Sounds a little like a paradox doesn't it? On one side you can get all the positive feelings and on the other side you can destroy your life. How is this possible? It is possible because business is risk. You are not investing in stocks that have risk and have other people running the companies. You are the CEO, the boss, the owner, the secretary, the workers and the investor.
Consider the following before starting a business:
- Business Has an Investment: Before you go ahead and invest your retirement account, take a second mortgage and steel from your children's education account make sure that you have a good chance at success. Cover your entire basis, complete your business plan and make sure you have the skills necessary.
- Long-Hours: You may have dreams of going golfing every morning, spending more time with your kids or enjoying your summers more. This may happen if you are truly one of the most successful. Before this can happen you have to be able to set your business up to run independently. This may mean hiring other people. That takes years and possibly decades of 12 hour days.
- Income: Once you cut the job purse strings you will find that you are completely on your own. This means that you no longer have the advantage of a steady income, pay checks and medical benefits. If you have a family you have to worry that you may not make enough to suit their needs. When your kids start bugging you for money it isn't easy to ignore them.
- You Could Damage Your Psychological Health: Once you have invested your life savings, spent all those years ignoring your family and have tied your mental health to your business you might fail. As a matter of fact there is a higher likelihood you will fail than win. Once you have been beaten it is very hard to go back to work for someone else.
