Don Quixote

Don Quixote wouldn't necessarily have been a terrific entrepreneur.

However, I observe that as a character, he possesses one of the more important characteristics to any successful pastor, politician, activist, businessman or revolutionary - he cultivates belief, if even only in himself.

Totally delusional, but never in doubt.

A part of my world-view is that life is endlessly mysterious, improbable, and that with every question we answer, we uncover what seems like an exponential number of new questions.

With this presupposition, I observe humans (even those striving to be rational) have a very difficult time comprehending a universe without meaning. Therefore, they subscribe to an endless stream of beliefs to construct a network of rules that allow them to feel secure in an insecure world.

This observation can be advantageous to any entrepreneur who believes that the underlying insecurity of mankind is that most don’t know what to believe in. If that’s the case, start telling stories and creating belief in others.

Beliefs shape action, actions shape our culture.