Hit the Road Jack! Tell "Jack" to get out of your way so that
you can uncover YOUR passion...
Are you a Jack of all Trades, Master of None? It's okay, your
secret's safe with me...Working with entrepreneurs as my clients
and meeting hundreds of them over the years has brought to my
attention that not only are we a creative bunch, but sometimes
we are just too overwhelmed! With a new idea sprouting up every
month, we sometimes want to keep adding more to the pot.
Unfortunately, that amazing stew you first started off with
doesn't taste as good with so many things dumped in it.
Juggling many things can be hazardous to your health and your
sanity -- especially when it's just you doing the juggling by
yourself! We need to slap the blinders on so that we can focus
on our strengths and stop straying off course. Hey, I'm no angel
and I've been a Jack myself, so I know. However, the first step
to recovering is admitting you have a problem!
Could you be a "Jack" who is possibly in denial? Step into my
office and let's see if I can help you. Answer the following
questions, yes or no.
1. Do you have a full-time job and one or more "side-hustles"
that you haven't quite gotten off the ground, because the paying
job is taking up all of your time?
2. Do you have one job or one business and juggle several
unrelated projects at once?
3. Do you have more ideas, plans and proposals than fully
completed projects?
4. Do you have various streams of income, but not really
passionate about them all, because you just got into them for
the extra cash?
5. Does your business card takes a good five minutes to grasp,
because you have five job titles and businesses on it?
6. Are your friends and family sick of hearing about your latest
"fabulous idea" because you never follow through and bring them
into fruition?
7. Do you have a full-time job that drains your energy, leaving
you to drag yourself into the office everyday? However, you have
a side business that you love doing and it puts a smile on your
face each time you work on it?
Did you answer yes to any of these questions?
Okay, let's have some fun! Get a pad and pen and make a list of
all the projects/jobs/businesses you are working on right now.
Now imagine you had all the money and time in the world, you had
no debt, you have plenty of free time. What on this list of
duties would you still do...FOR FREE? That's right...for FREE.
You love it so much because it's fun, you are passionate about
it and comes naturally.
Ah...now we're talking! Think about where you spend most of your
time now and what your values are. Would it be with family,
friends, in nature, traveling, etc...? How do you really want to
live your life?
Try and narrow down the things on your list to your number one
favorite and start to devise a plan of working towards doing
that full time. Of course, in the real world you have bills, you
have obligations, etc. But that shouldn't be an excuse, and
shouldn't stop you from at least TRYING to figure out how you
can make the transition. Don't shoot your idea down before even
trying...dust that little devil off your shoulder or better yet,
tell him: Simone said, "SHUT UP!" LOL!
Now listen to your gut. What can you do starting today to make
it work?
How Do You Make the Transition? (The following is an excerpt
from Jack of All Trades, Master of None?)
Your need for start-up money is the reason why you shouldn't
storm out of your dull 9 to 5 just yet. Yeah, you might hate
your job, but think about it as the contributor to your "layaway
plan for escape." Realize you're probably going to spend more
money than you make that first year in business. Here are some
pointers to help prevent you from living back at Mom's in your
old room.
Get your business plan together. This goes hand in hand with
Fear number one: Failure. The more you have dissected what you
need to do, the more realistic things will be for you. Get your
Side-Hustle going! Start small with projects after work and on
weekends. You can test the waters to see if your business is
even worth expanding. A slow transition is key.
Know your monthly budget and save accordingly. Stash away a
chunk of your paycheck from your job and side hustle for your
"layaway plan for escape." You should have at least 6-12 months
if money saved so that you can keep a roof over your head and
food in your belly. Don't count your 401k, that's for retirement
only! You don't want to pay that 30% penalty for withdrawing.
In the end it all comes down to being happy. Do you want to live
your life with regrets? Honor yourself and your values, but most
importantly, remember anything you want is attainable! If you
want it, you GOTS TO HAVE IT!