365 days without a salary

Like 127 Hours, just a lot less gruesome.

This week marks one year since I cannonballed off the corporate ladder to start my own business.

So to celebrate 365 days of paying the bills by pushing the right keyboard buttons in the right order, here are 10 things I’ve learned about work in the last year:

1️⃣  You can also be self-employed …

If someone else is paying you to work, and your key card continues to open the office doors every day, you have talent that will transfer.

2️⃣ … But you might not want to be.

Self-employment isn’t for everyone. For me, it’s a good fit. Working for yourself is cool. But PTO is also cool. Benefits are also cool. 401(k) matches are also cool. My view? The pros outweigh the cons of self-employment, but make sure your personality aligns with the demands of the lifestyle if you’re thinking about taking the leap.

3️⃣ Sometimes it makes sense to burn the boats.

When Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico in 1519, he ordered his men to burn their boats. Once the boats were up in flames, retreating wasn’t an option. Cortés’s men had two choices: win or die. I didn’t have a single client when I started my business. But I figured if I burnt the boats — if I quit my job — I’d brute force my way to success. Stressful? Yeah. Effective? Yep.

4️⃣ No one cares about you.

Professionally, that is. I left a wonderful firm with wonderful people. But soon after I logged out of my computer, someone else logged in. They’re doing just fine without me.

5️⃣ $1 made for yourself is better than $2 made for someone else.

Seeing payments roll in from work you found, created and finished yourself is a dizzying high.

6️⃣  Creation breeds fulfillment.

The oldest cave art ever found dates back more than 64,000 years ago. Humans were made to create — not run Excel macros.

7️⃣  Consistency is the secret to success.

“Your creative ad won’t beat my frequency.” – Grant Cardone. If you looked at the inputs of successful people, it would be unthinkable for them to be anywhere but at the top.

8️⃣ Clients want two things.

They want the work done right and they want the work done on time. Don’t overcomplicate it.

9️⃣ Mood follows action.

Anxious? Stressed? Worried about your career? Do more, and your productivity will relieve the weight.

🔟 Art is a support system for life.

Working for yourself means putting in more work than you did at your 9-5, but it also means the potential to tilt the scales in favor of your ideal work-life balance. Just remember why you’re doing it. Stephen King: “Put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Life isn’t a support-system for art. It’s the other way around.”

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