You and I are explorers. 

Take a minute and think about that. Being an entrepreneur already means that you’ve chosen to ignore the status quo of how things should be. You’ve given up a job, or a college degree. You’re pursuing something because you believe it can be done better. Heck, the YCombinator program (and 20 under 20, 30 under 30 and other programs) are now rewarding people for dropping out of high school or college and giving them a serious alternative. 

Being an entrepreneur already means that you’ve gone off the highway that the rest of the 98% follow, and you’re taking the back-country roads. 

That makes you an explorer. 

And the more you hang out with entrepreneurs, the more you realize that we are explorers in all other areas of our lives too. Richard Branson routinely tries to break the world record at something crazy that could kill him annually. Many of us are into extreme sports – running marathons, climbing mountains, doing P90X. This one guy I know is putting together cutting edge research from around the world so he can live past 100 years. Tim Ferris experimented with his body for 10 years to discover things that mainstream medicine will never tell you. We push the limits of what our bodies can do as explorers. 

Many male entrepreneurs I know have gone through some sort of PUA program, or have at the least looked at it with interest. Won’t go into detail for the sake of our female readers, but lets just say that it helps tremendously with their social and romantic lives. Again, its not mainstream, and only a small fraction of the population will hunt this stuff out. We explore our social boundaries to find things that work, regardless of custom. 

Most people follow the religion they start with, not because they think its right, but because they were born into it. Just look at the stats. Most entrepreneurs explore more than others. They read, watch, listen.  They push boundaries and compare experiences. They look for deeper reasons to understand why they believe what they do, and if it is right for them. This TED video for example is a solid favorite. 

Some entrepreneurs make billions, and pledge to donate most of it to charity before they die. That takes a certain rule-breaking, follow-your-heart attitude. 

We are risk-takers. We refuse the status quo, not just in business, but in our lives. We are explorers. In the words of Capt. Piccard, “…” (you know what he says next).