Entrepreneur Success Stories - Benjamin Franklin and the Spirit of Achievement

By Robert Britt


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What is an entrepreneur? Are you one, or are you even cut out to be one? In the strict sense of the word, we are all entrepreneurs of a sort. It means (to quote Webster {the dictionary, not the old TV show with Alex Karras and Emmanuel Lewis} "to undertake an enterprise" or more in detail, someone who organizes and manages an enterprise. So basically we are all there. But in today's society this has become more associated with capitalism than anything else.

I was reading an autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and he said (paraphrased) that getting money was a means to an end, not an end in itself, so his enterprises weren't really so much about making money as about making a difference. Take for example the famous Franklin stove, it made heating homes much more efficient than anything else that was available at the time, but it wasn't about the money. He was just pleased that it was more efficient than a fireplace and saved a lot of fuel. He declined to patent it, saying that so many inventions over the years have benefited mankind. He just figured that this was his contribution.

So this is the crux of this article. You decide what you are going to do, following your dreams and forging your path. Taking that sort of view, deciding what makes you come alive and working at that thing, is your entrepreneurial future. Take the money out of the picture for the moment. Begin to put together whatever you are doing, and as you move along that path keep yourself open to opportunities to make money with that thing that makes your blood flow.

A personal example: I started making videos for my own amusement. These were silly comedic videos, which led me to one of my passions, improv comedy. I made the videos and released them to the world through the internet. I never expected to make anything but laughter with them, but after a time, I got a request from Google to add advertisements to the videos. I said OK, and voilà, I started seeing deposits into my bank account.

The point being made is, being an entrepreneur does not have to be about making money. That can be a result, and hopefully it will be, but concentrating on the money can pollute your output. Work at quality and the result will be amazing. Your achievements are all about keeping your standards high and then, people will find you.

In order to make progress in your life you have to commit to making change. If you don't make changes tomorrow is going to be very similar to yesterday, with the exception of you being a day older. Do you really want to improve your situation? 10 Minute Transformation Is ten minutes too much time to spend to live better?