Not having done proper research on this topic, the following is just my sense, which could of course be wrong. With that caveat out of the way, here goes.

What seems most likely to me is that, as with many things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It’s most likely that almost anyone can become an entrepreneur, given sufficient (internal or external) motivation.

For example, you hate your job and/or boss enough, you’re unable to adapt to being an employee, or unable to put food on the table with the jobs you’re able to land, etc. In any of those cases, you likely have enough external motivation. If you can’t accept not doing something you’re passionate about and nobody is willing to pay you a salary to do it, you may have enough internal motivation.

Having said all that, I don’t think just anybody can be an extraordinary entrepreneur. Building something like a Microsoft, Uber, Amazon, Berkshire-Hathaway, etc. demands much more than simply having a pulse.

It’s like playing basketball or tennis — almost anyone can be taught to play, but playing in the NBA or winning the US Open is beyond almost all of us no matter how hard we try. To play at that level requires sufficient innate talent, and a personality that’s molded to commit and stay committed no matter what, come hell or high water.

While many have one or both of these qualities at some level, only a unique few have both at the level needed to reach the pinnacle of any endeavor, including entrepreneurship.