by Scott Holloway

Created on: January 16, 2010   Last Updated: January 18, 2010

Entrepreneurial tendencies arise due to a number of factors. These include personality traits, social and economic climate, as well as merely being in the right place at the right time. Throughout history, the entrepreneurial spirit has created everything from useful innovation and great wealth, as well as destruction and suffering. It is an undeniable part of our existence and will continue to change and shape our lives in the future.

If we look at entrepreneurs, we often see people who are willing to take risks. This may be the willingness to suggest alternative and sometimes unpopular solutions to problems. It can also take the form of investing  time or money in something envisioned as worthwhile. The willingness to accept risk is usually supported by confidence in one's self and those around them. Self confidence is also sometimes combined with a need for attention or adulation, which can come from success. Those with a true entrepreneurial spirit are often willing to fail many times in the hopes of achieving future success. Tesla struggled much of his career to achieve success experimenting with electricity. Despite failing many times, he had the drive to keep trying. During his lifetime he didn't receive the credit that others in the field enjoyed, but his willingness to think outside the box provided his vision for what could be.

Social and economic conditions also provide opportunities for those willing to take risks. Downturns in financial markets, natural disasters, and social upheaval have always spawned new generations of entrepreneurs. Those with a vision or the ability to mobilize resources come to the forefront during such times. This provides them with a platform to enact change and thus fulfill their need for being a catalyst of such change. During economic downturns of the 20th century, entrepreneurs such as Donald Trump and Steve Wynn assumed huge risks by investing in undervalued real estate. They were not immune to failure however. Despite losing great fortunes at times, they continued to have a vision of what could be and how to go about it.

Whatever the methods, means, or opportunities people are faced with, there will always be those willing to have a vision and take a risk. The result is our attention, adulation, or even disdain over their accomplishments. Without them, however, life would be rather dull. Sometimes we even want to kick ourselves for not having thought of something sooner, so we, too, could bask in the spotlight!

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