Stop Thinking Like an Employee, Will You?
Author info: This is a guest post by Alan Johnson, the author of The Online Business Handbook.
As far as more than a few people are concerned, escaping from that 9-5 job they hate so much and earning a living online is something they’ve been dreaming about for longer than they’d care to remember. Well, guess what? That dream can become reality, but:
Your Current Attitude Has Got To Go!
A person who has been an employee for a long time or, in other words, someone who has gotten used to the concept of selling time, inevitably has some flaws which need to be corrected and that person’s attitude is the first thing which needs to change.
If you want to be your own boss, you have to stop thinking like an employee, you have to drop your current
attitude. Are you serious about becoming a successful online entrepreneur? Well, in that case, you first have to understand that:
You’re No Longer Selling Your Time
Most folks who have just started out as online entrepreneurs see everything from the “one man show” perspective: I have to do this, I have to do that, I have to worry about this and I have to worry about that. As strange as the thought may initially sound, you actually don’t.
Assuming that you have some kind of a budget (it doesn’t have to be an extremely impressive one ,since the Web makes starting out far easier compared to offline alternatives), you can actually afford to:
Be Selective and Start Delegating
You may be extremely knowledgeable as far as topic x is concerned and, as a result, interested in starting a website about it. But, in order to establish an online presence, you obviously need a website. Does this mean that you should start spending countless hours in order to learn how to design and code? Of course not!
Delegate, let professionals do their job. They will do it faster, they will do it better and, most importantly, they will make it possible for you to concentrate on other tasks. That, my friend, is what being an online entrepreneur is all about. You’re no longer selling your time, so that, as I’m sure you have understood by now, the “one man show” way of thinking has got to go.
What about You?
How do things stand as far as you are concerned? Have you managed to “take care” of the flaws which came as a natural result of being an employee? It’s nothing to be ashamed of, since, let’s face it, something you do for a long time is bound to influence you in one way or another.
While having the flaws I have referred to is perfectly natural, doing something about them is definitely a must if you are serious about being successful on the long run as an online entrepreneur. It’s about time to stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like an entrepreneur, it’s about time to finally understand that you are no longer selling your time and act accordingly. Are you ready for this important step?
Best wishes,
Alan Johnson
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By shawal on May 7, 2008
Make a living through an online jobs need an excellence self discipline, motivation and a lot more knowledge to go through the process…
Learn first before take any huge step in make a living trough an online jobs…
Hope that we all be success in an online jobs…
By Rice Blogger on May 7, 2008
very true….this is what people should consider when they want to start their own business…not only limited to making money online community
By Tender on May 7, 2008
yes, agreed
By Ralph on May 7, 2008
Probably that’s why many of those who tries online will fail, because they have been unable to change the way they think.
By Make Money Blogging on May 7, 2008
A major miss conception with working online is that it only takes an hour a day. Maybe 5 years down the line but when starting out there is a big learning curve and lots to do.
By Dining Tables on May 7, 2008
I have earned my cake through a long period of employment. Blogging etc are now icing on the cake and so, I do not have to spend too much time on it. Unless I enjoy doing what I do, I do not have to do it any more!
By Recliners on May 8, 2008
I have been both employed and self-employed so i find that the major distinction between the two is that when you are employed by someone else your responsibility is limited to only what your job description is. As a self employed person you are responsible for the whole caboodle and no excuses!
By Recliners on May 8, 2008
But just to clarify i certainly enjoy being my own boss to being employed by someone else, the pros of working for yourself far outweigh any of the cons
By wii guy on May 8, 2008
Being still in full time education I have not yet had a ‘real’ job so it’s going to be wierd to begin to have to start working for someone. I won’t have flexible times and I won’t be able to work in my pjs.
Good article and can really see where you’re coming from.
John
By Futon-Matt on May 8, 2008
When I set up my futon website I fell into the whole one man band thing. It helped that I was able to code already, but knowing when to be hands off is a great asset.
By PS3 on May 13, 2008
It’s always good to see Alan’s guest posts, he seems to appear everywhere yet produces good quality articles.
I saw a lot of myself in reading this particular post. I have been in the same job (although not quite the same role) for 22 years…and I am not quite 40 yet!
By Nicole Price on May 14, 2008
Nothing like being your own boss. But the difference is thinning these days. Whether you work for yourself or somebody else, you need to work extremely hard. In both cases, your remuneration is directly related to the value you add.