Am I an entrepreneur?

This feeling of not identifying with a word reminds me of Marie-Lou as a child. The one who saw herself as a studious, responsible and fearful little girl. And she was. Those words were repeated to her so often that they certainly influenced the person I became. Conversely, I never saw or categorized myself as an "artist" or an "adventurer", because those were not words people used to describe me. What a surprise it was when I realized I was also creative and courageous. That I liked acting and writing, and that I liked setting out to conquer the world. Is it possible to be both creative and studious? Both courageous and fearful?

Over time, I realized I could be all those things, and that the main limitation was my own perception of who I was. Ultimately, I am not simply a reflection of what others see in me. Certainly, who I am has been shaped by my experiences and the people around me, but I remain the person primarily responsible for that identity. I have the right simply to be.

Inevitably, life comes with boxes into which we sort things and people. Perhaps this reassuring classification is necessary for our society to rely on certain recognizable reference points. Or perhaps these are simply shortcuts we take to avoid having to understand the people around us in all their complexity. I do not know. But I believe we need to give ourselves permission to express the whole person we are. And, in turn, we need to give others that right too. Because we are not words. Because boxes are made for objects, not humans.

But although we should give ourselves permission to act differently from what we think others expect of us, crossing that invisible line and allowing ourselves to go further is uncomfortable. For us. For the people around us.

For example, I believed that being a good entrepreneur meant:

• being incredibly confident
• being bold
• rarely doubting your positions
• enjoying taking risks
• not being afraid
• being daring and acting rationally

I do not recognize myself in all these characteristics. But today I allow myself to be an entrepreneur anyway. An entrepreneur with my own character:

• I am fearful, but courageous.
• I am cautious, but I love adventure.
• I am someone who doubts, but keeps moving forward.

So I wonder: where should we begin to create more diverse role models who will inspire future generations? Should we teach them that it is possible to go beyond the limits we impose on ourselves? Should we tell them that words are only words? Or should we encourage our society to celebrate individuals rather than their roles?

Because although we may say things are different in 2021, that we give people permission to pursue entrepreneurship and accept different role models, I still have this question. If, as an individual, I push back my own invisible lines, will I inevitably one day run into society's? Those of my social circle?

Because deep down, I would like more women and men who are a little fearful, sometimes cautious, with the right dose of confidence and doubt, to be the leaders of tomorrow's world. But am I trying to create another stereotype of the entrepreneur? Let me rephrase:

I would like more kindhearted women and men to have the courage to act, even if they believe they are in boxes that do not allow for it.