When I was in college, the big question was, “what do I want to do?” It’s a question that all young adults have at least thought about. The answer for me was writing. The answer for others could be anything from teaching kindergarten to serving in the military to being a personal trainer.

For young entrepreneurs, maybe the answer doesn’t matter. Maybe “What do I want to do?” is the wrong question. I read an excellent post this morning on The Entrepreneurial Mind that talks about the question that entrepreneurship students SHOULD be asking themselves.

“What goods or services are needed that people are willing to pay for?”

Instead of focusing on themselves and what they want, entrepreneurs need to focus on what other people (potential customers) want. Pursuing your dreams and being willing to take risks is a good thing. But living in a rusted-out van down by the river because your vintage record shop didn’t pan out is not.

While I’m a huge proponent of people finding what makes them happy in life, I agree with the author’s points. We live in a shaky economy right now, so we have to be smart about the decisions we make and the paths we follow. That’s not to say that young entrepreneurs can’t still pursue the things that make them happy, because they can, they just need to approach them intelligently and with the needs and desires of potential customers in mind.

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