So I love my job. It was everything I was looking for – the right field, interesting industry, conveniently downtown and good pay. But even with all these positives, there are still time where I want to just walk out and not come back. Not just because it’s stressful or my boss is annoying at times, but because I’m tired of working for someone else – I want to be my own boss.
The idea of not having someone to answer to seems like a dream come true but I realize that being my own boss comes with a lot of risk and hard work.
I know that I'm not alone when I think about going into business for myself though. There are several reasons why people want to be their own boss and it’s not always about wanting to get rich either, but more so about fulfilment.
But how do you truly know if it is time to tell your boss to kick rocks and become self employed?
Here are 6 signs -
1. You think that unemployment can’t be that bad
When having to answer to your new boss feels worse than the paralyzing feeling you had from not having a steady income for six months and not being able to cover your rent, you have enough courage to deal with the uncertainty of opening your own business.
2. You are emotionally detached from your company’s performance
There was a point and time when hearing about layoffs scared you, but now you’d welcome the unexpected vacation and spare time to work on your business plan.
3. You are at work 24/7
Being the boss is demanding and takes long hours. If you are already used to and okay with missing parties, games nights and even sporting events you already have the mindset of a CEO.
4. You think about work 24/7
When you spend your off hours thinking about a company that you don’t own and you start to believe that you could do a better job than the president, it might be time for you to become the president of [your name here] industries.
5. You’ve gained/lost weight, lost hair, developed a tic etc.
This might be more of a general “you need to quit” sign as supposed to a “quit and be your own boss” sign. However, disorders are always a sign that something isn’t balanced - could it be that you spend more of your time off with your boss than you do with your roommate, parents, girl/boyfriend etc.?
6. YOU HAVE DREAMS
Every week you think about that thing you want to do (write a book, open a comic book store etc.), and working mindlessly for years, letting your dreams fade into the background is not cutting it anymore. You are growing more and more resentful to your colleagues and to the place you once couldn’t wait to get into in the mornings. You see them as obstacles to achieving your goals. It’s time for you to do everyone a favour – QUIT.
Note: The above list is for those of a certain age. Generally, you should try to get some work experience under your belt before you haul off and set up shop for yourself.
I should add that to the notes - you should definitely have your "dreams" mapped out before you quit.
The only thing is, sometimes that dead end job is taking up so much of our time that it prevents us from working on what we want to work on...
I got got stuck like that once - for months I swore I would look for the job I really wanted while I toughed it out at a place I despised. It wasn't until I quit, that I actually got it together and started pursuing what I really wanted to do.
LOL @ developing a tic~! I love working it fills up my bank account, it fills me with a sense of pride, a sense of purpose, a sense of accomplishment but... office politics drive me insane. Love this article!!
Good stuff. But before you go running off to tell your boss to screw himself you should take a minute or two to really map out your dream. What's the gestation period? Do you really want to make it your living? How much will it cost to get this thing running? The last one is really important cause you might need to work for said crappy boss a few years longer