So you want to be an entrepreneur (and probably because you want to make more money than you do now). TV Shows such as Shark Tank (US) and Dragon’s Den (UK, Canada) have popularized self-made millionaires, as well as the thrill of raising money (or being laughed out of the room).

The top reasons people start their own company are (in order): Simply “ready” to run their own business (26%), wanting to pursue their passion (23%), the opportunity presented itself (19%), fed up with corporate America (12%), laid off (6%) and a major life event (divorce, death) comes in at 3% — aka “life is too short.”

The popularization of becoming an Entrepreneur and starting your own business are essentially mimetic. We want this because others desire it (thanks, Shark Tank). Everyone wants freedom. While many dream about success, money, and lavish travels, that desire materializes as the fantasy of starting a business to achieve that goal. Often, the businesses that get built become jobs that are even harder than the jobs we had to begin with, with more responsibility. As a result, many who startup strike-out because they buy themselves a job instead of the freedom they desire.

Mimetic “modeling” of people we respect and admire is responsible for many other cultural desires that we think we want (depending on your role model) and behaviors that risk making us profoundly unhappy. It comes from everywhere – your parents, friends, celebrities, and advertising. It is the reason influencer marketing works so well (and why the FCC forcing people to tell you when there is compensation makes it less effective). [Continue Reading in XBIZ Magazine]