Are you foreseeing the days when you are working at home? When you no longer have to fight the rush hour traffic? When you no longer have to call in sick? The best part of that scenario is you no longer have to see your boss! Isn't that sweet? Unfortunately, that day won't come easily. Unlike a mortar and brick business, you do not need lots of money to start, but it also doesn't mean you can find your success effortlessly. There are essentials you need to know about to find your way from an employee to an entrepreneur.
Manage you time
At the beginning, you work during the day, and you run your own business in your spare time. Do you think you don't have enough time to do that? You'd better think twice. All of us have the same amount of time--24 hours a day. The difference is how you manage that 24 hours. People say they don't have time, but then they watch TV 30 hours a week! Just giving up TV can give you an extra 30 hours That's more than a day every week. Think of what you can do with those 30 hours! So, what IS your priority? If it is TV, forget it! Prioritize things, and spend your precious time with the most important thing first.
Be patient, Be consistent
Now, you are really trying new things. But you cannot perform like a seasoned veteran from the beginning. It takes time to complete every single task, even the one that seems to be the simplest task. The process can make you feel very frustrated. On top of that, at the beginning, the learning curve isn't steep, and you have a bunch of things to tackle that make you more frustrated. You feel you can't get anything done. It doesn't mean you can't be an entrepreneur. It's just the normal learning process. Do not give up. If you quit, I can guarantee you won't succeed. Be patient, and be consistent.
Discipline yourself
You do not have to run your business. You already have another way to make a living. It's just not your first choice. After 5 o'lock, you can be a procrastinator. No one's looking over your shoulder; no one's going to criticise you. You can sit back and relax. Let another day go by, and another, and another because of laziness, lack of motivation or whatever you called it. The biggest enemy of your success is in you. However, the best defense against that enemy is also in you. DISCIPLINE! Be strict with yourself, and you will take a giant step forward to your future-the future you really want!
What do you think? Is this too much to be an entrepreneur? Success will not come to your door. You have to walk toward it. You know you can't make money just sleeping all day long, don't you? Now, are you having second thoughts? Do you think you can't be an entrepreneur? It doesn't matter what is in your mind. Success at being an entrepreneur does not depend on who you are today. It is depends on who you will become tomorrow.
© July, 2001