When one thinks of starting a new business, he (or she) loses sleep. He breathes heavy. His pulse goes up 15 percent. He feels a lump in his throat, swallows hard and finds that the lump is still there. He doesn't feel like eating. Yet he might binge eat to calm himself down. He doesn't go out with the boys. He doesn't laugh when his colleague shares a good joke. He doesn't want to get up in the morning. He has trouble sleeping at night. He argues with his spouse if his wife says something negative about his new venture. He still argues with her if she is all enthusiastic, "what about if I am wrong?"
He becomes a difficult man to please, let alone to live with. All these are happening because of this uncertainly and sense of insecurity. Security is a very fundamental human need. So close to our heart is this need that many of us will give up our dreams in return for security. I don't really understand the psychology behind this fully. Nonetheless, when these psychological obstacles and their symptoms crippled me when I was going into new ventures, I found the following mental arguments useful. They worked well for me probably because they were rather simple and straight forward:
- Not all employers are equal.
- You are employed by some employer, or yourself.
- You want to be working for an employer who treats you well.
- You don't want your employer to sacrifice your welfare to maximize his profits.
- You want to work for someone you can trust.
- You are more likely to protect your own welfare than any other employer would.
- So if you can trust yourself, do work for yourself.
- If you can't trust yourself, don't work for yourself, but still keep looking for the best employer you can find and offer to work for him, as soon as possible.
- Many a times, logic works much better than psychology. It did for me.
Best of luck.
P.S. Don't do anything hastily unless you have enough savings to support your family for six months.
