For Visionary Entrepreneurs, Naive is the New Black

Image Credit: Ralston Smith

You’re a leader whose drawn to visionaries and risk-takers. I love how you write your own rules and respect others that do the same. But, tell me this: Has anyone ever called you naive for being so open minded? If they did, was it easy for you to let it go?

I was called naive for wanting to actually create social change — as opposed to simply studying society as a grad student, or throwing some change at worthy causes as an entrepreneur. Some people still think I’m unwise for wanting to support big thinkers in creating next level social change and business growth.

Instead of letting the naive police get to me, I flipped the script. I wear naiveté like it’s the new black.

I used to be embarrassed for, not even sharing, but simply HAVING grand visions for society as well as my life and career. Then, at Cupid’s Cup, an annual entrepreneurship competition hosted at my alma mater (the University of Maryland), Kevin Plank shared this quote:

I was smart enough,
to be naive enough,
to NOT know,
what I could not accomplish.

As the Founder, CEO and Chairman of Under Armour, Kevin Plank, could have attributed his success to the common clichés: “Being first to market;” “Surrounding myself with people smarter than me” and “Ensuring exceptional product-market fit.” And, I’m certain all those advantages continue to help him thrive. It moves me to know that when given the opportunity to speak to millennial entrepreneurs, the advice a billionaire innovator decided to share was so simple and profound: Stay naive.

Still, I have to give Kevin Plank a quick side eye 😒

I definitely don’t agree with the comments Plank rescinded earlier this year about Donald Trump (he actually described him as an “asset” to the USA 🙄). And, of course, his privilege allowed him to take risks that others couldn’t. But, it is the sane and road-tested side of Kevin Plank that still inspires me like he first did 7 years ago. So, I keep this reminder on my phone:

I don’t think we get to be game-changing leaders without being naive about our capacity for success.

At my interactive workshop “Transform the World Inside Out,” I hope to inspire creative entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs, business leaders and anyone curious about the role business can play in bettering society to stay naive.

If your journey has been similar to mine, some very important people in your life and career may have called you naive — to your face, no less — for thinking big and differently. But, the truth is, if our dreams were obvious, guaranteed and easily attainable, we wouldn’t be excited and motivated to pursue them. In that case, those dreams would be something that anyone could accomplish and wouldn’t put you on the unique path of your personal hero’s journey.

I’ve decided to embrace being seen as naive. And, not to toot my own horn — *pops collar* — but, looking at my business plan and personal mission statement the other day, I told myself: I make naive look GOOD. 💃

So, you’ll see me walking around like naiveté is my sharpest accessory. I like wearing it often and with pride. For me, it really is the new black.

If you’d like to look extra fresh as you pursue your visions for a groundbreaking enterprise and a better world, consider my free workshop, “Transform the World Inside Out” at The Potter’s House in Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 13th at 6:00pm.

You’ll learn practical insights you can start implementing right away.

Not in DC? Register for the FREE livestream of the event via my Facebook Page: You can set a reminder for the event by clicking “Get Reminder” on the first post pinned to the top of my page.

One last thing… The Potter’s House is an intimate space, so if you are in the D.C. area and can attend live, there are only so many seats available. Click here to save your spot while the getting is good.

Kathryn Buford, PhD

Written by

Cultural Entrepreneur. I help visionary entrepreneurs + biz leaders scale w/ heart and Cultural Impact Strategy 👊🏾 http://bit.ly/TransformTheWorldInsideOut

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