Tip #2: Get Away From it All
Before you can become successful working for yourself, you need to clear your head. So much of our society is geared towards living the typical Old Economy lifestyle that we’re each deeply programmed to want to do just that. Even if you feel ready for a change, you’re probably not prepared for the long battle ahead of you.
Feeling like you hate your job or that you just want to do something different won’t get you very far. Those are valid feelings, but you need to have a more concrete reason for making the change.
One way of developing that deeper reason is to take some extended time off. I know, some of you might say that’s not possible, but if you’re serious enough, you can find a way. Thinking it’s not possible to take extended time off is just part of the cultural conditioning I was talking about anyways. I used to think that way myself.
If you can get away, a month or more is best. It’s great if you can get out of the country, or at least far away from the day-to-day that you’re used to. This time and distance is crucial to helping you get to the core of what really matters to you in life. I can’t tell you what that will mean to you because it’s a very personal thing.
Don’t force thinking about the deeper questions of your life right away. Give yourself some time on your trip to really lose touch with the life that consumed you before. Try to make a connection with the person you really are. Maybe you’ve forgotten a little about who you are to your job or societal expectations. Give it time and you’ll start to find yourself again and enjoy your time off.
Examine what you want from life, independent of what you currently think is possible.
While you’re on this journey of self-discovery, you should examine what you want from life, independent of what you think is currently possible. How can you think beyond what seems possible? You can start by imagining your ideal day or week if time, money and location weren’t limiting factors. If you find yourself thinking something is silly or not realistic, try hard to banish those thoughts. You want to only think about what you want. Later, you’ll consider if you feel it’s worth it to achieve those goals.
This shouldn’t be a single afternoon project, either. If you have enough time, you should give it weeks to fully form your thoughts and reconnect with yourself. I found a deeper connection to how I want to live after about two months into my recent six-month sabbatical to Mexico. That experience changed my life and became the basis for everything I’m working towards now.
Once you’ve developed your new uninfluenced-by-society feelings about what you want from life, you’ll be in a much stronger position to handle the battles that await you. Having taken an extended vacation or sabbatical won’t guarantee success, but people rarely regret taking time off. One way or another this time off could change your life for the better.
You need to know yourself. Find where what makes you special and different intersects with your audiences most pressing needs. As I tell my Authority Blogger folks, your point of difference needs to be authentic and true, because now more than ever people can spot a fake a million miles away!
Chris Garrett, chrisg.com *
