Nurturing Entrepreneur Thinking

The most valuable kind of thinking is counterintuitive. It questions assumptions and accepted wisdom to see things in a new light.

This is the kind of thinking entrepreneurs rely on to identify opportunities and solve problems. But counterintuitive thinking doesn't come naturally. It has to be nurtured.

Schools are supposed to teach kids how to think, but most schools just load them up with facts to memorize.

Regurgitating information on tests rewards conforming to the status quo, not questioning it. Even assignments intended to foster creativity mostly have strict guidelines that limit exploration. This conditioning makes it harder for kids to retain their natural entrepreneurial curiosity.

Some exceptional teachers nurture creative thinking despite the system.

They recognize that real learning comes from following one's interests instead of a set curriculum. The best learning is self-directed. The teachers just provide guidance and resources. This builds the confidence needed to think independently.

But even the best schools focus too much on preparing kids for college and "the real world."

The implicit message is that wild ideas have to be reined in.

But the world changes fast…

We can't predict what skills and knowledge kids will need in 5 or 10 years, much less a whole career.

The only reliable preparation is developing flexible thinking that can adapt to new situations.

Over-specialization in one domain just breeds a fragile expertise.

The curiosity and imagination of childhood allow kids to explore widely.

It allows them to speculate endlessly about how things work and how they could be improved.

I am grateful for the opportunity to explore as a kid. I was so curious, I tried so many things. I wasn’t boxed into just learning. Played video games. I loved gymnastics, joined debating competitions, and loved to dream and develop ideas amongst many other things.

That is what education should be about. It should be fun and tailored to the kid’s interest.

But our educational system funnels them into narrow academic disciplines that limit perspective.

Physics students learn existing theories but not how to generate new ones that overturn old assumptions.

Literature classes analyze fiction but not how to write great novels.

Music programs teach techniques without inspiring original compositions.

We end up with experts rigidly locked into their fields.

Real innovation comes from combining ideas from diverse domains.

Let’s say we combine fields. Like advances in computers depended on marrying the technical expertise of electrical engineers with the theoretical insights of mathematicians.

The more concepts you have to draw on, the more likely you are to have the pieces you need to solve a new problem.

That’s why pioneering thinkers from Darwin to da Vinci excel at making connections across disciplines.

A broad foundation gives you the tools to build new conceptual frameworks.

Expertise can blind you to unconventional possibilities outside your field. But general knowledge lets you draw parallels between seemingly unrelated ideas to create novel syntheses.

The spark for breakthrough innovations comes from intersecting different worlds of experience.

This is why liberal arts education remains valuable, perhaps more than ever.

They expose you to varied modes of thinking and areas of study. You’re not trained just in one speciality.

You learn how to learn across domains. Even if you don't end up working in a related field, this breadth of knowledge develops the flexibility of mind that fuels innovation.

Some of the most successful companies were founded by liberal arts majors, not software engineers.

Guided by intuition honed from diverse experiences, they were able to envision possibilities beyond the limits of programming.

The technical expertise needed to implement their vision could be bought. Domain-specific skills are becoming commodities.

The scarce resource is imagination.

Imagination can't be taught, only unleashed. The unstructured free play of childhood fosters divergent thinking. Kids explore their interests, tinker with materials, and improvise the rules of their own games.

But structured activities and supervised play replace this as kids get older. Their schedules fill up with academic classes and adult-organized sports and arts programs designed to cultivate defined skills. Undirected time to wander and wonder dwindles. Without space for spontaneous expression, imagination atrophies.

The competitive pressure of careers demands linear thinking to achieve defined objectives.

But the meandering of a childlike mind is crucial for innovation.

Give your mind permission to wander again.

Make time for unplanned activities, from taking random walks to having unstructured conversations.

Idle moments of reflection are key to unravelling unconscious assumptions that block breakthrough ideas.

The most successful people master both focused effort and freewheeling exploration. Work ethic hones skills and an abundance mentality keeps you open to serendipity.

Practice your craft diligently but take time to incubate ideas in a relaxed state. Make space for spontaneity alongside discipline. Balance adding knowledge bricks with inventing new conceptual frameworks. Apply expertise while nurturing a beginner’s mind.

Childhood isn't just playtime to grow out of. It holds lessons for a creative approach to work and life: follow your intrinsic interests, take risks unconstrained by preconceived outcomes, and let your mind wander down unconventional paths.

The innovation we need emerges from a childlike delight in seeing the world afresh every day.