Is It Time To Go To Work For Yourself?
By accident, really, I’ve been working for myself for a long time. While I have two graduate degrees, serendipity messed around with my life and I never managed to get a position that directly matched my education. But I know that’s not how life plays out for everyone. For many if not most would-be entrepreneurs, there’s a choice. Do you stay in your relatively safe employment, or go out on your own?
Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer. Most people can be happy in either, given the right environment and conditions. The big question is usually about the financial risk of being self-employed. If you are in the ranks of the employed and have been pondering making the jump to independence, that’s probably the single most important thing you’ve considered. But there are other questions, too.
Go or Stay?
Beyond the financial considerations, there are quite a few others:
- Is my personality suited to self-employment?
- How will it affect my family plans and needs?
- What is my overall tolerance for risk?
- Do I feel passionate about this venture, or do I just hate my job?
And those are just the beginning. While my own life experience at being self-employed was more like, “Okay, I guess this is what I’m doing so let’s get to it” and less of a real choice, had I been presented with all the questions I cannot say for sure that I would have chosen this path. Because for sure it has not been without bumps in the roads, detours, and even a complete washout.
I’d sum it up by saying that life in the world of the self-employed is much more of an adventure than what I think the average employee experiences. For me, it was worth it. If you’re pondering a similar path, take a look at this awesome graphic created by BusinessBacker. It’ll help you examine most of the things that you should consider in deciding to go for it, or keep what’s in hand.
Should You Work For Yourself?
