Maybe after rebutting or shutting out most of the anti-business comments, you have made up your mind to be your own boss.
(Haven’t dealt with the anti-business comments and rebuttals yet? Read Rebuttal to the 5 Most Common Anti-Business Remarks.)
You feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins as you repeatedly tell yourself, “I am going to be my own boss! No one is going to get in my way now! I have all the time freedom to do what I want to do!”
Before you dash, possibly directionless due to the over-excitement clouding your sensibility, hold your horses.
Learn from these 3 things no one told you about being your own boss.
1. You Hold Your Destiny
Yes you are your own boss. Yes you are going to start your own business.
But did anyone tell you that you are now fully responsible for your own business and life? Every task that you complete or not, every decision that you make or do not make, will directly impact you and your business.
You will not only see the results firsthand, but you will experience the rewards and backlashes either immediately or overtime. If you start alone, you are a one-stop shop. You get the jobs, you do the job, you manage your clients, and you do the accounts. If you started your business with a few partners, it kinda sound easier right? Wrong. While there are more people sharing the load, you need to be sure what your role is, get your job done, work with your team mates, and most importantly bring in enough work to feed the team.
Simply put, your attitude and working style shapes the your business for success or to become a complete soul-sucker. There’s just no more blame-pushing, even if you are running your own business with your partners. Step up, take responsibility, make things happen – you hold your destiny.
2. Things Always Get In Your Way
Besides last minute appointments or cancellations, clients pulling out from projects, delays or changes in deadlines and many other unexpected curveballs, one of the biggest things that will get in your way is… You.
While you have to prepared for the unexpected things getting in your way, you know for sure one element that can help you deal with those is yourself.
So, you need to learn how to get out of your own way so you are not set for failure. What do we mean?
Don’t nit-pick excessively, be it your own work or your partner’s work. There are better things to be done than to fuss over things unnecessarily. Manage your priorities right!
Don’t let your ego get to your head. You are running your own business, you are not the ruler of North Korea. It’s good to be principled but you also need to be flexible to accommodate unexpected changes.
Don’t be too consumed with being your own boss. You started your own business, not created an excuse to be on perpetual holiday mode. In short, let the boss syndrome get out of your way because…
3. You Still Have To Get Work Done
Many first-time business owners relish in the ideal and feeling of being a boss that they seem to think work gets done on their own.
This is an exaggerated schedule of a business owner:
11am – Wake up
1115am – Watch TV to find out what’s on the news
1230pm – Power on computer and check emails
1pm – Lunch
2pm – Do some household chores
3pm – Get back to work
4pm – Get a drink and might as well have a tea break
5pm – Panic and get back to work
7pm – Family returns home and go out for dinner together
9pm – Spend family time together
11pm – Family’s bedtime and finally get down to do work proper
3am – Bedtime
Between 11am to 7pm, work could have been completed.
While it is true that running your own business gives you time flexibility, it takes wisdom for you to make full use of it.
Just remember that time management is one of the most important factor ever when it comes to being your own boss. Plan your schedule around when and how you can work most productively and effectively. This way, not only do you get your work done and help your business thrive, you are also able to enjoy a work-life balance!
You want to own your business, not let it own you!
Remember the 3 key points:
1. You hold your destiny
2. Things always get in your way
3. You still have to get work done
Strike a balance and have a clear sense of direction and purpose for your business!