If I had a dime for every time someone said to me,”I’d like to be self employed”, I’d be rich (well maybe my pockets would jingle). You don’t have to have a chronic illness to dream about self employment. But I can tell you from personal experience, it was a huge motivator for me.
If you’re dreaming about leaving that job for self employment, you gotta’ ask yourself:
1. Do I have an idea that people would pay for?
2. Do I have the financial support necessary to make it happen?
3. Do I have the motivation to make it happen?
Pam Slim (Exceptionally rich and juicy post on becoming lifestyle entrepreneur), mentioned a post written by John Ahrens that is not to be missed, Become a Lifestyle Entrepreneur . (FYI – the blog is Anywired.com — about Work Online Work Anywhere Live Free – I mean, who wouldn’t want that?) If you’re already an entrepreneur – or are seriously considering it, read this post now.
Ahrens says there are 3 types of entrepreneurs. I’m the 3rd type, Doing it for love (certainly not for minimalism). He missed a 4th category, “Doing it because there is no other choice – this is all you CAN do”.
He has a list of terrific ideas for the online entrepreneur – most I already knew about but forget. That’s why a list is so helpful – it’s all in one place. For instance, testing out products before creating them. Too often, I get so excited about an idea that I forget to test it. Lesson #1: Hunches don’t pay the bills.
Here’s something he didn’t discuss. For many of us with chronic illness, the biggest hurdle to changing your job, working for a small business or self employment is getting adequate health insurance. Check out Joan Friedlander’s post on my other blog, KeepWorkingGirlfriend.com, Affordable Healthcare for People with Chronic Illnesses? I’ve gotta’ think that with the increasing number of small businesses and self employed people, there will be more options for reasonable (even if tiered) healthcare. Have you heard of any others?
Are you self employed? Do you dream about it? What’s getting in your way?
Rosalind aka cicoach.com
LindaV says
Amen to this post, Rosalind. Too many people forget that “4th category” – having to work from home because there is no other choice. I am embarking on a 4-month sabbatical in hopes of helping my health and then figuring out a new career from there. With the combo of tendonitis, degenerative arthritis in my neck, and piriformis syndrome, which makes sitting extremely painful, I am not sure what I will be able to manage from home. I’m hoping time till tell.
Rosalind Joffe says
I don’t know what you did before you took this “sabbatical” but I hope the time off helps you figure out what it takes to get healthier — or at least not make it worse — and what you can do in the future. I hope that you can get lots of “help” from other resources (physical therapists, career counselors/coaches) to help you reconfigure.