Now that you have graduated, or are ready to take the next step in your life and step into the professional world, have you ever wondered what is the best option for you? Should you take up a 9 to 5 job with a stable salary and a certain number of hours? Or should you start and invest in your own business and take a chance on yourself?
Why do we work?
Most commonly, we work to earn a living, exist socially (to be known and recognized), meet people, and finally do things that interest us: teach, build, repair, cook, write, and etc.
Let’s keep it real: Sometimes, we do not just work for the experience, or because it’s our dream job. Most of us hold 9 to 5 jobs for stability. A full-time job, which rounds up to about 40 hours a week of work, is certain to provide you with a stable income to suit your desired lifestyle. Of course, it is often accompanied by raises, bonuses, and extra responsibility, but it is stable.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Many people have full-time jobs that they wholeheartedly enjoy and see as their professional goal to reach. It is amazing to be able to have both the enjoyment of work and stability together all in one. However, what if that’s not the case for someone else?
Online business
It has become possible nowadays for anyone to launch their business online. All it commonly requires is a computer, an idea, and a little too (sometimes) no financial investment. There are tons of ways to make money online that will allow you to be your own boss and work at your own pace while growing your income on your own. With an online business comes a set of advantages:
– Continuity
– Passion
– Responsibility
– Love for work and learning
– Influence
– Stability
– Rest
– Financial security
However, in the case of starting your own online business, you are not going to trade in your hours of work for a salary. Your hours fully depend on how many projects you’ve on hand and what stage your business is currently at. In the beginning, you’ll often find yourself spending the same amount of time a full-time job usually requires – if not more – but once your business grows and you have a hold of how things work, you will be able to control the time you invest in your business.
When should you quit your job?
You need to craft a strategy before quitting your full-time job to make sure you have a safe backup plan waiting for you. It is deemed unwise to quit impetuously without proper planning. Sara Refai, a marketing expert, shares in her podcast that it had taken her six months of stable income from her online business before deciding to quit her full-time job. She had set an income goal for her business and patiently followed up on it for six months before resigning from her 9 to 5.
You will often face uncertainty and doubt from those around you as well as yourself for choosing a life that is different from the people around you. But if you have a specific goal you wish to reach that you feel is unattainable in the situation you currently are in, then there is no shame in stepping away and following your dreams.
