Your Own Boss — Your Own Worst Enemy

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 01:44pm by Gina Laverde in Life

In Nelson Mandela�s inaugural speech he said that our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but in fact that we are powerful beyond belief. He said that it is not our darkness, but our light that frightens us. (It�s a great speech, by the way. You should Google it).

I know that I have a tendency to get a little weak in the knees when I score a big gig, or get noticed and complimented by an individual with some sort of power in my industry. (I blame my humbleness on the Catholicism that was force-fed to me for 17 years � but that gives me stories to write, so I have an outlet). Entrepreneurs or not � all of us have to deal with the highs and lows of our self perception and motivation levels.

Entrepreneurs or not � we are all in charge of our own lives and success. However, as entrepreneurs we decide what kind business we want to run. AND WE HAVE CONTROL OF HOW THAT BUSINESS GROWS AND MUCH MONEY WE MAKE.

I�ve struggled through countless dead-end day-jobs, bug �infested studio apartments, and peanut butter and jelly diets in order to call myself my own boss. And I continue to make sacrifices for the sake of living my dreams. But now that I am truly my own boss � the consequences for not following the rules are so much higher.

We set the rules for our business, but when there�s no BIG ENFORCER DUDE to write us up or fire us if stuff doesn�t get done properly � it�s easier to slack off.

I�m guilty of allowing fear to motivate my slack-offness. I�m at a great point in my life, career-wise. A turning point. I can take all this work and opportunity on full force and really kick some ass. But there�s this little evil Jiminy Cricket guy whispering in my ear; make chocolate chip cookies, or go to the mall with your girl friends instead, he says. It�s as if part of me doesn�t really want me to succeed. Perhaps it�s like what Mandela said.

Perhaps it�s the thought that if we finally get to where we want to be � there won�t be anything left to do after that. I really enjoy my work, and I want more of it. And Lord knows I need the money. I know that I�m in this for the long haul, but the constant inner struggle is ever present.

Fighting your fears is a huge part of growing your business. You may have to take leaps out of your comfort zone, and make hundreds of cold calls or attend stuffy meetings to get your word out. You are the boss, so eventually you will also be needed to guide the progress of others in your company.

Each little success will probably bring an ounce of fear with it � and that�s normal. But never let the fear turn into laziness. And never stop working. Just know that we all feel it. I recommend enlist the help of others to round out your overall company progress.

I have this theory that everyone needs and editor, everyone needs to set reachable goals, and everyone needs time away from work.

Fight Your Inner Enemy with These Weapons:

The Editor
You don�t need an actual editor. But you need a close business associate who can be a check point for your progress. Someone who you can spew your ideas at, and who will give you constructive feedback. Someone who you feel comfortable accepting advice from � even if it means �editing� your work a bit. The president has a cabinet, and the entrepreneur needs an editor.
The Right Goals
Set schedules are important. But they�re only good if you follow them. We need to set goals that we can reach. Goals that we can measure the progress of � because we need to see our own progress to keep motivated. Setting short term and long term goals will help you feel less overwhelmed. I think that being overwhelmed is often what causes me to step back and stop working.
Personal Time
Personal time comes after work time. You don�t just take personal time when a whole load of work comes in. Set some standard �you� time � like a consistent day off. But also allow for spontaneity. Never forget that you are still young and cool. Getting out and experiencing the world can help free your mind of your fears and help your creative juices to flow � when you return to the office.

You are an entrepreneur � which means you�ve already accepted that you were put here to make positive changes. You already know that you�re going to make an important difference in the world. But do you realize that the steps you are now taking are already working toward that success? And you�ve already been a great influence to others?

Realizing your greatness can only prove to help the world more.

And now I will get down off of my soap box