Entrepreneur Beginners Guide
“9 to 5 is worse than Death”
A real job is a job you hate. —Bill Watterson, cartoonist, author
Every day, to make ends meet, millions of Americans go to a job they hate. Every day, I make ends meet to avoid going to a job would hate. While the average employee hopes he never gets fired, I hope I never get hired. Most employees have to fight just to get a small raise; I am an entrepreneur because it makes no sense to place a limit on my income: Many people find self-worth in employment; I find self-worth in ‘entrepreneurship. This is my reality, and although it’s not normal, I think it’s most natural.
Don’t get me wrong. I have much respect for people who do what it takes to earn an income to support themselves or their family. I can somewhat relate. I have worked some jobs that were terrible—for me, anyway. For example, I once worked a seasonal job at Macy’s, and I thought I was going to die. I had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to sell watches and push consumer credit cards, standing all day and pleasing some of the most discourteous customers. Each day I came home wondering how people did this type of work for years. Having to stand and watch the time all day seemed like cruel and unusual punishment, not a job. When the Christmas season ended, I was eager to return to my old self.
As ridiculous as it sounds, I actually have a very real fear of having to work a 9-to-5. In fact, I fear it more than death itself The fear is so intense that 1 often have nightmares about it. Upon further analysis of my fear, a trained psychologist would probably determine that 1 am not scared about a job per se. Instead, 1 am more terrified of failure. The job is just an outward sign of what would be a crushing inner defeat. Having a job would mean that I was unable to continue my life as an entrepreneur full-time, doing what I find most fulfilling. In this respect, I am like everyone else who rates fear of failure as one of their biggest phobias.
We often hear the popular phrase “No fear!” In fact, it’s a popular selling t-shirt. The phenomenon is a great example of how our culture glorifies an unattainable reality in which we fear nothing. Fear is the ultimate enemy that we must conquer. Well, I beg to differ. In some cases, fear is good. If, like I do, you fear having a 9-to-5 job, you are motivated to do all you canto .avoid it. So far, things have worked out well for me.
Entrepreneurs are often touted for being fearless. This perception is not reality, though. Entrepreneurs are human and have fears like everyone else. Most likely, having a job is one of those fears, but we just channel that fear into something constructive like motivation or the courage to excel. When healthy fear is combined with a greater desire to-succeed, nothing can stop you.
