Entreprenuership

Unless you find a corporation or cause that you can back up 100%, you should consider being an entrepreneur. While it does produce excellent autonomy, it does require a lot of work to begin and maintain. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t immediately offer the “safe” wages of a 9-5-type job, but it can offer a lot more personal and professional satisfaction when the amount of effort going in directly affects the amount one receives back.

These days, it’s easy to begin work with relatively low overhead. Resources and markets are going online these days, which brings significantly less need for a brick and mortar shops. Suppliers are virtually available everywhere – and anything is possible. The main challenge is not so much the how-to of starting or availability of resources, but being able to stand out in a competitive market.

We all need quality, creativity, service, and a bit of luck. However, an eye for watching which direction of products and services will be invaluable in staying ahead of the ideas rather than behind. A copycat will always be one step behind. Additionally, most people don’t completely respect or trust copycat brand names, even if they are more affordable. It’s better to put one’s creativity into making something either new or better.

Being an entrepreneur can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. The expression, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is useful advice – especially when it’s not necessary to take a big financial risk. Part time work and additional income-flow is needed, especially when things are just getting started. It takes a while to develop stability - patience and balancing finances take time to assess and properly incorporate.

Experience is the best teacher. Often, our first ideas are not going to turn out well. We can expect setbacks, and for it to take longer during the initial stages to bring fruitful results. However, it’s all part of the process and it shouldn’t be seen as wasted time. What we learn about business and ourselves is much more valuable than initial profits. Persistence is key. I’ve put a lot of effort into projects that haven’t worked out well. However, the simple experience of trying has brought further understanding and development, even to seemingly unrelated parts of life.

If one has a dream, then one should pursue it. Not everything we dream for is meant for us to achieve, but it’s meant for us to pursue. Life isn’t so much about accomplishments as it is the experiences. If a dream is pursued, but not accomplished, it’ s guaranteed to steer our attention to where we really need to be and what we really need in our lives. All that is required is that you try.

For further related reading, please check out: Leadership & Service.