8 Self-Employment Tips That Took Me 10+ Years to Learn
I found these out the hard way so you don't have to...
My journey is an extensive one that started when I took my first college course over ten years ago.
I understood right then that the “traditional” route is not something that I would have found fulfilling or enjoyed.
I had a problem though… I had no idea where to start and the internet wasn’t even close to as helpful as it is now.
Even with that in mind, I made a commitment to myself that I would become self-employed one day and never look back.
I even have this cheesy Facebook memory to prove it:
It took several years, but I made it a reality. Here are 8 tips I learned along the way.
1. This shit is hard
This might be my favorite life principle: if it’s easy, it’s not worth doing.
All of the stuff worth doing in life is hard and takes effort. It’s just reality.
The moment you start looking for a shortcut is the moment you’ve given up.
Want to know what’s even harder than becoming self-employed?
Working for 45 years at a job you hate and then spending your twilight years disgruntled and full of “what-ifs”.
Choose your hard.
2. Find your reason
Making a commitment to something without a deep rooted reason for why you’re doing it is almost as bad as looking for a shortcut.
This is why people who do things because they “look cool” fizzle out almost instantly.
My “reason” was rooted in a hatred for the system and seeing close family of mine struggle through it.
I hate being told what to do and I hate the idea of another human controlling how much I’m rewarded for my time.
Does that mean all people should think that way? No. It’s just how I view the world.
Finding your reason is how you’ll stay disciplined two years from now when you’re having a bad day.
3. Just start
One day of doing is better than one month of planning. Ask me how I know…
This isn’t to say plans aren’t important, but they are overrated.
Try, fail, regroup, and then try again.
Refusing to start is the number one reason people settle in life.
Being worried about what other people will think is never a reason to give up before you even start.
4. You are better than you think
There is something you know really well that most people don’t. It can even be as mundane as knowing a ton about a specific flower species.
Creating content about what you know best is one of the most underrated levers anyone can pull.
There are also things you don’t even know you’re good at and the only way to find out is to try.
There is no “perfect” time to try something new. That moment will never come. No one will ever tell you either.
You just have to try.
5. You have to make time
“I don’t have time” is one of the most repeated lies on planet earth.
It’s just code for “I refuse to make it a priority”.
When I was starting out my schedule was something like:
School/Engineer from 6am - 2pm
Gym from 3-4pm
Side hustles from 7-10pm
Side hustles all weekend long
You can make time, you just have to want the end goal badly enough.
6. You don’t need to be a genius
Most successful people aren’t even that smart. In fact, some of them are not smart at all.
They just tried and then didn’t give up until it worked.
You don’t need some crazy new idea. Do what worked for others, build your foundation, then venture into the unknown.
Stupid people end up successful all the time, largely because they’re too stupid to even consider the downside risk.
For that reason, they’re kind of smart.
Confused? Me too.
7. Reinvest everything
Stop investing in stocks, cryptocurrency, or any other asset that you don’t have direct control over.
I’ve made some great investments over the years, but none of them match the return on investment my businesses have generated.
My book flipping business? Better than any stock I’ve ever bought by a mile.
Invest into your side hustles until you have no time left, but have money sitting there with nothing to do.
8. When in doubt, YouTube it
Giving up because you don’t know what to do next is a terrible excuse.
There is a 99.9% chance that someone like you has experienced the same issue or one similar.
Scour the internet looking for an answer. Almost always, you’ll find something helpful on YouTube or Google.
If a poor kid who was able to build his dream life with no help the entire time can do it, you can too.
Once again, you just have to start and then refuse to give up.
When you are ready, there are three different ways I can help you:
I love this article. If something scares you, it’s worth doing.
Great article. I enjoyed it....good job.