IN A DOWN ECONOMY, with the job market already flooded with qualified, educated and motivated interviewees, don’t think for a second that you can stand around, slide by, or step into a business’ hierarchy without getting down into a three-point stance and tackling what needs your attention in regard to relationship-building, continued education, and resume preparation.
You don’t want to compete in an over-saturated job market, nor do you want to take a position with a company that lacks feelings of fulfillment--I get it. Just remember that every problem is an opportunity in disguise. This may be the perfect time for you to circle back around to that business idea you’ve always had or the business you’ve always wanted to start with your friends.
Ask yourself, what are the next 5-10 critical steps? Make sure to write them down and include as much off-the-cuff detail as you can about each one. Next, estimate how much time is required to complete each task on that list. Write these ballpark figures next to each item. At this point, you’re ready to start building your business’ base. Compare the amount of time required to complete each task with the hours of free time available in your typical week. Now set some realistic deadlines for yourself. This may sound stupid but I will assure you that deadlines tend to cure most cases of procrastination. To give it to you straight, the person that says, “I’ll figure it out,” will be saying the same thing at the same time next year.
Once you’ve completed the first round of tasks, it will probably be necessary to repeat the process. Don’t get frustrated. This won’t go on forever, but you will most likely discover a fresh list of tasks necessary for completion. You’re not short-sighted; this is normal. At this point, you should be ready to get your feet wet. Once this point is reached, a lot of people, surprisingly, shelf their initiative. Why? I don’t know, probably because they are burned out from all the boring, tedious and time-consuming steps that got them this far.
Get excited! You’ve just taken your idea from a mere concept to what is now a fully conceptualized, well thought-out, flushed-out, qualified, strategized and structured business model. In my opinion, this is the fun part. Go out and market yourself and your product or service. Take my advice that once you’ve gained good momentum to go out and start that business you’ve always wanted, you’ll find it much easier to continue. The most important thing is not to quit when it gets tough, and to hold yourself accountable to those self-set deadlines.
