Yes, you read that right. Life is one big problem. But before you jump to conclusions, let me clarify—I don’t mean life is a problem in a pessimistic sense, as if it’s unenjoyable. Rather, I mean that life is full of challenges that require solutions. Problems come in all shapes and sizes—big or small, easy or difficult, slow or urgent. And when I say everything in life is a problem, I mean everything.
Think about it. You need to find something to eat, or you won’t survive. You need to help your spouse with chores, or your marriage may suffer. You need a job, or you can’t pay your bills. You need to get out of bed, or you risk becoming sedentary.
See the pattern? Life is a series of problems to solve. And what do we become as a result? Problem solvers.
The Shift in Problem-Solving
From a young age, we’re taught to solve problems for ourselves. As we grow older, the problems become more complex, but we learn how to navigate them. However, at some point in childhood, I noticed a shift—our education starts preparing us to solve problems not for ourselves, but for our future employers.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it raises a question: Why not shift the focus toward solving problems for customers rather than just employers?
We often hear, “Someday, you’ll have a boss who expects this completed perfectly and on time.” But why don’t we hear, “Someday, you’ll have a customer who expects this completed perfectly and on time?”
Looking back, I don’t recall encountering that second perspective in school. Yet, this simple shift in mindset—from an employee mentality to an ownership mentality—could make a significant difference. Interestingly, adopting an ownership mindset might even make us better employees, as we’d take greater accountability for our success and the success of the business.
When we solve problems effectively, whether for an employer or a client, we create value, and when we create value, success follows.
Entrepreneurship and the 1% Mindset
This realization is what led me to write the Garrett’s Ventures book series. After college, I wanted to start a business, but I didn’t realize it until I had already stepped into the workforce. If I had been exposed to entrepreneurship earlier, I might have taken risks when I had nothing to lose. Instead, I followed the path I was taught—get a degree, get a job, and keep my boss happy by solving his problems.
In Garrett’s Ventures, I aim to help children shift their mindset. Instead of asking, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” I want them to ask, “Whose problems do I want to solve—my boss’s or my customers?”
The Numbers Behind Entrepreneurship
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), only about 10-15% of working-age adults engage in entrepreneurship, while the remaining 85-90% become employees or remain out of the workforce. The downside? About 90% of startups fail, with 50% shutting down within the first five years.
But what if we could change these numbers by introducing entrepreneurial thinking earlier? What if more people were educated on business ownership, leading to reduced failure rates and increased success?
Data from the IRS and U.S. Treasury shows that business owners and self-employed individuals make up a dominant share of the top 1% of earners. Studies indicate that 50% to 70% of the top 1% built their wealth through business ownership, entrepreneurship, or investments—not wages.
Some argue that the top 1% make too much money. But instead of scrutinizing them, shouldn’t we equip the next generation with the tools to join them? Teaching children an ownership mindset doesn’t just increase their earning potential—it empowers them to play a larger role in society, taking on higher stakes and greater responsibility.
Final Thoughts
Life is full of problems—but that’s not a bad thing. It’s an opportunity. The real question isn’t if we will solve problems, but who we will solve them for—our bosses or our customers. If we start teaching kids to think like entrepreneurs, they’ll have the chance to shape their own futures rather than simply working to build someone else’s.
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