The Time is Now
Back in the spring/summer of 2004 when I had decided to start my business and was reading every business book that I could get my hands on, one of the common themes that I picked up on was that to succeed you need to commit to taking action, and you need to commit to it now.
Now that I am on the other side of quitting my job to run my business, I feel like I hold a little more credibility on this topic. It seems obvious, but too many people either don't take action or make a lazy effort and pass it off as action.
Back then, I made a commitment to my business. But once I started my senior year of college and started getting job offers, I put the business on cruise control and my pathetic effort exerted towards the business resulted in nearly no success whatsoever.
Fast forward to this past summer. I had worked for six months and I had the same feeling that I had two years prior - that I didn't want to be an engineer, that I didn't want to work for someone else. I looked in the mirror and decided that I was going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES for my business to succeed.
I spent my remaining vacation time working on SportsLizard.com and it paid off with an honorable mention in the Microsoft Start Something Amazing Awards. After learning that the business was going to be mentioned in the #1 Sports Collectibles Magazine, I knew that the time to capitalize was now. Two months later, I am running my business full time. It is possible to do whatever you want to do with your life, but you need to take action towards it NOW.
I'm not saying everyone should run out and quit their job today. It takes planning to do it right. The key is that you are planning. That you have started working towards that goal of living your passion. That you're not just saying that it's something you want to do down the road.
Ever hear someone say "I'd love to start my own business someday but...."? Those are the people who ultimately won't start their own business. They are waiting for the "perfect" time to do it. The moment when all the planets align. It will never happen. You can always make up an excuse. Instead of thinking about excuses, think about what you can do NOW to move you closer to doing what you want to do.
Now that I am on the other side of quitting my job to run my business, I feel like I hold a little more credibility on this topic. It seems obvious, but too many people either don't take action or make a lazy effort and pass it off as action.
Back then, I made a commitment to my business. But once I started my senior year of college and started getting job offers, I put the business on cruise control and my pathetic effort exerted towards the business resulted in nearly no success whatsoever.
Fast forward to this past summer. I had worked for six months and I had the same feeling that I had two years prior - that I didn't want to be an engineer, that I didn't want to work for someone else. I looked in the mirror and decided that I was going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES for my business to succeed.
I spent my remaining vacation time working on SportsLizard.com and it paid off with an honorable mention in the Microsoft Start Something Amazing Awards. After learning that the business was going to be mentioned in the #1 Sports Collectibles Magazine, I knew that the time to capitalize was now. Two months later, I am running my business full time. It is possible to do whatever you want to do with your life, but you need to take action towards it NOW.
I'm not saying everyone should run out and quit their job today. It takes planning to do it right. The key is that you are planning. That you have started working towards that goal of living your passion. That you're not just saying that it's something you want to do down the road.
Ever hear someone say "I'd love to start my own business someday but...."? Those are the people who ultimately won't start their own business. They are waiting for the "perfect" time to do it. The moment when all the planets align. It will never happen. You can always make up an excuse. Instead of thinking about excuses, think about what you can do NOW to move you closer to doing what you want to do.
posted by Adam McFarland at
2/08/2006 06:06:00 PM
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