I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and I’ve always loved this line….

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”~The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Some would say that leaving the working world to be an entrepreneur is very risky indeed (thankfully this doesn’t involve orks or goblins). But as intimidating as it may be from time to time, more people are finding it an even bigger risk to stay with their current job, career, or employer due to the uncertainty of corporate America and the economy.

If you are here because you have made that decision to take your life in your own hands, then I applaud you!

But here is where the line above comes into play…”if you don’t keep your feet..” if you don’t stay focused and keep to your plan then literally “there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Being an entrepreneur is something the majority of us think about it, but may not always follow through with. That’s not being negative, that is simply being honest about going into business for yourself. It has it’s own set of challenges we have to overcome. The word “entrepreneur” comes from the French word “entreprendre” meaning to “undertake.” If you look it up in the dictionary it is a “person who organizes and operates a business, taking on risks to do so.”

Before you made that decision you probably had thoughts going through your head like…”I don’t want to be at this job for the next 20+ years” “At this rate I’ll never pay off my house, my loans, or get the kids through school” “I’m so tired” “How are we going to live after we retire?” “Is it really going to be 40 years till I can enjoy life, do what I really love and spend time with loved ones?”

These are things we can all relate to and are enough of a catalyst to make us decide to venture into business for ourselves. It doesn’t happen overnight though. The accumulation of cares you have each day and the years of un-fulfillment are like a couple of sticks being rubbed together over time till finally it creates a spark and sets fire. That spark is when you made the decision, but as you know if you don’t feed the fire, it’s going to go out. There has to be something that keeps your fire going. No one else can do it for you! It’s a decision you have to make each day and keep on making it.

First thing’s first, you have to toss away that constant drag in your life of self doubt. You have to begin to see your own value and knowledge and how you can help others with it. This is your future and your success that you’re working for, so take responsibility of it yourself. It is ok to have a coach to help you get through the bumpy roads but don’t depend on them for your success. It’s yours! Own it!

Learn to be yourself….

Know yourself, believe in yourself, appreciate yourself, accept yourself, take full responsibility for yourself (your life, relationships, business everything), forgive yourself and even give yourself a reward every now and then. You own yourself, you just have to claim yourself! People love you for who you are and people will join you in business for who you are. So don’t waste your time in trying to present someone else! Always remember what it was that brought you here in the beginning. Look for and find answers for yourself. What you need is all ready in you. That might sound like a cheesy line but it’s true! You have to fuel yourself with belief, purpose and the determination to reach your goals. Truly empowering isn’t it?

This was one of the most exciting things for me when I started on my own journey-it not only allowed me to be myself but it’s the way to succeed! Be a leader by leading with example and helping others to do so as well. But don’t let them use you as a crutch. They too have to claim their success for themselves. We are all here to rally each other to our goals! Also see post on Being a Leader.

As implied above, an entrepreneur is someone who thinks on a different wave length than everybody else. But what will make you stand out is how you take action to those thoughts. It is true that starting out is not an easy task, but if you get into this mindset and act upon your decision, you will be so happy that you did when you succeed.

Thank you for visiting my blog! I appreciate you and value all comments and would love to hear from you! Please help me spread it around by sharing it on all your social media sites whether it be retweeting or sharing on facebook. Thanks everyone!

Peace and Happiness to You,