My entrepreneurial spirit took many years to manifest. And I am very grateful that life has forced me to undertake. These days, I take my home business for granted. But lately, amid all the complaints about the economy, I’ve been reminded of how lucky I am. Entrepreneurs see the world differently. For us, there are endless opportunities. Others see nothing but challenge and despair.
I was reminded of how lucky I am when I read an article recently titled “Too Old to Start Over?” He spoke about the struggle baby boomers face in the job market.
The story reported that a 56-year-old man had opted for a $ 17,000 face lift. The facelift made him look 10-15 years younger and gave him more confidence. I guess we’ll be watching to see if it helps you get the job you’re looking for.
Now maybe this guy has other issues we don’t know about, but a $ 17,000 investment in hopes of getting a better job interview result? Seriously?
What amazes me is the fact that his path is undoubtedly more socially acceptable than mine. When I made the decision to change careers, I didn’t send my resume out to a bunch of potential new employers. I didn’t go back to school looking for a new degree that would qualify me for new job opportunities.
Instead, I made the decision to turn my part-time online business into my full-time income. Why is my decision the exception and not the norm? Why aren’t thousands, if not millions, of people rushing to start their own online businesses? I think for three reasons.
First, people still crave that false sense of security that comes from having a JOB. I think by now, more than ever, it would be clear that the sense of security you are seeking when working for someone else is truly false. Still, those who fear losing their jobs rush to find another job so they can reap the “benefits” of a fixed salary and health insurance.
We are programmed to believe that only someone else can provide us with these things. But what I found when I gave up the “comfort” of working for someone else was that my “shaky” paycheck was much larger than the one my employer so diligently provided every month. And the health care thing is a complete myth; working with the earnings from your home will allow you to pay your insurance more than that.
Second, the home business industry has such a bad reputation that many people do not consider starting their own business a viable and honest alternative to a “real job.” Much of this reputation is deserved, sadly. There are a lot of get-rich-quick hype. Many network marketing companies sell expensive junk. Lots of work from home “opportunities” that will do nothing more than cost you money.
It is no wonder that most people would not even consider starting a job from home. When they think of starting their own business, most think of investing 6 figures in a fast food chain. And then work at it day and night with the “dream” of making a profit by the third year. Who has the time, money, or desire to do that?
If you can weather the inevitable ridicule from your friends and family, you will find incredible opportunities to start an online home business. Exercise your due diligence. Do your research. If something doesn’t feel right about it, or seems too good to be true, let it go. Go to the next one. And yes, you will have some startup costs for your new business. But I promise you they won’t even come close to $ 17,000.
Third, most people never consider starting an online business because they are afraid of failing. What if it doesn’t work? What is it that nobody buys? Well the short answer is try again. And over and over again until you get it right. If you study the mega-successful, you will learn that none of them were successful on their first try. But 99% of us don’t even try it for the first time.
So break your check with the plastic surgeon. Stop worrying about having to compete with 178 other applicants for an entry-level job that sounds pretty boring anyway. Connect with an experienced mentor and take steps to build your own online business starting today. It is the only job security there is.