Path of the Entrepreneur – Figure out what you want
This is the second post of the series “Path of the Entrepreneur”.
So you, like so many others, have been laid off of your job, or are dissatisfied with your job, or just don’t know what you are doing or why you are doing it.
Join me on my path toward entrepreneurship.
As I stated in my previous post, I was laid off of my full-time job last Friday. I am not going to rush in to some job to sell my soul to the highest bidder, watching my life slip away. Sometimes it takes a “kick to the curb” to make you sit and think about what really matters, and what brings enjoyment and fulfillment to your life.
So what is the first step?
We all know what it is – it’s to figure out what you want to do. What really brings joy and satisfaction to you. I don’t mean watching TV or playing a pick-up game of basketball (although that could lead to a position as a sports coach).
For me, here are my thoughts, and I recommend you make a list as well:
- I am a mechanical engineer by trade. I really do enjoy engineering, but, looking back, I realize what part of that I enjoy is the creativity, the problem solving, the interaction with customers and operators and other engineers to figure out what the problem really is, and offer them solutions.
- Consultant
- Project Manager
- Machine sales
- I enjoy doing a bit of everything – I enjoy the variety, the new experience, and I love to learn.
- Business owner
- I enjoy doing IT work and telecommunications. I have integrated this with the positions I have held.
- Work in the IT field
- Computer repair
Above all of that, I enjoy working for myself. The freedom to make my own choices, to learn, to lead, to interact with other people, and to wear many hats. Some ideas I have been throwing around in my head:
- Open a coffee shop
- Open an auto repair shop
- Open a business to business computer and network management company
Basically, these are my list of possible career choices. These have actually been cut down and organized from a brainstorm I did one morning from a list of about 50 different items I had written down. I highly recommend that. Drink a few cups of coffee, and just start writing. There are no dumb positions – just write it. If you think you might enjoy it, write it down. Don’t think of the pay, the location, weather you are experienced or not – just write it down.
When you have a complete list, stick it in your pocket. Don’t look at it for a day or two. Then, during the evening, take it out and re-evaluate it. Cross out choices that don’t make sense to you, and add items that you might have thought of. Whittle your list down to a good ten career options.
My next post will take these choices and rate them over a number of variables, in order to see which makes the most sense for you and your current situation.
Have you ever done this exercise before? Did it help? Comment, and let me know.
