It’s quite an amazing journey we set ourselves when we establish our own business. Our current political leaders like John Howard and Peter Costello like to laud those who establish small enterprises but neither of them of had to endure the sleep depriving, blood pressure raising uncertainties that relying on your own wits brings to all of us.
This business certainly has its highs and there is something very appealing about being your own boss. But that’s only half the story. There are times when the brilliant ideas don’t work out. Maybe the marketing was wrong. Maybe the idea was wrong. Maybe I didn’t follow it through with enough energy. Whatever the reason, there are times when I find myself sitting here in despondency having reached the bottom of the barrell.
The bank account is looking pretty grim. Bills are coming in. I don’t know where the next piece of work is going to come from.
It’s a story every small/micro business person can tell you.
It’s journey that’s not for everyone. If you need security you won’t find it in small business. (And Howard, Costello et al. want to make us all one person businesses.)
But if the journey is for you, there’s something you need to sustain you through these low points, and something you need to find within yourself to bring something new to the world – faith.
I’m not talking about religous faith (although that can be important). I’m talking about faith in yourself. The reason you have decided to set out on your own journey is because you believe in yourself. You believe you have something to offer the world.
And you do – you!
But therein lies the fundamental dilemma of the one person business. You know you are a person of value. You know you have something to offer. But when you set yourself up. When you hang up your shingle, you are puttting your belief in yourself to the test. Will the world agree with your assessment of yourself.
In a way, when you hang out your shingle, you are taking your clothes off. You are exposing yourself to the world and allowing the world to judge you – and your (my) deepest fear is that the world won’t like you. (I still have John Powell’s book I discovered profoundly as a teenager –Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am)
This is where you need to find your faith. Your faith that you know how you are. You know you’re special value to the world. The real question you need to ask yourself is how much you believe in yourself? This is the faith of the micro business person. You need to reach inside yourself. Find the rock that is at the core of your soul and believe in yourself.
From this belief your good ideas and good actions come. It’s so hard to forget about it. To allow yourself to be overcome by the obstacles and your own fear. But the only way through the minefield is faith.