What do you say when you’re asked what you do? Does your answer depend on who you’re talking to and for how long you plan to converse? Do you find that you get mixed reactions when you tell people you’re an entrepreneur?
My profession does define me. At least to a certain degree. It has to — because I am so emotionally involved in my business that I cannot seem to get into a conversation that does not involve my career. But, what I tell people that I do does depend on the type of response I feel like dealing with.
I like to say I’m a writer, because that’s the passion behind what I do each day. People romanticize about writers, and many think it’s a “starving artist” career. But, this is something I feel comfortable explaining and defending. Calling myself a writer makes me feel important. Like I don’t just have a job, but I have a purpose.
Recently, I had a talk with a friend and fellow freelancer that really got me thinking about the differences between jobs and careers, entrepreneurs and 9-5ers. She was commenting that I work too hard and too long, and that I should maybe try to go back to “work” at least part-time. I scoffed at the idea of answering someone else’s phone, or filing papers that have no meaning to me. I told her I would “never” do that. And, she tried to sell me on the idea that what I do needn’t define me as a person.
We are so many other things besides entrepreneurs. We all have qualities, hobbies and relationships that make up a great chunk of who we are. No single term can define any of us. And, while there is no shame in getting a day job – an entrepreneur can never feel proud to call to himself a car salesman for someone else’s company (forever). We have to control our own destiny and our own paychecks, or we’re not satisfied.
So, consider that your profession sort of does define who you are, and make sure that you can answer proudly when asked what you do for a living.
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Well said, well said. It’s all about being confident in yourself and what you do — day in and day out — as an entrepreneur. Some people will never get it and most people will try and draw you back over to their side of the fence — corporate America. People fear what they don’t understand.
don’t I know it. people have so many comments/fears aout the way I live. Everything from my diet to my business has been the subject of public disapproval. It’s made me stronger and more confident, and has foreced me to really put a clear definitionon what I want out of life.
How can something that I spend so much time and passion on not define me?
The thing about entrepreneurism is that does sort of define you. You do it because you believe in it and its basically a hobby to you. Serial entrepreneurs don’t like anything else more than starting companies. There’s nothing wrong with being defined if you’re a professional entrepreneur. Now if you were a car salesman…..