To be or not to be self-employed

To be

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by Ron N. Sullivan

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To be self-employed, or not to be self-employed: that is the question.

In the late sixteenth century in England, William Shakespeare, part owner of Lord Chamberlain's Men and later the Globe Theatre, quite possibly asked himself that very question. And we're lucky he did, for he might not have had the time or the freedom of mind to write so many great works like Macbeth, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream - to name only a few.

Perhaps like A Midsummer Night's Dream, some of you have dreamed that self-employment might be your All's Well That Ends Well pot of gold at the end of your own rainbow - not someone else's.

Whether a freelance writer, a carpenter, a seller on ebay, or a retailer, your decision to be self-employed must be faced with a positive attitude; it is then and only then that your dream will become a reality.

Imagine not having to face your boss when you miss your bus and turn up five minutes late, or you return thirty seconds late from your coffee break. And you won't have to ask if you can leave early because your son has just informed you that the dishwasher has been leaking since you left for work early that morning.

Working for yourself is not having to worry about whether the boss is looking over your shoulder when you're working - or aren't working. After all, it's difficult to look at yourself over your own shoulder. Although if this is one of your talents, then you might consider capitalizing on the amazing feat.

Being self-employed also means that you'll never have to wear yourself out trying to impress the boss. If you remember, your old boss doesn't seem to care anyway. Fortunately, you can put all that wasted energy into your own business, since deep inside you know you really do care. And remember, the anxiety you've stock piled in your old workspace will now leave you free to explore the realms of what life can really be like when you're in absolute control.

Like Shakespeare, in order to achieve this level of freedom, you must first enjoy the type of self-employment you choose. Remember, you're working for yourself now, and anything you do is for you and only for you, so help you, god. With your decision made, your letter of resignation submitted, you're ready for your new life to take flight and soar to unbelievable heights of elation.

Incidentally , as you soar, remember that there are a number of ideologies you must not forget when you embark on your new adventure. Each point that follows is equally as important as the one before it and the one after it; there is no pyramid of importance here. Why? Because everything you do, be it insignificant or not, will affect your degree of success. You must nurture and embrace each ideology with the same honest and determined tenacity as if your life depended on it - and in foreshadowed retrospect, your life just might.

To begin, you must regiment yourself for completion of daily tasks, each of which is just as important as paying your bills on time. From experience, you're aware of the disasters that can befall you because of neglect. Put that lesson to work for you. Don't procrastinate just because you're the boss and you know you'll allow yourself to get away with it.

Put your foot down.

Do not allow procrastination to sit anywhere near the driver's seat in your new endeavor. This fact cannot be emphasized enough. Don't allow any task to slide; the results will not be worth the test.

For instance, keep your books in relation to taxes, expenses, merchandise purchases and selling, up to date. It's simple to educate yourself on basic book keeping. Don't let anyone say it isn't. This is the voice of experience talking - learn from someone else's mistake. After all, why take thousands of dollars out of your pocket? The idea is to put thousands of dollars into your pocket. Once you've mastered the method of recording what comes in and what goes out, even your income tax returns can be done without too much sweat and bother.

There are three reasons for making sure you do keep those books up to date:

1. Pandemonium won't run rampant when you don't have to plod through twelve months of wrinkled and mutilated receipts.

2. Up to date books give you a better understanding of how your business is doing and where to cut back before it's too late.

3. You will be in control of your cash flow; this goes a long way in mastering a successful business.

Being self-employed, if done properly, will make you feel good about yourself, and you'll feel somewhat above anyone who has to work for an employer. Even if your attitude is only a shaky facade, positive thinking works, and your slightly inflated ego can work toward your success.

But only display a slightly inflated ego. After all, if your ego's too inflated, it's big enough for people to take notice, and someone may decide to stick a pin into that ballooned-ego of yours.

So if you think you can manage the long hours and the fortitude of working for yourself - then go for it - you'll never regret it.

Like William Shakespeare, your new-found business could very well lead you to writing your own Midsummer Night's Dream - one that will eventually turn into a lucrative and pleasant reality.

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