I have always been my own boss. Actually, I have held down 3 jobs for a total of one week and 15 hours! Now don’t judge me or assume I am a failure or can’t be trusted or any other cliche – please.
I have made many decisions, heaps of mistakes and taken the responsibility for them – because I had to. You see, being your own boss starts with making small decisions, saying yes to opportunities and taking risks. Yes, of course decision making can go both ways. Situations where you have to accept or reject. This is all part of What It Means To Be Your Own Boss.
-Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you are proud to live – Anne Sweeney
Have you experienced those precarious situations where you have to make a decision and you don’t quite know which way to go? Not sure which is the best answer, the appropriate solution, even the resolution that offers the right balance of benefits for you or your clients? It is like standing on a precipice. Trying to calculate the best options, the pros and cons of both sides, both offers. And then, sometimes you just know which way to go. Instinct, experience and wisdom kicks in at the right moment and you decide. Being your own boss will put you right in the centre of many decision making dilemmas.
-Good decisions comes from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions – Mark Twain
The big lesson is learning to deal with your mistakes. Taking responsibility for them. Focusing on solutions not problems and asking for whatever it is you need. You might find you need more learning, or perhaps you will have to consult a professional in your field. You might need more rehearsals and greater investment in yourself or hire a coach. And, at the root of it all is knowing what you want. I wrote about this last week and you can re-read it here.
-In most cases being a good boss means hiring talented people and getting out of their way – Tina Fey
Running your own Biz-Niz, working for yourself requires a sense of humour! Oh yes, there will be many times you will slip on that banana skin of life. How you handle those situations will build your confidence and courage to Step Up & Stand Out and face the next challenge and sometimes repair the damage you created. So let me share with you some practical moves to show you What It Means To Be Your Own Boss.
- Learn to delegate. Find your team, hire the best and pay them well. You are the Boss not the work alcoholic or cruel taskmaster!
- Listen to your talented team players. Two ears one mouth. Pay attention to your team, ask and listen, don’t boss them – be the leader they aspire to be. Be a role model.
- Keep learning. Don’t stop learning. Expand your knowledge and experiences. The more you learn the less mistakes!
Remember, if your dream to be a boss isn’t going away – it is time to take action.
And, if climbing the ladder doesn’t give you what you want – pack your bags.
If you feel frustrated and sour faced at the end of every day – start writing your letter of resignation.
-Take risks in your life. If you win you can lead, if you lose you can guide – Swami Vivekananda
And that is indeed a beautiful and healthy attitude to have. It is all about having that confident and courageous mindset.
Regarding your mistakes as learning opportunities and your decisions as your responsibility.
I learnt these lessons from great mentors, people who believed in my potential and pushed me forward.
If this is what YOU want – book in a discovery call with me today
Everything in life is about you Stepping Up & Standing Out – enjoy the journey and don’t go it alone!
Have a wonderful week being that role model!
It’s all about the right head being on the right shoulders…And what’s that expression about shouldering the responsibilities which go with whatever job is in hand? I think you fit the bill perfectly!
Thanks Joy, it takes experience, wisdom and knowledge and you got plenty of those ingredients too!
“Everything in life is about you Stepping Up and Standing Out – enjoy the journey and don’t go it alone!”
I think it’s very important to see and believe we are all our own boss whether or not it’s recognised by others. In my opinion it is our first action to step up, to be good a boss of ourselves and it leads to standing out. Thank you for showing me this basic but very important fact.
Yes, we are our own boss, we just have to build the confidence and courage to believe it! I love that association about stepping up to be a good boss and how it leads to standing out ! Thank you for your insight!