7 Desires That Drove Me Out of 9-to-5 Banking and Into Entrepreneurship
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Four years ago I got employed in a multinational bank in my city. I was a young college graduate, and I had the opportunity to build a career in the financial sector. According to my boss, I had wonderful prospects. I was on what most people will consider a good path. But I wasn’t satisfied. I really wanted more.
I had never really considered becoming a full-time entrepreneur. At a point, I took some time off and went on a soul search. I read some books, made some consultations and asked myself some deep questions. During my search I was able to identify seven strong desires deep-seated in my heart driving me towards the entrepreneurship path. On my return, I was convinced to quit the nine-to-five lifestyle and become an entrepreneur. These desires, which every entrepreneur can easily identify with, are as follows:
Related: Finding Your Passion and Following Your Purpose
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1. I loved the idea of not living on pay checks.
Have you ever felt as if your job is limiting your earning ability? That was exactly how I felt. The idea of receiving the same pay in spite of my input was very discouraging to me. I wanted to be able to earn as much as I could. I knew I was industrious, so I felt it was unfair for me to get stuck in one job where I would earn the same pay no matter the results I deliver.
2. I desired to make a living doing what I love.
I no longer wanted to work for the money. I wanted to work because I love what I do -- not because I have to pay the bills. Very few jobs offered to give me the opportunity to do what I really love. Most of the jobs I saw were full of monotonous and boring routines. Since I really wanted to make a living doing what I love, I knew I had to start my own business.
3. I jumped at the idea of being my own boss.
While I was working in the bank, I carried out every assignment given to me by my boss to the letter. But deep down in me, I yearned for a time when I will not have to be answerable to anybody. It wasn’t because I was insubordinate -- I just strongly desired to work for myself.
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4. The idea of working long and odd hours on my goals excited me.
Many times in the past, I have gotten so engrossed with different projects that I spent odd hours working, totally forgetting to eat or sleep. The idea of working long and odd hours on a particular goal didn’t scare me -- it got me excited. I was ready to work from morning to night, days on end, just to accomplish my goals.
Related: Why We All Need to Give Up on Work-Life Balance Once and for All
5. I loved thinking out of the box.
Many times during my nine-to-five days, I was usually odd. If there was an easier or faster way of doing getting a result, I was always eager to find it. The idea of “that’s the way we have always done it” never appealed to me.
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My favorite words when problems arose were usually, “There must be a way out." And when faced with an assignment, I usually found myself thinking, “Is there no better way of doing this?”
6. Retirement didn’t appeal to me.
I never looked forward to a life of early retirement. The thought of doing nothing from morning to night made me sick.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of having free time. Who doesn’t? However I really wanted to be able to keep working, not because I had to -- but because I wanted to. Work for me means doing what I love. This means I would still be working when I retire, though it will be at a very reduced pace.
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7. I crave knowledge.
"Learn as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die tomorrow." – Mahatma Gandhi
While working in the bank, I usually looked forward with enthusiasm to the numerous weekly trainings we had. I equally made it a goal to read a good number of books, and attend two seminars every month. It was not a part of my job description, but I craved for continuous personal development. I loved reading books and listening to audio messages. Scanning interesting magazines for relevant information in my field was a hobby for me. I was not satisfied with the status quo. I was driven to grow and never remain on one spot for long.
If you can relate to these desires, then I am convinced you are either an entrepreneur or very close to becoming one. Nurture that desire, and fan it into flames. If I could take that risk, so can you.
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