Why All Young People Should Be Entrepreneurs. | Justin Lafazan | TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool

Summary

The speaker challenges the traditional linear path to success, questioning societal norms that dictate a certain sequence from high school to retirement. They advocate for life design, encouraging entrepreneurship among youth to create opportunities and solve problems. The benefits highlighted include excitement, flexibility, risk aversion, and the ability to explore passions. The narrative contrasts the structured life with the empowered life of an entrepreneur, urging young people to design their own paths to extraordinary lives.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker felt their life was on a predetermined path that didn't resonate with them, questioning the conventional route to success.
• 🔄 A paradox was identified where the status quo advice for success didn't align with the dissatisfaction of many in their work.
• 🌐 The concept of 'life design' was introduced as a way to envision and create a path towards a desired future lifestyle.
• 🏫 The speaker disliked the rigid structure of school and sought a more flexible and engaging way to learn and grow.
• 🚀 Entrepreneurship was presented as a means to create opportunities and solve problems, diverging from the traditional career ladder.
• 💡 The speaker discovered that successful people often carved their own paths, seeking lives that were not readily available.
• 📈 Entrepreneurship was advocated for young people as it offers excitement, flexibility, and a sense of control over one's life path.
• 📉 The risks of following a traditional career path were highlighted, using the example of someone reaching a high position in a company that then failed.
• 👨‍🎓 The speaker shared personal experiences of starting companies and the value of trying different things to understand one's passions.
• 🧠 The importance of experimentation and exploration was emphasized over rigid educational and career structures.
• 💼 The final call to action was for young people to design their lives with entrepreneurship in mind, aiming for extraordinary rather than average lives.

Q & A

What was the speaker's problem with the traditional path to success?

The speaker felt that the traditional path to success, which involves going from high school to college to internships to jobs and eventually retirement, did not make sense to them and did not resonate with their desire for a non-conventional life.

What paradox did the speaker develop regarding societal messages about success?

The paradox was that if everyone follows the same singular path to success, how can one stand out or achieve something different from the status quo, especially when many people are unhappy with their work.

What is the 'hand in the sand' mentality mentioned in the script?

The 'hand in the sand' mentality refers to the process of taking in as much advice as possible and letting go of the advice that doesn't resonate, while holding onto the advice that does.

What did the speaker discover as the core advice in the palm of their hand?

The core advice that the speaker found valuable was to create opportunities and solve problems.

How does the speaker define 'life design'?

Life design is defined as looking out 10 years into the future, identifying the life one wants to live, and designing a path to achieve that life.

What are the benefits of entrepreneurship that the speaker mentions?

The speaker mentions three benefits of entrepreneurship: excitement, flexibility, and being risk-averse.

Why does the speaker feel that entrepreneurship leads to excitement?

Entrepreneurship leads to excitement because it involves working on cool projects, traveling, and engaging with interesting people, which contrasts with the boredom and disengagement felt in traditional educational settings.

How does entrepreneurship offer flexibility according to the speaker?

Entrepreneurship offers flexibility by allowing individuals to choose various life paths and make decisions that best suit them, as opposed to being confined by rigid schedules and structures in traditional education and corporate environments.

What example does the speaker use to illustrate the idea that entrepreneurship is risk-averse?

The speaker uses the example of a man who worked his way up in a company (Blockbuster) that eventually went bankrupt, showing that even a seemingly secure corporate path can be risky, whereas entrepreneurship allows for more control over one's life path.

What is the story of Tim and Jared that the speaker shares?

Tim is a high-achieving student struggling to find an internship, while Jared, who was rejected by every school he applied to, took control of his life by starting the 'gap year experiment,' which led to an impressive resume. This story illustrates that entrepreneurship can lead to more control over one's life path.

Why does the speaker believe entrepreneurship is essential for young people?

The speaker believes entrepreneurship is essential for young people because it allows for experimentation and exploration of passions and interests, which can lead to finding fulfilling work and a meaningful life path.

What is the final call to action the speaker gives to young people?

The speaker urges young people to envision their life ten years from now, decide how they want to live, and design a path to achieve that life, rather than following the average status quo advice.