Hot damn! I AM a pretty cool human. How's that for confidence? I'm not arrogant; rather, I am reflecting on the life that I have been able to create for myself and my family. I live my life by intentional design[c1] , and it has led me to create unbelievable things. I’ve evolved into the ME I am today, and I intend to keep evolving. I believe that the average person has roughly 80 trips around the sun, and while I’m still orbiting, I’m going to give this world everything I’ve got.
For me, it’s about fueling the curiosity, confidence, and conviction, and sparking a Growth Mindset in the people around me. This is what I want for my kids and my employees. I want them to make the most of their trips around the sun. I want them to continue evolving into humans that control their own orbit.
I, like many serial entrepreneurs, did not have a normal childhood—far from it. I was homeless with my six siblings and didn't get two full parents until I was nine. Heck, I didn't even have a home to call my own until I was in high school.
I often wonder, as cool of a person as I've become (and strive to keep evolving into), what if things had been different?
In one version of my evolution, effort was a bad thing. It, like failure, meant I was not smart or talented enough. If I were, I wouldn’t need to try so hard. In the other version of my evolution, effort is what made me smart and talented. My evolution could have gone either way and changed my entire orbit—how I lived each one of my trips around the sun.
Serial Entrepreneur
I'm a serial entrepreneur by chemical make-up—I don't know how to think any other way. It’s like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix when he finds out the truth about life and existence—you can’t ignore it or erase it from your mind.
Growing up, I had a sense that I was the "weird one." What I didn’t understand was that I was actually developing my entrepreneurial instincts. My lack of understanding came from always being broke, hungry, and trying to fit in with the other kids who had a home and traditional family life. My environment dictated my perception of myself and my potential.
I believe there are 9 Entrepreneurial Instincts that every human possesses. I also believe that each instinct can be developed into behavioral traits that allow us to grow more curious, confident, and convicted.
These Entrepreneurial Instincts made me fearless—but let's face it, I didn't have much to lose to start with. I had the spirit and the abilities but no real formal training and encouragement on how to use them. I developed confidence out of necessity, curiosity out of desperation, and conviction from a lack of choices. So, you can say that my childhood forced the evolution of my entrepreneurial journey and gave me the three big Cs.
(Stay with me as I’ll share a bit more on these entrepreneurial instincts in my next blog.)
Homeschooling, CEO Mom
Yes, I've accomplished a tremendous amount in less than 40 trips around the sun. From a fantastic family to multiple thriving businesses, to global travel, and hundreds of unique experiences. I’m living a super cool life, full of fireworks, and controlling my orbit.
But could I have accomplished MORE in the same 40 trips around the sun if I had someone championing my dreams from the very beginning? I know I would have experienced a lot fewer bumps, bruises, and scars along the way.
Answering this question was a large part of what put me on my first homeschooling journey. I also believe in the growing trend of business owners who are choosing homeschooling because:
I'll make the assumption that, because you’re reading this, you're an entrepreneur or business owner or are thinking of becoming one. You’re wondering, can I successfully run a business and homeschool together? Or maybe it’s because you've noticed that your child is different in the most delicious way. Perhaps people even refer to your child as—dare I say it—weird! It's most likely their Entrepreneurial Instincts kicking in; things like resiliency, problem-solving, fact-finding, communication, risk-taking, flexibility, always learning, and dreaming big. You sense that your child (maybe even yourself) is at the inflection point of your evolutional journey, and you know it can go either way.
Think about your childhood, how you were raised, and your experience with school. You might imagine that, if you were encouraged to have a Growth Mindset and learn on your own terms, you would have done some things differently. Maybe you'd have taken chances earlier, traveled the world sooner, met exciting people more frequently, and pursued your passions more fearlessly. You might have more gratitude for each trip around the sun you've taken.
If your “weirdness” was nurtured early on, your unique thinking encouraged sooner, your hesitance coached into fearlessness, your boundaries expanded or blown away, your failures seen through a different lens – who would you be today?
I’m known for saying that we all have these little, timid sparks inside of us, and based on our curiosity, we see those sparks get higher and more intense, and then one day—if we allow it—they turn into full-blown fireworks.
This is why I chose to homeschool my kids (who are just now recognizing their entrepreneurial instincts) while running multiple businesses and evolving my own personal journey. I prefer to homeschool my children because I can provide them a personalized education designed around their abilities. I want to spend my time making it possible for them to achieve their highest potential and realize their biggest dreams.
I challenge you to think about your own capacity for championing your child's and employees’ unlimited abilities in the same way. Whether you work full-time, run your own business, or are the CEO of your household, you can help cultivate lifelong curiosity, confidence, and conviction in the humans around you—helping them succeed through turmoil and creating amazing experiences.
In our journey together, I hope that I can help you see how to do it without losing your mind or creating needless stress and help you feel more connected to your own parenting journey, your business, and yourself.
As I mentioned above, I’ll share more about the 9 Entrepreneurial Instincts in my next blog. I look forward to sharing more with you then.
Until then, keep evolving on your life’s amazing orbit!
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