How to be your own boss

When you are working for someone else, there is often some (or a lot of) structure to your days.

DO  you want to be your own boss? It’s not easy, and it’s not for everyone, but it can be incredibly rewarding for the right person. Here are some tips to help you be your own boss.

1. Find your brilliance

Having passion for your work is great, and if you’re not sure what you’re passionate about, click here for a free workbook to find your passion. Even better than passion, though, is when you find your sweet spot where your passions and strengths collide with what the world needs and what people will pay you to do. When you find the spot where those areas meet, you can be amazingly brilliant in your business endeavors.

2. Focus on your ‘why’

Think about why you want to be your own boss. What are you craving in your career, and why? Having a strong, meaningful, personal reason for being your own boss will compel you to persevere when times are tough. For more about finding your why, check out this TED Talk by Simon Sinek.

3. Become awesome at time management

When you are working for someone else, there is often some (or a lot of) structure to your days. Typically, companies have set expectations for employees. When you’re your own boss, it’s essential to plan how you’ll spend your time productively. It’s important to spend your days doing things that are truly moving your business forward, rather than getting caught up in busy-work that’s not actually productive. One very simple way to start improving your time management skills is to spend a few minutes each evening writing out a tentative schedule for the next day. This can help you stay on track toward your goals and minimize time spent on unimportant activities.

4. Be prepared to take massive action

Many people significantly underestimate the action required to become successful in their business ventures. If you’re determined to be your own boss, get ready to take massive action toward your goals. You will need to act when you don’t feel like it. You will need to act when you’re scared, you’re tired, you’re frustrated, and you’re doubting yourself. You can have wonderful ideas, but if you’re not taking action, you won’t achieve your big dreams.

5. Become financially literate

To be your own boss, it’s important to have an understanding of finances. Understanding the financial picture of your business can help you make smart business decisions. Also, keeping track of the numbers will help you determine where you can cut costs, where to focus your efforts, and which of your services are the most profitable.

6. Develop a mindset for success

Being your own boss will require you to step out of your comfort zone over and over again. You will need to learn to act in spite of your fear, to persevere when you are struggling, and to think big. You will need to learn how to tackle procrastination and to do things that scare you. Developing a mindset for success can take a lot of time and effort, but can drastically improve your business.

7. Become great at connecting with others

As your own boss, it will be important to focus on serving others and building relationships with your clients and partners. Delivering great value with excellent customer service will help you build your business. Life is all about connecting with others, and you will notice a positive change in your personal life and business when you work on connecting with people in a genuine way.

Being your own boss is not for the faint of heart, but for certain people is a very fulfilling experience.  By Kerry Petsinge

http://www.lifehack.org

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