Most people look at me funny when I tell them I haven’t had a job in over thirty years. I understand; who wouldn’t think thirty years is way too long for unemployment? Me, that’s who. Me and every successful business owner on the planet.

In fact, I really only had one job in my life, and that was for about one year during my teens. I realized early on that my job, and any job for that matter, was not going to get me where I wanted to go. A job could never give me the income, freedom, and control over my own life that I knew I couldn’t live without.

The benefits of being your own boss go way beyond making money. For me, the draw is the ability to create a life that is exactly on my own terms. I do what I want, when I want to. I make a great income, and have a positive impact on the lives of others.

So let me share ten of the top reasons to be a business owner with you. By the end of this article, you’ll want to trade in your timesheet for your own piece of the pie.

1. Ah, Sweet Freedom!

You thought the first reason was going to be money, didn’t you? Sure, money is a huge benefit of owning your own business, and I’ve made a lot of it. But at the end of the day, it’s not what really satisfies you.

When you work for someone else, your life is not your own. And that goes way beyond the official work hours. You have to plan your life around getting time off, whether or not you will get a raise – even getting a hair cut (or not) can be a “no-no” if your boss frowns on it.

Freedom is the greatest benefit of owning your own business. It leads to all of the other benefits, as well. When you feel a sense of freedom, your life expands. This feeling allows you to make amazing things happen.

2. You Get To Drive

Imagine your life is one long road trip. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? But what if you are never behind the wheel? What if you are stuck in the passenger seat – or worse yet, the backseat, and you have no choice about where you are going, which route to take, even when you will stop to eat or sleep. This is the life of someone with a j-o-b.

When you own your own business, you get to drive. You get to choose where you work – whether it be at home, in an office, or on the moon. You get to choose who you work with, when you work, even if you work at all. In other words, you’re in charge.

3. Visionaries Have More Fun

Unless you work for a progressive company, your ideas will never be heard. Even if your boss has an “open door policy,” rarely will he or she actually run with one of your projects, or implement one of your creative solutions to a problem. Most employees quickly learn to go with the status quo, and save their genius for a note to “Dear Diary.”

As a business owner, you get to not only share your creative ideas you get to make them happen. Everyone thought Walt Disney was crazy when he first unveiled his plans for Walt Disney World. If he had been a time-clock-punching animator of a movie studio, Orlando certainly wouldn’t have the same allure, would it?

Business owners get to be visionaries. In fact, it’s mandatory. Every successful business was built on someone who had a unique vision, someone who was able to think outside of the box.

4. Feel Like a Million Bucks

The rules, regulations and recriminations of supervisors, managers and other “higher-ups” can leave a person feeling pretty low. The world is full of petty people who get a charge out of keeping people “in their place,” and having a job pretty much guarantees you will have more than one run in with one of these people.

Launching your own business is like getting an instant dose of self-esteem booster. The mere fact that you had the guts to venture out on your own changes the way people treat you, and the way you feel about yourself. Business owners get more respect from friends, family – even strangers. And the fact that you get to take credit for your work – at last – is nothing to sneeze at.

5. Variety is the Spice of Life

Ten years in one job is more than just boring, it leaves you handicapped and ill-equipped to do anything but what you were already doing. Working for someone else, especially in large companies, means you perform the same tasks day in and day out, year after year. Your biggest challenge might be a tight deadline or a personality conflict with a coworker.

Owning your own business exposes you to every aspect of your industry. Business owners face new challenges regularly, that test their leadership chops and hones a variety of skills. Instead of learning a lot about one thing, you learn a lot about everything!

Being your own boss also means you get to meet a wide variety of people, from diverse backgrounds. (Instead of the same people you always see around the water cooler! Don’t you know too much about them already?)

6. Hanging With the Big Boys (and Girls)

The old adage of “like meets like” holds true in business as well. When you spend eight to ten hours a day with the same people, they are bound to rub off on you. You have a great role model for how to be an employee, or perhaps middle management; in other words, you learn how to stay exactly where you are.

Business owners hang out with other business owners. The mere fact that you own your own business opens doors to you that were previously closed. Rubbing elbows with successful entrepreneurs teaches you how to create the same conditions in your own life.

When you meet other like-minded people, people with influence and experience, you also gain access to people with connections that may be able to help you in your endeavors.

7. Do What Makes Sense to You

How many times have you rolled out of bed in the morning, wondering who on earth would get up at 5:00 a.m. every day to go to work? Maybe you are the type of person who does their best, most creative work after everyone else goes to bed. Nearly all jobs have set hours, with specific times for breaks and lunches, not to mention vacations and personal days off.

As your own boss, you can work during the hours that make sense to you. If you’re a morning person, but usually are not productive for four hours in the afternoon, you can use that time to take a break or spend time with your kids, and then come back to your work later on. If you work best with two 14-hour days, you can do that too. You will be more productive with your own business than you would in a job, because you can determine what works best for you and do just that.

8. The Sky’s the Limit

Most employees, even those who are on salary rather than an hourly wage, earn an income based on how many hours they put in at work. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Even worse is the fact that most jobs have an income cap – there is only so much you earn at your job – ever!

When you own your own business, the sky is the limit. You can earn as much as you want. Period. There is no one to tell you how much you “deserve” – you deserve all of it! With the right type of business, you can also earn money even when you are not working. People who own online businesses have the opportunity to earn money while they sleep, go on vacation, or see a movie. It’s a lot better than being docked for an extra ten minutes at lunch!
 
9. You Mean I Get To Keep My Money?

Your first paycheck at your first job can be a real shocker. Who knew you had to pay out an average of 25% in taxes? Unless you have a gaggle of children running around, you will be hard pressed to find a tax deduction that will give you any measurable relief. Don’t forget, your boss is matching your Social Security and Medicare payments, and factoring that in when he or she decides whether or not to give you a raise.

A little known fact is business owners do not pay as much in taxes. Okay, maybe you knew that already. There are too many tax breaks for small business owners to mention in this article. Trust me when I say that business owners keep more of their money than the average working Joe.

10. Expand Your Sphere of Influence

Though it may not be at the top of your list, being an instrument for change ranks high on mine. When you work for someone else, your hands are tied. Sure, you can do charity work and volunteer in your spare time. But as a business owner, you have the power and opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life.

Business owners hire employees, train apprentices, and make space for interns who wish to learn the lay of the land. Business owners have connections to help others get in to college, or start or expand their own business. Business owners have more cash to donate, more leadership advice to offer, and more influence over local politics. Your world expands, and so does your ability to do good works.

If you still want to keep your job after reading this, you might not be ready for all of the power, money, freedom, fun, and opportunity that owning your own business can give you. Maybe you’re not a risk taker. Maybe you prefer the “safe route” (which isn’t so safe – have you read the financial news lately?).

But maybe you are ready. Maybe you do have a bit of the pioneer spirit in you. Maybe you would be more than happy to turn in your commuter pass and finally start your own business.

After all, you did read this all the way through. Are you ready to start living life on your own terms? ‘What You Focus On Grows’

Posted in Self Help, Success, Business, Money, Personal Growth