The German psychologist Eva Schmitt-Rodermund claims that the entrepreneurial vein can be recognized even in young and teenage years. Her hypothesis is based on an analysis of Terman research. During a scientific experiment, 1,600 people were tracked in Berkeley (California) and its environs for 60 years. For this, boys and girls who had an IQ of 130 or more and were born around 1910 were selected.
What the experiment showed
The first data was collected in 1922. The final results were recorded in 1982. Based on the polls, in combination with the impressions provided by their parents, the author of the experiment compared the personality type of children who demonstrated an entrepreneurial profile with the personality type of peers who did not have the iron grip necessary to conduct their business.
As a result, the personality traits of children and their behavior were revealed, which a priori show a predisposition to entrepreneurial activity. So, here are the main ones.
Honesty and diligence
Those children who received high scores for conscientiousness and industriousness, extraversion and openness, in the future most often became the owners of their own business. Such a personality profile most often corresponds to the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs.
Permanent leader
Those children who take leadership roles often subsequently become entrepreneurs. In addition, the study found that people who later became businessmen were more likely to assume leadership roles in their teens. For example, they were class leaders, captains of sports teams or presidents of student communities.
It was also revealed that future entrepreneurs are inventors of something:
- new culinary recipe;
- technical device;
- way to clean your room.
In addition, the study showed that people who followed the path of entrepreneurial activity at a later age often read books on economic topics in their youth.
Apple from apple tree
If the child grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, then most likely he will also have his own business. Psychological studies have shown that children of parents-entrepreneurs are much more likely than their peers to become entrepreneurs themselves. Statistics unequivocally show that having an entrepreneurial parent has a greater impact on the likelihood that a child will become an entrepreneur than having rich relatives.
Ratings are not the main thing
School and university grades are not critical to successful entrepreneurship. This is evidenced by a recent qualitative study, which is based on detailed interviews with 45 extremely wealthy Germans (mostly successful entrepreneurs).
It showed that although most of the study participants benefited from high-quality school and university education, in this respect they were no different from many of their peers. Moreover, their performance throughout the formal education was average. There was no relationship between how well they studied at school or university, and the level of well-being that they ultimately achieved. In fact, those who had the best school or university grades did not join the ranks of the richest.
Sport success
Many entrepreneurs have been successful athletes. After analyzing the data, we revealed that it was after-school sports events that revealed those personality traits of the child that later turned out to be useful in creating your own business.
It is known that in many cases sport was much more important for such children than studying at school. As athletes, they learned to cope with defeats and defeat their opponents, and developed a fighting character. The children learned to tolerate disappointment and developed self-confidence.
Early Entrepreneurship Experience
Future entrepreneurs in childhood usually sold literally everything:
- cosmetic products;
- home cooking products;
- wheel disks;
- pets.
No doubt, such an experience was useful later. Teenagers already knew how to think, organize their business and ultimately sell. Early entrepreneurial experience was an ideal preparation for creating your own business in future life.