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Do you feel like you’re living an unfulfilled life? Are you struggling with any of these questions?
“Is it the right time for me to pack up and leave my day job to start my passion project?”
“Should I dive into unknown waters to build up my dreams? Because working on it as a side hustle is causing more stress than joy”.
If working on your passion is more rewarding than working at your day job every day, it’s fair to say it’s time to leave. To make sure you’ll be able to move full-time into this new phase of your life, you’ll need to have a solid plan in place.
It’s about two years now since I left my corporate day job and I still wouldn’t trade it for the world. Some days are harder than most, but that’s expected when you venture into unknown lands. Over the last two years, I’ve learned so much about myself, about people and about business – it’s unreal. None of which I would have been able to learn from reading a book or listening to someone else’s story.
I would be telling you a bunch of lies if I told you it was easy. Let me say it again, It’s not an easy road but it’s a rewarding one.
“What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” -Margaret Thatcher
I had no idea it would take this long to turn my passion into a booming enterprise, I laugh now when I think about it. There is no rule book that will map out in detail the exact plan for you, all you have is good old fashion trial and error.
By no means am I telling you to reinvent the wheel here, but I am telling you to create your own version of the wheel. Create a version that speaks to who you are on a financial, creative, spiritual and moral level. This way, the ride will be way more enjoyable to take part in. Remember, nothing worthwhile happens overnight, it takes some time to grow into a success.
Some people do manage to build a booming and thriving businesses in under a year, but I’m not that person. If you’re not that person either… no biggy! Your time will come when it’s the right time for you. Maybe you have some more lessons to gain for yourself and for your business. Either way, the hard work you’re putting in right now is 100% not in vain, you’ll see the pay off sooner than you think.
If you have any naysayers around you bashing your hustle and your choices, cut them off – with love, of course.
[bctt tweet=”If you have any naysayers around you bashing your hustle and your choices, cut them off – with love, of course. #kerryanningram #betheboss” username=”kerryanningram“]
This phase of your growth is vital to your wellbeing. You need to have positive and supportive people around you at all times. Keep in mind that I’m not talking about the people who are always singing your praise. I’m talking about your ride-or-die supports who always have your back and will always tell you the truth.
I’ve found that as solo-entrepreneurs we need to put more structures in place to manage our lives well. When we add structure we get a clear understanding of what our goals are and when to execute them. This could be our immediate or short-term goals. Immediate goals are those that are happening right now. Short-term goals are those that take place in about 3 to 5 months. Long term goals are goals that take place in a year, two years, or five years or more.
To figure out which goals to put in place for your business, take a step back and look at the big picture. Look at what you need and want for yourself, for your company and for the global community. Once you’ve figured this part out, you’ll be better equipped to move forward with a sound plan. This is vital to our success and growth to be successful enterprises.
Two of the many questions I am asked on a regular basis is, “how did you do it?” Or “what did you do to ensure that you could afford to step away from the corporate world to start your own venture?”.
My answer is this, It was a decision made for me by divine intervention. I believe I had to go through all that ickiness to learn one of my biggest life lessons till date. This was and still is, to stop being afraid. Even though fear is a figment of our imaginations, we often allow it to control our life, I’m sure you can relate.
What I learned was, once I got over the fear part, everything else was easy to manage. It was so much easier for me to start doing what I once thought was scary and uncomfortable.
There will be days that you will feel like all you want to do is stay under your cover and cry yourself back to sleep. When you feel like that, it’s wise to remember these 4 powerful little words; “this too will pass.” And when it does, dry your eyes, get up and get back to your grind because your mission is greater than you. Trust me, I have my days where I unleash what could be mistaken as war cries, but after I do, I feel much better. I also remember that when we’re in service to others, we’re in the right flow with our true calling.
Here are some tips
If you’re thinking about leaving your day job to start your dream job, consider these 6 points first.
Figure out how much money you’ll need to save to live a comfortable life.
Next, write down all your basic expenses – mortgage/rent, utilities, food, travel, and incidentals expenses.
If your finances don’t balance, you might need a part-time job for a little while.
Give yourself a timeline to start working for yourself full-time so you have a clear idea of your goals. Go as far as picking a day and time to give your employer your resignation. Goals set in stone are easier to follow through this way.
Once you’ve left your day job and are now devoted to growing your biz from your home or your local coffee shop. Keep in mind there is a thin line between productivity and burnout. It’s easy to burn yourself out and end up in an emotional downward spiral or even the hospital.
To avoid burning yourself out, try these:
ॐ Figure out which one of your most pressing tasks take the top position on your priority list. This means you’ll have to figure out which one is the most pressing TODAY.
ॐ Then decide which one out of the remaining two can wait until tomorrow or a later date.
ॐ Now that you have an idea, start working on that task until it’s all done. Once it’s completed, move on to the next task on your list and so on.
It’s a big step to take, the bold and brave leap to be an entrepreneur, but it’s also a super rewarding one in the long run. Stay strong! Try to surround yourself with other entrepreneurs who get you and your journey.
Thank you for stopping by to read and share your attention with me. If you found this post helpful in any way, leave a comment in the comment section below.
If you know someone that might need some inspiration today, share this with them.
This post might be the thing they needed to hear today, to start building a healthy, wealthy and happy life!
Never forget this; you are incredible beings sent here to enhance the world with your light and love! So, go out and shine your love as bright as you can in someone’s world today.
With a heart full of love and tons of gratitude!
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Love the tips. It’s so true. A person can get really burned out. Taking it one step at a time helps, but also write out a list of what did you accomplish!
