make the moves that would make a big difference if you succeeded? What are you afraid of? What does the word failure conjure up in your mind? Is it the most unacceptable thing you can imagine? Would you not be able to live through it? Or would you say, that was a good try, I must make another effort? Your life is yours to determine. You have more time to decide.

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