A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them. — Henry Kravis

You never know what people think of you. I walk past the same homeless person near my work at least twice a day. I have an incredible amount of respect for him. I’ve given him money a few times. He assembles massive amounts of rummage he can sell (e.g. cardboard, small electronics, bottles, etc.). He has a cell phone, I’ve seen it. The piles in the carts must stack 7 or 8 feet in the air, and he parks them right on the sidewalk. Then suddenly, he’ll disappear and come back with newer clothes and a cart that’s barely full.

Once he disappeared for two weeks. I was randomly walking alongside a young girl who yelled “You’re back!” when she saw him, smiled and continued walking by. There must be a few hundred people with some opinion of him and he probably has no idea what they are and probably doesn’t care. 

Napoleon once said “Respect the burden,” but I think mine is different. I respect his efforts and optimism. I wonder  what I might do in the same situation. Creativity and determination are like the spoon Andy used in Shawshank Redemption. Figure out what you want to do with what you have and do it.