So true Jewel! There’s so much power in the art of writing things down. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
XO
A truly inspiring read, Kerry-Ann! I, too, have been living in fear and being afraid of the ‘what ifs’. Our greatest problem is that by living safely and securely, we forget how to live and feel alive. Wishing you further success and I hope that I also can quit my 9-5 soon and live a free life!
Thank you, Tina!
I know that you will figure out a way to quite your 9-5 and follow dreams also. The first step is figuring out what you want and the second step is figuring out how to get it. You’re one step ahead of the game. I wish you all the success in the world rolled up in love.
XO
Kerry
Great post, thanks for sharing with Blogging Boost! I recently began freelancing full time. I’m lucky enough to be in a situation that finances are not hindering me from following my passions. I am struggling with setting goals, especially longterm goals. That’s partially because my entire game plan has completely changed during the last year—and is still changing. But the great part is that I’m okay with that! One of the best parts of freelancing is not knowing what tomorrow will look like. It’s terrifying, but there could be so many opportunities just around the corner!
Thanks so much Victoria!
It’s my pleasure to share all that I know with you all. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the read.
Congrats on starting up your own freelance business. I don’t think there’s anything better than working for yourself. Enjoy the process 🙂
Before I started my biz I wrote down all the things I wanted to achieve in my personal and business life. I wrote down my goals for a three year span, jotting down what I wanted to happen in each year. I found that it helped me to get crystal clear around where I wanted to go and what i needed to do to achieve my end goal/s.
My suggestion to you is this, sit down and look at your big picture, ask yourself what you want for you life. Once you have the answer, start jotting down the small goals you’ll need to achieve to get you to your big goal. A bunch of small goals will add up to create the big picture. And the small goals are always less intimidating to tackle. 🙂
I love that you are happy and loving the process of where you. I also love that your faith is strong because you’re right, all will work out the way it’s meant to in the end.
Love and Light!
❤️
This is SO important. Especially the part about the part time job. I think some entrepreneurs are reluctant to take a side gig to support their business. There is no shame in paying the bills!
Hi Erica!
For sure! Side gigs can help to make the transition into self-employment smooth and less stressful.
Thanks for popping by. Have a super weekend.
XO
This is so great! I love the suggestion to get a part-time job in the meantime, if necessary. That would make it more feasible to leave a full-time job sooner.
Hi Tiffany!
Absolutely! 🙂
XO
You wrote this just for me didn’t you? LOL…it reaslly speaks to where I am in life right now & I really appreciate your insight. I’m scared to take that leasp, so I’m cautiously sticking my tow in & preparing my plan. Thanks again!! ~ Alea {FrugalNesting.com}
Hi Alea!
Haha…Yup I did 😉
I’ll let you in on a little known secret, fear is a natural emotion we all share. This emotion helps us to figure out if we should fight or run away from a dangerous situation.
Whenever you feel the nudge of fear, ask yourself, “am I in any form of danger?” more often than not, your answer will be a big nope! Once you establish that there is nothing to be afraid of, you can keep moving forward leaving your fear behind. 🙂
I’m gonna reference good old Nike here, Just Do It! Trust me, there’s NO way you can plan enough to prepare you for what you’ll be faced with once you jump in with both feet. It’s way more rewarding to just jump.
Come back and share some of your entrepreneurial stories with us once you start. I would love to hear all about your journey.
Good luck my love!
?XO
Girl!
This is so true! I’ve been around people who complain how wanting to start a side hustle, but never venture into doing this because they allow their roadblocks, rejection and challenges to stop them in their tracks, which is so sad! I’ve allowed my faith to get me through rough times and as support for myself.
Great post! 🙂
Hi Laura!!
Omg totally!
The power that we sometimes allow fear to hold over our lives is unreal. Having a strong faith base is vital and the key to sanity I feel. Especially when we’re venturing into the unknown lands of entrepreneurship.
You know what? You’ll be surprised to see some of the people you thought were too afraid to do what they said they wanted to do, doing the darn thang! They’ll be motivated and inspired by your hard work and unwavering faith. So, keep it up doll! 🙂
XO
Creating our own version is the most critical and essential part of a successful business! Thank you for sharing such informative content 🙂
Hi Unaiza!
You are so welcome. 🙂 Glad you found the content informative.
Here’s to sharing our own unique voice with the world.
XO
This was such a great and informative post! I am sure many newbie business owners will savor it!
heybeautybae.wordpress.com
Hi Shelzadi!
Gald you found it informative. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by to share your love with us. xo
Great post! I’m currently doing a business plan so I can quit my day job and start my own business. These are great tips and I’m really glad I came across this post. Thanks so much for sharing. Congrats on being able to live your dream 🙂
Thanks so much Melanie! I’m happy you found me today and that you also found real value in this week’s post.
Wow! Completing a business plan is huge! Often times, a business plan is the last thing an entrepreneur thinks about when they go into business.
You’re steps ahead of the game – I have no doubt you’ll rock whatever venture you set out to take on. Two virtual high fives for you!! Woohoo! 🙂
Sending you tons of love and support!
Kerry
xo
I love this! I’m just starting my business, and sometimes the naysayers get to me so much that all I want to do is climb under my covers and cry! But I keep going, and every day I move forward I have tiny rewards and reminders that I am getting closer to my goals!
Hi Alicia,
Glad to hear you enjoyed today’s post. Congratulations on starting up your business. You must be so proud of yourself.
Continue to enjoy your little wins – they will absolutely turn into BIG wins sooner than you think.
Girlie, If you feel the urge to cry, I say cry! Crying is such a healing release of all your pent up negative energy. After you’re done, I guarantee that the world will look and feel much brighter.
With a BIG heart full of love,
Kerry
XO
Big step and you given some great tips and advice.
Hi Candy,
Thanks so much. I’m happy you found some value. Thanks for stopping by. ❤️