Q - I have been asking myself this question all week.
What will it take for me to leave this job and seek my
own greatness? At what point did you realize that you
had to get out and do something. I know if I get out
and just do it. I know that the rewards are endless,
however, something is keeping me from taking that
chance. How did you go about this change?
A - I have been on this journey for over 16 years. It wasn't easy and you know what, it still isn't easy. That "something" that you think is keeping you back is either fear, procrastination or cautionary good sense. With every decision comes risk and rewards. I worked countless part-time and temp jobs. I've been married, so my income has always been supplemented. I made
the decision to downgrade my lifestyle. So I don't have the fancy cars, fancy home and many of the materialistic things that a lot of people in my industry have accumulated. I enjoy my freedom and my ability to work at my own pace. I have a J-O-Y, not just a
J-O-B. I do not have the benefits that come from working a secure job. This is my decision. I never know from month to month what my income will be. But I believe through the grace of God and my commitment, all of my needs have been met. I strive daily to be a good steward over my income, home, time, anointing and my gifts. To avoid heavy debt, I try to simplify and
streamline my lifestyle. Yet I feel my life is very rich. The joy and
reward is in the work itself and the wonderful people I meet. I call this my emotional compensation. Now don't get me wrong, my income far exceeds what I earned working at my previous job in Human Resources. However, as an "entreprenegro," I must be disciplined to spend wisely and reinvest back into my business. Being self-employed is like a marriage. Sometimes marriage gets
difficult, lonely and uncertain and I want to leave. Sometimes being self-employed is difficult, lonely and uncertain and I want to leave. Every day I have to recommit to my partnership with God. God is the head of my life and my business. My trust is in the Lord and in my abilities to serve with professionalism, patience, passion and perseverance. I've learned a lot of expensive and painful lessons because in my earlier years I had no mentors or role models to study. I commend you for reaching out and asking the questions before you take your leap. Continue seeking, studying and observing others. One day you will know when it's your time. It doesn't mean you won't have your share of disappointments and a learning curve too. But you will feel such a compelling desire to cross that bridge and never
look back. When you have the time, read the poem below that was given to me by a coworker at my farewell party when I said good bye to my full time job to pursue my professional speaking career in 1985.
There have been just as many low points as there have been high points. I would suggest that you take your time and work on your dream part time. If you have a financial nest egg and something and someone to fall back on, then go for it!
If not, dream big while taking small steps to reach your goal. No day is wasted. One day you'll wake up and realize you're already there. Success is in the doing. Success is in the dreaming. Success is in moving forward, step by step, day by day, prayer by prayer, lesson by lesson.
I hope this helps. Stay in the Light,
Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker and Best Selling Author, The Self-esteem Dr.
http://members.aol.com/jeweldiam/home.htm