Leaving the grind
Working a 9-to-5 job can provide you with stability, security, and peace of mind. But can it give you a sense of fulfillment, passion, and enjoyment? If not, you may not be in the right job environment. Working doesn’t mean it has to be boring, uneventful, and unfulfilling. Work should be about merging your passions, goals, and dreams into your reality. But that isn’t always the case, and perhaps you’re one of the many who feel stuck or trapped in your current employment. If you’ve ever considered becoming your own boss by becoming an entrepreneur, now may be the perfect time to start that journey. Here are the top five signs that it’s time to leave your job and start your own thing.
5. Daydreaming and Free Time – While not just any daydreaming will do, there is a specific type of daydreaming that may mean you’re ready to move on to bigger and better things. If you find yourself daydreaming while you’re at work about your newest business idea or what it would be like to follow your dream, that’s generally a sign to recognize. Also, if you spend your free time completely consumed with your business idea or even a business you’ve started on the side but have yet to give it your undivided attention, that may be a sign. Daydreaming is a way for our passions to remind us that they’re still there.
4. Work Harder, Longer Hours – One way to know if you’re ready to quit your job and start your own business is if you’re ready, willing, and eager to work harder and work longer hours, but on your own terms. While owning your own business seems fun and allows you to have a more flexible schedule, it’s actually a lot of hard work, work that might not yield the results you want right away. It can put a financial, mental, and emotional strain on you and your family. But, if you love what you do, it’s worth it.
3. Putting the Plan in Motion – While you spend time daydreaming, you also spend time making plans. These plans could include researching available domains that could work with your business, how you’d get your first few clients, and how you can market your business or services effectively. You may have even researched your competition and even created your business cards, even if you haven’t passed them out yet. Putting your plan in motion, even in the smallest degree, is you taking the first steps without having to jump straight into it sans safety net.
2. Putting Money Aside – You may find yourself putting money aside for the possibility of starting your own business. While you may not feel completely ready to leave your full-time job, as insecurity and instability can be terrifying, putting money aside shows that some part of you knows that you’re ready to become an entrepreneur. This also shows that you’re preparing yourself for what you want, trying to achieve your dreams and your professional goals.
1. Eager to Take Risks – Is your job boring you? Are you to the point that you’d rather take risks than have to sit at that desk all day working for someone else? If you’re willing to forego stability so that you can actually look forward to each work day, you’re absolutely ready to take that next step into entrepreneurship. If the risks you are willing to take are more exciting than scary, you’re well on your way.
Deciding to quit your full-time job and starting your own business can be a scary situation, but life has more to offer than stability. It can offer adventure, enjoyment, and an outlet for your interests, passions, and dreams. And eventually, you can find that much-needed and longed-for stability. Life is short. Why not do what you love?
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