Get All Access for $5/mo

Mike Rowe: Why Entrepreneurs Crave the 'Reverse Commute' It's all about mindset. Do you think like an entrepreneur?

By Jason Fell

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What exactly is the "reverse commute"? It has a little something to do with the entrepreneur mindset.

"I've never met an entrepreneur who's struck me as totally sane," says Dirty Jobs star Mike Rowe. "They're not normal."

Rowe knows a thing or two about entrepreneurs, having worked alongside countless business owners on Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs. He's back at the dirty grind, this time starring in CNN's Somebody's Gotta Do It, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.

Rowe says successful entrepreneurs crave the reverse commute, meaning they see the path that everyone else is taking and they blaze their own trail instead.

"The well-worn path is a thing that provides sane people -- classically sane people -- with a measure of comfort. The comfort is born of certainty," Rowe says. "The entrepreneur sees the exact same thing and concludes something altogether different. Too many people have gone this way. Whatever's there, I'm not going to find it."

Even if the new path isn't a shortcut, even if it means going against the flow, a true entrepreneur will prefer it as it is his or her own. "There's a hard-headed, recessive gene in most successful entrepreneurs that I adore," he says.

For more on Rowe's thoughts on the entrepreneur mindset, check out the short video above.

Related:

Mike Rowe: Don't Pursue Your Passion. Chase Opportunity.

Mike Rowe on His Facebook Obsession, Working Hard and Singing Opera

Jason Fell

VP, Native Content

Jason Fell is the VP of Native Content, managing the Entrepreneur Partner Studio, which creates dynamic and compelling content for our partners. He previously served as Entrepreneur.com's managing editor and as the technology editor prior to that.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

A Fifth Walt Disney World Theme Park Could Be Coming Soon — Here's What We Know

A unanimous agreement was reached in primary voting between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) on Wednesday.

Business News

Adobe Photoshop Users Are Outraged at the Company's New Terms: 'Am I Reading This Right?'

Adobe's new terms and conditions have creatives in an uproar.

Growing a Business

7 Strategies to Recession Proof Your Business in 2024 and Beyond

Insulate yourself from the turbulence so you can maximize the opportunities and grow.

Side Hustle

'I Could Never Go Back to Corporate': She Quit Her Silicon Valley Tech Job After Her Creative Side Hustle Hit 6 Figures

As a college student, A Jar of Pickles owner Kirstie Wang found it difficult to focus in class — instead teaching herself Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

I Tried the 'Anti-AI App' That Suddenly Drew Half a Million Artists Away From Instagram

Social media app Cara went from a few thousand users to more than 600,000 seemingly overnight.