Enterprising Children Need To Learn To See The World Differently What you need to remember when raising entrepreneurially-minded kids.

As you begin your career journey, the necessity for having an entrepreneurial spirit becomes apparent. In any position, you must constantly find ways to do things better, to innovate, and to expand your knowledge base. Thinking outside of the box, being confident in yourself, and being able to take criticism are just a few of the vital skills needed to be successful. Many of these same skills that define successful entrepreneurs also apply to professionals in all careers. While you have heard of the "intrapreneur" term, we want to expand this understanding to encompass all working professions, even doctors, lawyers, or veterinarians. Preparing kids for success in their future professions, no matter which path they choose, and in their personal lives means focusing on teaching valuable entrepreneurial skills.

These are some of the approaches we need to apply (and why they are important):

THROUGH THE EYE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Teaching entrepreneurial skills isn't just about good business practices. Think of entrepreneurship as a lens. Being an entrepreneur means seeing things for what they could be, not what they are. This way of viewing the world around you is incredibly important. It allows you to think differently, and challenge the status quo- a staple for success. When this lens is applied at a young age, it ultimately shapes the world around you, and encourages grit and determination.

HOW TO INGRAIN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE MIND
To teach entrepreneurial thinking, it's important to encourage tactical steps and ensure a firm foundation through example. There are three key components to focus on: imagination, prioritization, and resilience.

Imagination is where all creativity begins. It's the ability to take what is at hand and believe that, through out-of-the-box thinking, it can be something better. By encouraging imaginative thinking, kids learn to find unique solutions and explore fields that require more creative outlooks. Some tactical steps to teaching this include artistic activities, problem solving games, and decision-making scenarios.

Prioritization is the first step in time management and productivity. By teaching kids to prioritize, they learn valuation, project management, efficiency, and decisionmaking. These are all excellent skills that will prove invaluable in their future personal and professional lives. To teach prioritization, work together to create schedules, give more decision-making opportunities, and encourage delayed gratification.

Resilience is perhaps one of the most important skills to teach early in life, as it is what can make or break success. Being resilient means getting up after you've been knocked down, not taking "no" for an answer, and, ultimately, believing in yourself even when you fail. Resilience allows us to work for a better future, even if that means staying in the hard place, and staying where there is tension. Teaching this foundational skill means showing kids how to believe in themselves. Some tactical ways you can teach resilience is by encouraging positivity, and reinforcing self-esteem.

As kids grow and join the labor market, or even if they choose to become entrepreneurs, preparing them for a life of success means teaching vital entrepreneurial skills. From fostering imaginative thinking, to encouraging prioritization, to giving kids reason to believe in themselves, it's never too early to teach entrepreneurship. Learning entrepreneurial thinking and how to see things through this lens gives license to creativity, an innovative mindset, and ultimately, future success in career and life.

Related: The Childhood Traits Entrepreneurs Should Never Grow Out Of