Attention: Current full-time employed individuals working a 9-to-5 and feel they need a boost in their career. 

You too should "invent your own job". Not only the entrepreneurs.

 

If you have no idea what would become of your chances once you take the leap from an employed position...frankly, neither did I. What bothered me though was what would happen if I didn't try? What would happen if I stayed stuck, unhappy and unfulfilled? I didn't want to find out, so I did what any psycho would do. 

Made a decision and stuck to it.

That decision led me to a copywriting business that advanced me further in 3 years than my previous 10-year career had. And I completely switched fields. As a second-career, my business accelerated my potential —not my post-secondary education. 

It was via tapping into my contacts and closing contracts. 
It was by asking for opportunities and negotiating for what I deserved. 
It was by stepping up to the plate and going full-throttle toward my dreamy pursuits. 

 

These learnings would have never manifested if I didn't daringly start a business.

 

However, let me back it up a bit.

Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. 

It will force you to challenge every excuse you can muster up. Business doesn't allow you to have excuses. It's either you do or do not. 

There is no try.

...because, if you do not. You do not win the contract. You do not pass go and collect ANY money. You do not grow your business. You do not advance. 

 

You gotta get over a lot of limiting beliefs about yourself and abilities.

 

In exchange, you will learn very quickly; it's not the smartest ones that advance but the ones willing to fail over and over with no loss of enthusiasm that win. 

 

You will learn "that can be me!" if you are resilient in the face of defeat.

You will learn there are many ways to get things done not one beaten path.

You will learn you can teach others your "shortcuts" to make money along the way.

You will learn people will hire your business if you can show how you've helped someone similar.

 

You will also learn how to become a remarkable candidate —if you ever decide to return back to a full-time gig.

Hey, life happens.

Our dreamy pursuit(s) can get exhausting and quite often, we need pit stops. We need to reroute and strategize to come back stronger for our second-wind.

This is the part where I become even more transparent and honest with you... 

 

There is no shame in taking breaks along your entrepreneurial path.

There is no shame in changing your mind while swimming up-stream.

You're no machine.

 

We should be relentless but not oblivious to where we currently stand.

 

Nonetheless, you would have already done the heavy-lifting of standing out from other job candidates. You would have left a trail of achievements behind you.  A portfolio a mile long with testimonials from others backing up your career growth. 

 

Just like I learned, when returning to being a full-time employed 9-to-5 'er. I could not start a business while working a full-time job so I left to daringly pursue it.  

 

Only returning to a job, once my business ran like a well-oiled machine was I able to fund future self-employed projects and accelerate my potential once again. Just so I didn't resent my business for not stretching further than I can push it (which is a tale for another blog post).

 

I said all this to say, invent your own job (employed or still seeking), not only for access but for leverage.