Dumbbells and Drama

To all those who thought I was having fun doing nothing, here is a little something I wrote for the TDG Magazine

http://www.tdgmag.com/2015/04/why-its-awesome-to-be-an-entrepreneur/#comment-510

 

GOODBYE 9 TO 5

Leaving a stable job with a stable income to work for myself wasn’t exactly the easiest decision I’ve made. Labeling the entire experience as “intimidating” would not do justice; it was way beyond that. For starters, letting go of the perks and incentives was difficult- starting off on my own meant being responsible to get my own coffee, food & music. Letting go of the security of bonuses and appraisals was another ball game all together. Not everyone is meant for it. Did it work for me? Yes. Would I want to go back to a 9 to 5 again? No. Am I happy? Yes, I am positively overjoyed.

 

I am writing this to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship, and want to let all of you know that if you wish to start off on your own, do so. Don’t be intimidated by what people say, there’s always a way to achieve your goals.

 

So how has it been, leaving the security of a set pay-check to set off on a path that has more risks than security? Well, to be honest it’s been exhilarating. Empowering. Exciting. I wake up each day anticipating a new challenge- this isn’t a game for the weak hearted, so think twice before getting into this!

 

There have been countless occasions that I have been asked to share my experience as an entrepreneur. I thought I’d take it a little further and blog about it (what have I got to lose, right?) Here’s what it’s been like, saying goodbye to my 9 to 5-

 

  1. Freedom to form a Flexible Schedule

I no longer had to follow a routine- I could alter my schedule as per my plans. This meant longer lunch breaks, tea-breaks, spa sessions maybe, and flexible to-do lists…and I wasn’t complaining!

 

  1. Freedom to form a Flexible Schedule

I no longer had to follow a routine- I could alter my schedule as per my plans. This meant longer lunch breaks, tea-breaks, spa sessions maybe, and flexible to-do lists…and I wasn’t complaining!

  1. Freedom to make Business Decisions

I no longer had to work on something that didn’t interest me. Same tasks, same updates, I was feeling more like a technician. Freelancing changed it all.

  1. I became my own Boss

Once upon a time I had a boss. And what’s better than that? Having no boss! I think that’s self-explanatory and would not require me to go into much details of how AWESOME my life got thanks to freelancing.

  1. I was high on Self-Confidence

The best part about doing your own thing is that you learn from your own mistakes. If something goes well, the high it gives you is beyond overwhelming. You’re your own teacher at the end of the day. Work became my Hobby

5.Work became my Hobby

Sounds unbelievable, but you’d not know till you try it. I started loving my work, which led to me signing up a lot of new and exciting assignments. Ha! I ain’t complaining!

  1. Focus on SELF increased

My work was all about me- my talent, my hard-work, my determination, everything. Might sound narcissist to some extent, but I was working for myself- this was supposed to be all about me! Freelancing is all about “pimping yourself out” No one is going to call me out of the blue- who am I? I needed to be out there, and marketing myself became vital.

  1. I understood the importance of Relationships

Don’t underestimate the powers of business networking and relationship building. It can make or break your freelancing career. Being a social person, I didn’t think this was much of a challenge…but I’ve made some great friends through business and I’m glad I took this chance.

  1. I learnt how to handle Competition

Every day was a new challenge, and the toughest was facing competition. I waited patiently to get my work recognized, because hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Always keep this in mind- your work always speaks for itself.

  1. Life got Convenient

I was doing things at my own convenience- I could step out for my swim at 4pm, walk into a spa at 2, catch a movie in the evening, ANYTHING! Of course this required insane amount of planning and organizing to do, but it was worth it.

  1. I learnt to say NO

If you’re new to freelancing you might be tempted to jump at any and every job that’s offered to you. But some work is just not worth having. If at a certain point you feel the work you’re doing is not what you signed up for, give it up. Turn work down if you don’t firmly believe that you can do it justice. Be honest with yourself.

  1. I understood People Management

People come in all shapes and sizes…and not everyone is going to be pleasant to deal with. It took me some time (and a whole lot of anger management exercises) to deal with everyone calmly, to look from things from their point of view too before losing my cool. It’s helped me a lot in my personal life too!

  1. I learnt Finance Management

Most importantly freelancing has taught me the art of saving. There is not much money in this initially, but if you’re work ethics are fine I think you’ll nail it. I quit my 9 to 5 and doubled my income 🙂

 

There are many reasons why people choose to ditch a full-time job & freelance. The opportunity to be your own boss, or the desire to work on a variety of projects, or the flexibility of working whenever and wherever you want (although it’s both a blessing and a curse) or the prospect of earning a bigger income…what’s yours?

 

 

 

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