Empowering the Entrepreneurial Mindset: Building Creative Confidence

Over the last decade, I've been on a whimsical and intentional adventure to discover, embrace, and integrate the entrepreneurial mindset into the learning journey for all learners. When we think of creating a vibrant and equitable future world, we need bold risk-takers, creative movers and shakers, and resilient difference makers. Sharing a few reflections and a resource or two.

What is the entrepreneurial mindset? The entrepreneurial mindset is the combination of personal and social skills wrapped that enable and equip students to discover opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and thrive in diverse settings and as global citizens of an ever-evolving world.

An entrepreneurial mindset can enhance a student's learning journey by: 

• fostering perseverance and tenacity
• cultivating creativity and original thinking
• practicing collaboration and communication

So...what do students need to unleash their entrepreneurial mindset? Opportunities to build their Creative Confidence. Having taught K-12, I've noticed that the littlest learners ooze and share creative confidence out loud. High schoolers, not so much. They definitely have the creativity, but it seems to have gotten lost or silenced or shushed in the cacophony of tests, essays, and activities. Creative confidence is like a muscle. It is must be worked and massaged every day, not just for a project or learning experience, but a daily practice to strengthen, tone, and build.

Consider starting with Daily Creative Practice such as ideation, flexible thinking, elaboration, improvement, divergent thinking play, and more. Every day open the minds and hearts of students to mix and match, flip and turn, doodle and draw. Creativity is in the fabric of humanity. It needs attention. 

Explore opportunities for students to engage their unique Creative Process. This may mean creativity for the sake of creativity, not because a public product is needed. Take photos, make videos, create art, make "stuff."

Offer learning opportunities for students to produce Creative Products. Build a website to share with the world, build a prototype to solve a community problem, work collaboratively to raise awareness on important topics.