12 Lessons Young Entrepreneurs can Learn from Winnie-the-Pooh

A. A. Milne was a genius in the word’s truest sense: he stuffed the most important life lessons into the simplest of words and ideas, and used the characters he created like Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and Tigger to communicate them to the young minds.

We’ve collected a number of such quotes which relate not only to daily-life but also to the world of entrepreneurship. Following are our top picks of lessons which can be learned by young and budding entrepreneurs to be applied in their ventures; scroll away!

1. “Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.”

The time spent in collecting information and advice before starting a venture or making an important decision, no matter how much, is never a waste. You never know where you’ll get that one crucial piece of information that will make all the difference in the world sometime in the future.

2. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

If there’s only one person in the whole wide world who’ll believe in you, make sure it’s you. You don’t need anybody’s approval or endorsement to know things are going to work the way you believe them to work—you just have to believe your own guts.

3. “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Never be afraid or shy to reach out; making the right contacts and networking with the right people are the key factors for a startup’s success.

4. “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?” 

Keep things simple for yourself, and make them simpler for others. Avoid jargon and long, complicated, technical terms as much as possible without losing the real meaning of conversation.

5. “I don’t see much sense in that,” said Rabbit. “No,” said Pooh humbly, “there isn’t. But there was going to be when I began it. It’s just that something happened to it along the way.”

It is extremely easy to lose track of things when you’re trying to accomplish a lot at the same time. Maintain a log, keep notes, manage a track-record, in whatever format that suits you the most—hand-written, printed, electronic—of all the ideas and conversations you have had or are planning to have.

6. “Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

Inspiration can sometimes come from the most unlikeliest of places. If you’re stuck somewhere in the middle, stop thinking about the problem, clear your mind, then take things from the top with a broader mindset and you’ll find out that the answer had been staring right into your eyes the whole time.

7. “What day is it?” “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day,” said Pooh.

Yesterday’s gone, tomorrow may never come. Today’s the only day, the only opportunity you’ve got to make it all work. Make it count.

8. “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.”

It is not necessary that everyone will inherently understand and agree with your take on things. Never leave anything ambiguous, discuss every little detail with all the stakeholders and only then you are allowed to assume that everyone’s on the same page.

9. “The hardest part is what to leave behind, … It’s time to let go!”

Letting go can sometimes prove to be extremely difficult. How can you say goodbye to all the dreams, all the good things so easily? But remember, by clinging onto something that was never meant to happen in the first place, you’re not only wasting precious time but also refusing to look in the direction of the world of opportunities out there, waiting for you to seize.

10. “A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.”

Endless, tireless work can make anyone feel frustrated but it’s not anyone’s fault that you’re pursuing your dreams. Maintain a positive, healthy attitude, and never neglect the fact that kindness can win people over where authority can’t.

11. “…Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get, they’re things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you.”

Find some time for things that interest you besides work; a little indulgence, a few stress-free moments before you get back to your grueling routine.

And finally,

12. “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”

Work is important, there is no denying that, but it’s the family and friends who are always there for you till the very end. Keep them close!

—Images credit: Bibliodyssey (originally drawn by E.H. Shepard), Walt Disney Co.