When is it time to give up self-employment?

Written by Clare Whalley from Meta4 Business Coaching

I get to see many business owners when they have arrived at the giving-up stage or got very close to. The thoughts of:

“I’m just not cut out for this.”

“I’d earn more working at Tesco’s” (there are other alternative supermarkets!)

“It’d be easier to go and get a job”.

For you these thoughts are happening far too often and are debilitating and overwhelming.

This thinking doesn’t help foster creativity or innovation or support the growth of your business in any meaningful way.

But getting yourself out of this negative thought-pattern (short and longer-term) can also feel impossible.

Running a business is hard. But then so are all and any of the meaningful jobs out there too.

‘…you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love’ Jim Carrey

So, there must be an easier way to grow your business, make the money you dreamed of and stop the thoughts of giving up self-employment once and for all…

Take time out of your business

This will probably feel counter-intuitive when you must earn money to pay the bills and you have a heap of responsibilities. However, remember Albert Einstein’s wise words,

‘If you always do the things you’ve always done, you’ll always get the results you’ve always got.’

Its being on this treadmill on the road to nowhere that will just keep on going unless you change something. And that must start with you.

Even if you just plan to step away for the rest of the day or the remainder of the week. This will give you the time and breathing space for a change in mindset or burst of creativity to happen.

17 years running a coaching business means I have also experienced the giving-up feelings many times. Taking time out and stepping away has worked every time. Psychologically tricking me into, this is what it would feel like to give up my business, ‘fail’ at self-employment and back job-hunting.

Creative thinking and new ways of problem solving can’t help but to kick in!

Speak to a business coach as soon as, or before, the giving up thoughts occur

The best time to work with a Business Coach is when your business is working well, and you are feeling positive about business growth. It’s the best time to market your business too.

Human nature shapes that big change only occurs when we reach rock bottom. That’s why there are so many stories from the-only-way-was-up perspective. Survival mode kicks in.

Do yourself and your business the biggest service you possibly can and seek help, support, and guidance from a heading-towards-my-big-goals perspective instead.

So, the answer to the question – when is it time to give up self-employment?

Never.

You are just well overdue seeing you and your business from a different perspective. One that is objective and guiding you towards the answers and possibility.

Book in for my complimentary Kickstart Session – a one hour call to give you clarity, focus and guidance on your best next steps in business.