What I love most about being a solo biz owner is the boundless and uninhibited possibility for freedom ... Freedom to choose how I work, who I work with and when I work. Freedom to roam the country, and eventually the world, while I earn a living (there's very little that can't be accomplished with WI-FI and a laptop). Freedom of unlimited earning potential. Even though I'm not quite earning what I want just yet, I know it's more than possible. And it's not dictated by someone else's idea of what I'm worth. Freedom to create my own rules. No one can require me to show up where I don't want to be. I don't have to ask for permission to take a break when I need it. And if there's something that isn't working about the way my business is going, I can shift and modify it as I see fit. But that kind of freedom doesn't just happen, and that certainly wasn't always my reality. It took years for me to realize that freedom in business is something that has to be meticulously crafted and consistently executed. Otherwise, you'll look up one day and realize that your business is on a very different path than you intended (and not in a good way). Here's what I learned about having the freedom you want: Freedom requires the truth.Truth is the guiding compass by which we make the right decisions -- even if we don't always like them. Truth is what rests at the heart of what we do and value, but sometimes we lose sight of it. And when that happen we quickly find ourselves veering off course, making compromises and substitutions for what we really want. My experiences have proven time and again what Beth Grant has so eloquently stated: that when we're out of alignment with [the] truth, we are in struggle. And struggle is the opposite of freedom. "Freedom in business must be meticulously crafted + consistently executed." (via @hellormharrison) TWEET IT Freedom is cultivated by deliberate action.It also took years for me to understand that business does not necessarily equal freedom. After trying unsuccessfully for 3 years to make my branding and design business work, I finally had to take a step back and pay attention to what I was missing. As it turns out, it was a lot of things, but chief among them was the fact that I wasn't intentional about building my business. As a result, I spent a ridiculous amount of time just drudging along, clinging to any opportunity I could find to make money, and feeling like nothing was really coming together. This ultimately led to frustration, burnout and disappointment. Freedom comes with a price.When I made the leap to become a solopreneur, I was never really concerned about what it would cost me. I just assumed it as a new identity -- a new definition of my lifestyle. It wasn't until I got serious about building the kind of business I really wanted that I realized the steep price that comes with it: a shit ton of hard work without immediate or equal results (which is what puts most people off of building a business altogether). That's why it's important to be clear about the freedom you want. Everything else you do, including building your business, should be aligned with that. Over to you ...What does freedom look like for you? Does your business support it? Tell me all about it in the comments.
Freedom to me is being able to create and explore. I want to create a legacy of doing great work and helping people. I want to take ideas and turn them into useful things for other people - courses, books, etc. And I want the personal freedom to explore the things and places that I've been dreaming about since I was wee sized.
RM
5/15/2015 12:54:04 am
Yoneco it's fantastic that you see your path to getting where you want to be. That's always the hardest part. You're well on your way, friend. Excellent thoughts on freedom, I love the ability to plan my own schedule and work from anywhere (that has internet), but freedom also comes with responsibility. I can't be lazy or slack off, but I'm finding its much easier to work when I love what I do. Great post!
RM
5/15/2015 12:55:50 am
Indeed, Angela. Doing work you love makes all the difference! Thanks so much for reading + sharing your thoughts.
RM
5/15/2015 01:00:32 am
I happen to know you're right on the cusp, Kathryn! ;) What I've realized about "choosing your time" is that it has much more to do with managing your energy -- and having the freedom to align what you do with what you need (physically, mentally) on any given day. Does that make sense? 5/15/2015 10:42:41 am
I couldn't agree more, especially the part where you mentioned Freedom requires action. SO TRUE. It's a no brainier for sure, but it's easy to get wrapped up in all the ideas on what you want to do with the business instead of actually executing the steps into making the ideas come to life. Looking forward to more posts from you, RM :)
RM
5/18/2015 01:19:05 am
Absolutely. Thanks so much, Jayne! 5/17/2015 12:31:46 am
This resonates with me. I cannot agree enough on the fact that freedom is by "choice" and yes it does come at a price (as anything else does in life). :) But no matter what, it's always worth every effort.
RM
5/18/2015 01:23:57 am
I'm so happy this resonated with you, Sara! Thanks for sharing your thoughts :) Comments are closed.
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