The Entrepreneur’s Well-Being: Meaning, Transcendence, and Resilience

Dean A. Shepherd () and Holger Patzelt ()
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Dean A. Shepherd: University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business
Holger Patzelt: Technical University of Munich, School of Management

Chapter 5 in The Entrepreneurial Compass, 2026, pp 33-40 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter investigates how meaningful venturing—defined through purpose, mattering, and comprehension—acts as an existential requirement for sustained well-being. The authors explore how motivation-knowledge configurations (intrinsic vs. extrinsic, supply vs. demand side) influence the trade-offs entrepreneurs face in finding meaning. The chapter also explores resilience as characterized by both an equilibrating mechanism for sudden shocks (often via compassion venturing) and a disequilibrating mechanism for persistent adversity (via bricolage or jugaad). The authors highlight self-transcendent emotions, particularly awe, which can transport an entrepreneur beyond their default thinking, enabling them to perceive transformational opportunities. It also addresses the risks of social-venturing fatigue and the importance of authenticity work in gaining community acceptance. Finally, redemption narratives and mentorship are discussed as relational tools for recrafting meaning during reality shocks, helping maintain a coherent life story even in the face of “dirty work” or venture failure.

Keywords: Authenticity; Identity Buffer; Meaningful Venturing; Purpose; Redemption Narratives; Resilience; Self-transcendent Emotions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-36429-6_5

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-36429-6_5

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