Can’t Stand Your Job? Ready for a Career Move? Found a Business You’d Like to Start? Would Like to Do Something Else Besides Employment? Before You Do Anything, Read On…
I have had much to say over the years about employment, some of which are culminated in this section where articles on employment are found. Besides being entrepreneurial-minded, many of my own difficulties in staying in a job come from other long-standing issues that long predate ever knowing what entrepreneurship is. The difficulties stem from the fact that I tend to be very different than the average employee and therefore, not “in the loop,” which has made me a target throughout my employment days. Being caged up with people I had problems working with is not anything I can blame on anyone but myself.
Long-established patterns in my life, from my early childhood, set the stage for what I am and where I am now. I do much, much better in occupations at my own terms. After years of being in jobs that do nothing for me than provide a paycheck (yes, that paycheck isn’t everything,) and not being able to strike relationships with fellow employees, not to mention the monotony of doing things that are way out of my range of interest and passion (sheer monotony) I felt more incarcerated than employed. I began studying about employment, what it is, where it came from, and why it is the socially-acceptable way to make a living.
Unfortunately, I have a hard time trying to keep my own advice on other articles in this section on employment because of long-standing handicaps I have. However, the advice I’ve given comes from my studies about employment. I’ve brought out both positive and negative aspects of employment, however the former outweighs the latter. Employment certainly does have its positives.
It is in this article I would like to bring about the positive aspects of employment, though for those up to it, I still recommend other forms of income that they (or you) might not consider or even know about. These are found in one of my other articles.
Why Employment Is So Popular
It is the easiest means of making an income. Even though it is hard to get a job these days, and generally, the supply (folks looking for jobs) outweigh the demand (the jobs.) Employment has been and still is, the default socially-acceptable way to earn an income. It is ingrained in most people’s lives that it is the only way to make a living and is generally expected of everyone. Only the most tenacious folks will venture outside of employment.
It is still a highly-respected even though many of the rules have changed over the last few generations.
Employment offers ease of getting income. All you do is show your face (face time) and do the work you are contracted to do. (Employment is a form of labour contract and is part of business.) That’s it. You show up, put in your share, and go home. All the administrative work is done for you. Your deductibles are automatically taken out (in true employment,) you usually have some simple task that you do within production of whatever it is, from commodities to services for which you are trained.
Employment has its own investing platforms, commonly known as 401-K and derivatives. These are consumer-level which the company you work for, matches (or closely so) amounts that you invest into a portfolio. This definitely has its drawbacks, and is not recommended by high-end investors, but for the average person, these are easy to understand, and the hard work is done for the employee. All the employee does is fund his/her account, sets a few basic parameters and the rest is done for them.
Entrepreneurship Is Not for Everyone
Most “average” people can grasp the concept of entrepreneurship, and on being one, but it certainly is not for all people. It’s not that entrepreneurship is above the proficiency of most people but that most simply are not interested or know what it is. Entrepreneurship is a harder road to take. It requires dedication, steadfastness, consistency, tenacity and the ability to handle executive decisions. Some of these things can be out sourced, such as decision-making in business, if you find yourself lacking in this detail. This is also true for other strengths and weaknesses.
In fact, this is how many companies are put together. For it all to work properly, there must be mutual trust and respect for the owner and each other. Without this, more energies are expended in the internal affairs of the business at the expense of the external, which is where the profits lie.
There are many online entities that purport business success in a one-two-three-step fashion. Entrepreneurship does not work this way. It is hard work, it sometimes takes a very long time to get off the ground, depending on what the business system is. If you come across any of these type of push-button schemes, your best bet is to leave that page and don’t look back.
Some people are quite happy in employment with the skills they have learned and have attained their career choice. The percentage is pretty low, but it does account for hundreds of thousands of people who wouldn’t have it any other way. If you are one of these, and you are passionate about your job, company and position, you are fortunate!
