Motivation – Get Rid Of The Employee Mindset – Part 1
Being self-employed takes a little getting used to.
Obviously, one of the biggest changes you will find is that you no longer have to report to a boss. You won’t have anyone watching over you to make sure the job gets done. There will be no one telling you what to do and no one to check your work. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
However, this can be a doubled edged sword.
Of course, having the freedom to chart your own course is a major benefit of self-employment – and one of the main reasons that people get into business in the first place. But, what many have discovered (and I’m among them) is that it takes a great deal more discipline to stay the course, work hard towards your goals, and prosper once you’re on your own.
As an employee, you are directed to perform certain tasks and given the time and materials to get the job done. The expectations are usually very clear and it is pretty much cut and dried. You put in your 8 hours, take your lunch and breaks, then go home and turn it off until the next day. Sometimes your only motivation is a pay-check at the end of the week – and you rely on the company to provide this as long as they are satisfied with your work. There is nothing wrong with that – many people need this structure in their lives. They need the security that a regular wage provides.
Hey, I’ll be the first to admit that one of the greatest things about being an employee is the security. Unfortunately, there is little else I could rave about when it comes to corporate jobs. Unless my career was so cool that money would take a back seat. Then again, how many jobs are really like that?
If you are like most people, you work for a pay-check. That was my motivation for years. Although I did my job to the best of my ability, I knew that I’d be getting paid at the end of the week, no matter what. In a way, my only motivation was to work hard enough so that I could satisfy my boss’s requirements and avoid getting fired.
As bad as that sounds, I was certainly not a slacker when it came to my job. I always felt very strongly about getting paid for an honest days work. Yet, at the same time, I really didn’t care about what I was doing.
Fortunately, I was always into some part-time venture after work and on the weekends.
For years, I operated small, part time businesses to supplement my income. Because of this experience, I knew that there was a huge difference between what motivates a business owner and what motivates an employee. When I was working for myself, I felt a determination and energy that I’d never experienced at my normal job. Knowing that I could directly influence my life in such a way gave me a certain drive.
And to succeed in your own business, you have to be driven – big time.
