Embracing the Unconventional

What does the world need? This was first asked of me when I attended my very first event, an event for leaders in the public sector. I thought about it for a long time and I think, that the world needs a different perspective on each other. I think that we need to shift our way of thinking, seeing beyond labels, and breaking the invisible walls we have built between us.

When I was still graduating, I thought about ending the ceremony with a speech as a Toastmaster. But the month before graduation, doubt crept in. Should I really do that or just do what everyone else is doing? Should I just sit still? Isn't it weird if I am the only one standing up to give a speech? But you know, we are all weird in someone's view. So, I decided to do it.

Entrepreneurs are weird, aren't they? They see problems as opportunities, they take risks where others see dead ends, and they believe in their vision even when no one else does. The definition of an entrepreneur? Someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down. That takes courage, resilience, and an unshakable belief that solutions exist—if only we dare to look beyond the obvious.

We always say we want innovation. We want people to think outside the box. But when someone around us actually does it, it is scary and weird. It feels strange, even threatening. But I think a large part of us wasn't born to stay inside the box. Thinking outside the box is one thing, but I challenge you to also live outside the box. To not do things the way everyone else does, just because everyone else is doing it. Because to achieve something you have never achieved, you will have to walk a path you have never walked before.

In the entrepreneurial mindset, anything is possible. A mentor once told me that entrepreneurship is about finding solutions. Although I did not particularly like this man and ended my internship with him after just three days, his words stuck with me. Since then, I have viewed entrepreneurship as the art of problem-solving. The Ocean Cleanup is an organization created to remove plastic from the ocean. And what did they do? They came up with a solution to a massive problem. Money School, Lukida, and Meester Rembrandt are organizations enriching education by teaching 21st-century skills. They, too, found innovative solutions to issues in the education system.

The entrepreneur focuses on growth and development, is proactive, and dares to dream. But more than that, they dare to learn… and they dare to listen. You're never done learning, right? But how come we sometimes act like we are? How come we act like we know it all? We don’t learn because we think we already know. We listen to respond, not to understand. Imagine the power of truly listening—not to argue, not to prove a point, but to understand. That is where change begins. That is where growth begins.

But entrepreneurship does not mean turning the world upside down overnight. You want to live more sustainably and start a garden for yourself and your family? That is finding a solution. That is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a mindset, not just a title nor a role. It is not just about making money. As people sometimes say, “I just want to get rich.” But chasing wealth without purpose is like running without direction. Chase the vision, and the money will follow. True entrepreneurship is about creating value and asking yourself why you do what you do. Because when you have a strong enough why, you can bear any how.

The world needs more people who dare to be different. Who dare to believe in something greater than themselves. Who dare to stand up when everyone else is sitting down. The world does not need more people who simply go with the flow; it needs people who challenge, innovate, and create.

I have never done it before, so I think I can. And so can you.