Thinking Like An Entrepreneur Is An Acquired Skill
As I have said many times before, learning what it is to be an entrepreneur is not above most people. It’s belief systems and lack of knowledge about the subject that throws most people off. There are literally thousands of people who work in their day jobs all day for an entire lifetime who have never heard of entrepreneurship. Some have and equate this to corporations. Entrepreneurship is not corporation-ship (no such word) but entrepreneurs start corporations which, in and of themselves are official legal documents specifying an entity and not a building or physical plant. These are common misconceptions amongst employees.
Most consumers have employee-mentality, in other words, are employee-minded. From early on, we are taught by authority figures, television, society, and even our heroes that employment is the norm, it is the socially-acceptable means by which we make our living. It’s taught by our parents, school faculty and our peers. Employment became widespread during the mid- to latter 19th century and continues today.
On the other hand, entrepreneurship has always been far less known during this same period. There has always been a distinction between being a consumer and being an entrepreneur, the former being the default in a service-based society.
This being said, it is usually necessary to learn new things and un-learn others. The thinking process must be changed in many ways in order to take on entrepreneurship, and it starts by aspiration. The information on what an entrepreneur is and what one must do in order to start up that road. Today, once guarded secrets are abundantly around us, at the right click of the mouse.
Entrepreneurship is more suited for certain people, but most anyone who aspires it can develop the lifestyle. It is not rocket science, though it does take patience and has a learning curve. Old habits and mindsets must be altered and converted. The ability to be accountable for one’s actions is a must. There are no blame games in entrepreneurship. Becoming financially-literate is another must.
Sadly, financial literacy is not taught on our public schools and most people are encouraged to uncontrollably spend what they get and more. This is usually called, “consumer debt.” It is a dangerous thing for a person who does not know how to handle a gun to have one pointing at people. The same is true with consumer credit cards and is no wonder so many people are in serious debt!
What Happens to Some People Who Catch the Entrepreneurial Bug?
They quit their jobs too early! Long story short. It is great to have found what this exciting road is all about, but some people simply envision quick riches from the potential they see and fire their bosses!
I know… I’ve done this myself. I had a gleam in my eye the day I was terminated from a job I hated with a great passion. The freedom I experienced that day in the office before the employment affairs manager led to many, many days of uncertainty, homelessness and unrelenting naysayers at my heels. I could not work very effectively on my business because I had tremendous worries about money, rent, utilities and everything I was wearing turning into rags.
If you desire the life of an entrepreneur, my foremost advice to you, if you are stable in your job, to stay there! If you are having stressful issues in your current place of employment, this is NOT the time to quit. Even with issues I have, I did the best I could to keep my job, but it didn’t happen for me. If you can’t tolerate your current position, this article should be of help to you.
Developing the entrepreneur lifestyle should be done around your current employment. For most people, this is true. For some, it is not due to extenuating circumstances. I have far-reaching issues myself, that make me eligible for disability/redundancy. However, entrepreneurship (or the concepts thereof) come more easily to me. My long-term goal is to make business my pastime and have it replace the redundancy status I’m now in. It certainly holds a more rewarding future (something you create and just doesn’t happen by itself.)
The gleam of entrepreneurship, once discovered, can become a delusion in itself. The California and Alaskan Gold Rushes of the mid 19th century is a prime example. Untold thousands of prospects became enticed by the propaganda going around at the time of a new, prosperous, satisfying life of excellent awaiting the adventurer! Every man and his brother took voyages that led to their ruin. Lost homes, families, possessions, jobs and lives! There are countless unmarked graves in the Sonoran Desert in southeastern United States and in the Alaskan wilderness.
Learning How to Be an Entrepreneur and What Entrepreneurship Is
Here, I’m going to make a recommendation for you. Would you like to get your feet wet and find out if entrepreneurship is for you? You can do so freely by learning about the exciting business of affiliate marketing on the Internet. This will form the basis for many other venues of marketing and it is a viable business choice preferred by many folks like yourself.
I have written a review on what I believe is one of the best training opportunities available on the Internet, which far exceeds the instruction you would get in most higher-education institutions, for a fraction of the price.
Interested in what this is all about?
Click on the blue bar just below and read all about affiliate marketing and what this business has in store for you!
Leave a Reply