Blogpost by Elizabeth Ribons
You can have it all, just not all at once...
Working for ourselves is definitely tempting and many have considered it at least a few times in life.
The allure of being our own boss, having a direct influence on the level of success we want to achieve, how we deliver our work, and the flexibility in our schedule is very appealing.
And, with the workforce changing as rapidly as it has lately, many are considering it. And, with all the change come other opportunities to create your own 'brand' but still be employed. There are options that can be covered in another post. For another post and get to the question of 'Should I Work For Myself?'
Women seem to want to move in this direction of self-employed because they can take charge of their destiny and earnings where the traditional corporate structure may not have been offering that opportunity, they are looking for a flexible lifestyle and freedom, they are affected by bias and ageism…Those are some of the top reasons to consider becoming self employed. But what are the next steps?
There are the typical questions to ask yourself before you start a business and you can search the internet for all of those useful tips on what you "should do" first to prepare yourself to become self-employed.
This Forbes article from the coaching council expertly provides steps to take when transitioning into entrepreneurship from a corporate career and it should most definitely be considered.
There are business guidelines in abundance from valuable sources. But what is missing? Perhaps we can take a moment to consider the tips and questions that may not be as prevalent.
At the starting line, we have an idea, service, or product that answers a need. Perhaps, a side gig and people are asking you to provide this service or product already and it makes sense to start a business.
It's an exciting prospect to create something all our own, and if you're already doing this service or creating this product - then it could segue into a real full-time gig.
As a lifelong entrepreneur? It is exciting and the challenge is real.
That is when you do the search. Online, advisors, and within your networks to get all those guidelines on 'next steps' to creating a business... And as a lifelong entrepreneur? It is exciting and the challenge is real. You are up for it and pumped to do the thing you are envisioning.
Here is the part I had overlooked and see it happen with others so very often..
I didn't incorporate my "life plan" into the "business plan" Plain and simple.
I had created products and had little side businesses all throughout my early years and it was fun to create the journey and meet the goals. At the time I came upon this realization about the unasked questions, my goal was to own a larger successful business that incorporated my talents.
We hold onto the idea without considering all of our criteria
When we get a new idea that we love or believe to be 'the answer' we tend to hold onto it tightly. The chemistry created in our brains is a dopamine effect and science explains it from a perspective of the brain holding onto the idea as a 'fight or flight' response that was necessary for survival way back. Our brain is functioning to keep us safe and is pumping us to stay the course. However, what happens is we hold onto the idea without considering all of our criteria.
And yes, I did that. So my dopamine carried me through to reach that goal. Was it exciting? Well, not as much as I had hoped because I hadn't factored in my life plan, what I truly wanted, how I wanted to work and live and my life was changing.
There was so much I hadn't factored in and the "idea" from a life standpoint - even though the business was succeeding - was not sustainable for me any longer.
Like all of us, I was moving through life on a 'linear' plan and living a non-linear life.
Many women experience this and jump before asking themselves those questions. I certainly did. It was and has been the culture for as long as I can recall.
The criteria encompass being really clear on how we want to live, show up in life, work, and how much we want in all the areas of our life.
Here is what I have found through my work.
By taking the time to incorporate the idea into life goals and designing a prototype that makes sense and developing the business from that plan... The longevity of the business is stronger, the success is 'multi-defined' and they are able to navigate their life and business better because it is "core-based"
As women, our lives are anything but linear and the workforce currently is proving that we cannot make the job first. We must integrate both life and work where it can move and change with us.
It is possible.
Is that possible? Yes, there are no guarantees of the business exploding into a huge success but certainly, you will find what is working and then decide how you will proceed.
This portion of planning for your business is sorely lacking and each and every person may want to step back and set a life map that incorporates a business or skill set that fits into the plan - not the other way around.
There is far more to discuss in this area and I speak about, teach, mentor, and write on this "Inside out" approach to creating what we can define - truly - as success. But start with this perspective. Give it some thought.
Life is a balancing act. We make choices and there is no perfect choice. But we can develop tools to help us know what is right for us going forward given the right criteria. We must do the work to ask ourselves what we want holistically in life and career and then proceed.
I can give you countless examples from my working with others on this 'misstep' - even my own! I hope you will consider this and tailor it correctly before you take the leap. You will thank me. Need help? There are courses, private coaching, workshops and a book coming soon.
Send us an email to find out where you fit best, groups and private coaching is curated and you must apply - [email protected]
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