It’s Okay to Not Have it Perfect

While in the sports world, MVP stands for “most valuable player,” it means something completely different in the entrepreneurship space.

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MVP, or “Minimum Viable Product,” is the idea of going to market with an early prototype before waiting for the perfect version—it is the idea of relying on feedback and ongoing revision in order to enter a state of continuous improvement (or “kaizen”).

This translates well to the classroom that is operating from an entrepreneurial mindset perspective. Recently I was speaking with a group of passionate educators who are striving to develop the entrepreneurial mindset in real time at their school, and we were talking about the intentional development of a growth mindset.

Part way into the discussion, Amanda spoke up and shared the following insight: “A growth mindset and perfectionism cannot co-exist.” We all were silent for a moment before Amanda continued by explaining that while she considers herself to be a perfectionist she also recognizes that this could hamper both her own growth mindset and the development of this mindset in the students.

And she’s absolutely right—so often the educational system encourages perfectionism and “playing the game of school” to the point where we unintentionally push students into a fixed mindset where they are afraid to try because it might lead to not succeeding.

This fear keeps us from embracing the joy of discovery that comes with the process of trying, reflecting, and trying again—the process that ultimately leads to success. The principle here is that if taken too far, planning can become a form of procrastination—if we force ourselves to attain perfection before acting, we will ultimately never take action.

And our students will follow suit. A culture where the entrepreneurial mindset thrives is a culture that understands that growth is about ongoing and continuous improvement, about iterating and pivoting with helpful feedback in order to ultimately become problem solvers and innovators both in and out of the classroom.

And because of this, the future of education is bright indeed.

Let’s Go!

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RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

Mark your Calendar for March 6-7, 2025

The 2025 CHCA Entrepreneurship Symposium on March 6 and 7, 2025 will bring together school leaders from around the nation to explore meaningful and impactful entrepreneurship programming designed to engage students, rally communities, and supercharge donors.

And spots are limited.

Email Stephen Carter (Stephen@Seedtreegroup.com) to RSVP and reserve your spots.

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