Making the transition from employed to self-employed can be a tricky maneuver. More than all the technical aspects you have to learn, like time management and taxes, it’s learning the skill of self-motivation that can be the most difficult—and the most rewarding.
I worked in the corporate world for a long time. In fact, all of my working years between 18 and 32 were spent sitting in some sort of office chair. I learned early on how to take direction—not only how to take it, but that it was good to keep my head down, follow instructions, and do as I was told. If I did well in this regard, I would be rewarded with praise, a promotion, or a raise. I continued in this fashion for many years, allowing myself to be molded into a dutiful employee with no real aspirations of standing out from the crowd.
I got so good at taking direction that when I ended up in a job that provided much less direction, less structure, I felt myself floundering. I didn’t know where to start, what to work on, or how to contribute. I wasn’t making any progress, and therefore I wasn’t eliciting any praise (It’s a hard realization when you come to understand that this is important to you). I began to feel ineffective, guilty, and resentful. I had learned that in order for me to perform at my top level, I needed someone else to push me into action. For the most part, I didn’t trust myself enough to take initiative in most situations.
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Fast forward to now, when there are no longer any supervisors or managers to provide me with direction (or praise), and a whole new layer of that lesson is revealing itself. I came across this quote early last year, when I first started on this journey:
You are the role model. Not the politician, not the celebrity, not the evangelist. Don’t throw up your hands in resignation, and don’t look for another leader. It’s all on you, in other words. No pressure.” – Chris Guillebeau
That’s exactly what I was doing: looking for a role model. I got used to waiting for someone else to provide me with inspiration to act. Now, there is only me to push myself, to provide the validation. I have sole control over my to-do list, which is a great opportunity if I can learn to embrace it. And while there is no longer any praise or salary-hikes, there are still rewards. The reward now is getting the work done. It’s learning that I’m capable of creating my own direction, and that even without external validation, I can finish the day feeling productive and fulfilled. Much more fulfilled than I ever felt working for someone else.
Great article, Tara. You describe exactly the feeling I also have after leaving the corporate world of almost 15 years of work.
Great article, Tara. You describe exactly the feeling I also have after leaving the corporate world of almost 15 years of work.