I have been reading lots of books about personal development, success stories, etc. to equip me in getting out of the rat race. I feel that I must share some of these books with all of you so that it will help you in your future endeavours in terms of changing your mindset from choosing the right one for you …. whatever the decision you made, good or bad, it still a decision!
One of the first book is from Robert Kiyosaki, Before you quit your job
What Makes Entrepreneurs Different?
One of the most frightening days of my life was the day I quit my job and officially became an entrepreneur. On that day, I knew there were no more steady paychecks, no more health insurance or retirement plan. No more days off for being sick or paid vacations.
On that day, my income went to zero. The terror of not having a steady paycheck was one of the most frightening experiences I had ever experienced. Worst of all, I did not know how long it would be before I would have another steady paycheck… it might be years. The moment I quit my job I knew the real reason why many employees do not become entrepreneurs. It is fear of not having any money… no guaranteed income… no steady paycheck. Very few people can operate for long periods of time without money. Entrepreneurs are different, and one of those differences is the ability to operate sanely and intelligently without money.
On that same day, my expenses went up. As an entrepreneur, I had to rent an office, a parking stall, a warehouse, buy a desk, a lamp, rent a phone, pay for travel, hotels, taxis, meals, copies, pens, paper, staples, stationery, legal tablets, postage, brochures, products, and even coffee for the office. I also had to hire a secretary, an accountant, an attorney, a bookkeeper, a business insurance agent, and even a janitorial service. These were all expenses my employer had once paid for me. I began to realize how expensive it had been to hire me as an employee. I realized that employees cost far more than the number of dollars reflected in their paychecks.
So another difference between employees and entrepreneurs is that entrepreneurs need to know how to spend money, even if they have no money.
The Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur
I know I was not born a natural entrepreneur. I had to be trained. My rich dad guided me through a process of starting as an employee to eventually becoming an entrepreneur. For me, it was not an easy process. There was a lot I had to unlearn before I could begin to understand the lessons he was trying to teach me.
It was difficult hearing what my rich dad had to say because what he said was exactly opposite from the lessons my poor dad was trying to teach me. Every time my rich dad talked about entrepreneurship, he was talking about freedom. Every time my poor dad talked to me about going to school to get a job, he was talking about security. There was the clash of these two philosophies going on in my head and it was confusing me.
Finally I asked rich dad about the difference in philosophies. I asked, “Aren’t security and freedom the same thing?” Smiling, he replied, “Security and freedom are not the same… in fact they are opposites. The more security you seek, the less freedom you have. The people with the most security are in jail. That is why it is called maximum security.” He went on to say, “If you want freedom you need to let go of security. Employees desire security and entrepreneurs seek freedom.”
So the question is, can anyone become an entrepreneur? My answer is, “Yes. It begins with a change in philosophy. It begins with a desire for more freedom than security.”
In Rich Dad’s Before You Quit Your Job, Robert courageously reveals his business failures as well as his successes, using them to illustrate ten key lessons that can help make you a successful entrepreneur.
Happy reading,
Jailani
PS. Get your books online from Amazon