Why It Rocks To Be An Entrepreneur Right Now!
Working for yourself isn’t all a bed of roses, but then again, neither is working for someone else! I know which challenges I would prefer to have!
So what can you expect when becoming an entrepreneur?
1. Time
Time takes on a whole new meaning for those running their own businesses. It’s usually a positive change, but here’s the reality:
– You don’t have to be in a factory or at a desk for a specified number of hours per day
– You can start and finish work pretty much anytime you want to
– You will work longer and harder than ever before (if you want to succeed of course)
– You will be able to work around your own timetable – you’ll be able to stay home with your kids if they’re young, be at their school concerts, mid-week sporting events and anything else where they need you.
2. Control
Whether control is a scary word for you, or something that drives you insane because you don’t feel you have enough of it, be prepared for much more control as an entrepreneur! Apart from control over your time, you’ll also have control over:
– Where your business goes – the work you put in will finally have something to show for it
– Your own future – no more annual reviews, arguments with a boss, missing out on promotions, wage cuts etc.
– Your own destiny – you can take as much risk as you’re comfortable with (although as an entrepreneur you need to quickly become very comfortable with taking risks!), and you can also take advantage of as many opportunities that present themselves.
3. Hard work
While there are so many benefits to running your own business, no successful entrepreneur will ever say that it’s easy. Sure, you work to your own schedule and prioritize what’s important to you… but that comes at the price of hard work. Longer hours, greater challenges, more risk, a steep learning curve are all to be expected. But you know what? All of that pays off for you – not someone else! And there is a big difference between being forced to work by someone else and deciding to work for yourself.
4. Purpose
Anyone who now runs their own business has probably worked for someone else at one point and couldn’t stand the gradual erosion of work satisfaction (if it was ever there in the first place!). Working for someone else sucks – let’s face it. Their priorities, their decisions, their agenda – when did you ever feel satisfied with your day?
As your own boss you only have yourself to blame if you’re not feeling satisfied or fulfilled (and it probably just means you’re ready for the next big challenge!).
You will suddenly have a whole new purpose – creating a life and a future that really means something to you… not to someone else.
5. Work with awesome people
You get to pick who you work with and who you don’t! Remember those awful co-workers, bosses, clients and suppliers – goodbye!
Picking your own team, and your own clients, can be a really empowering process and it will evolve over time. But the bottom line is that if you don’t like working with someone, you can quite easily change it and call the shots.
6. Freedom
Apart from freedom over your own schedule, you’ll also enjoy the freedom to choose things like:
– Which clients you work with, and don’t
– Whether you take on a project or not
– How much you charge
– Where you work – you can easily become location independent and work anywhere!
– How much and how often you work.
7. A legacy
You’ll no longer be part of the corporate workforce, on the hamster wheel of long shifts or just another number on the factory floor. You’ll be showing your kids that what you do matters.
Let your children see you create something amazing. They’ll also see you fail along the way, and that’s a great lesson too. Because they’ll see you get up and try again and again. Instead of just doing what everyone else does, they will see you rise above and do something really meaningful. You’ll definitely inspire them (even if they never admit it!).
8. Being part of the future of work
It’s an out-dated notion to expect that a job will last forever. Why put your future in someone else’s hands? Get ahead of the curve and create your own destiny instead of waiting around for someone else to decide your fate.
Notice we haven’t even really mentioned money? If you think being an entrepreneur is just about the money, then you’ve missed the point. Money is important of course, and chances are if you work hard, you will make all the money you want, but that’s just a result of your hard work, tenacity and focus.