Change can be uncomfortable. You get used to a certain way of doing things, you get used to things being a certain way, and anything that disturbs the status quo can unsettle you. The familiar is comfortable, because it is predictable, even though this sense of comfort could be holding you back, restricting you to an unsatisfying life of mediocrity.
When you work at a regular salaried job, especially at larger national or multinational corporation, there’s a sense of safety there. You know that you’ll get the exact same amount of money deposited into your checking account every two weeks without fail. You know that you can come back to the same desk every Monday through Friday and you’ll be sitting in that same chair you’ve always sat in for the next eight hours, because you’ll probably eat your lunch at your desk too as you muscle your way through another batch of TPS reports.
Beyond the Cubicle
I’m not disparaging the life of the office worker. Many people value that kind of predictability and stability.
They need that in order to pay the bills, keep the lights on, and provide for their families. I get that. Some office jobs are also a lot more fulfilling and interesting than others. I get that too. But if you want change, if you want something different, you have to be prepared to sacrifice some of that comfort, some of that safety, some of that predictability.
Before anything else, before you take that plunge into the world of Internet marketing or going into business for yourself online, you need to recognize this very important fact. And you need to face the reality that if you do start pursuing your own online career, times can be very lean for the first few months or even the first few years.
You have to be willing to accept that as the potential price of admission, for the possibility of turning your online “hobby” into a viable and profitable business.
Facing a Changing Reality
American novelist and social critic James Baldwin — pictured below with the venerable Marlon Brando and not at all related to Billy, Alec, Daniel and Stephen (as far as I know) — once said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
It’s easy to face the reality that the dot com lifestyle and making money online can provide the opportunity for you to realize your wildest dreams and enjoy a level of freedom that you never thought possible short of winning the lottery.
It’s not as easy to face the reality that achieving these kinds of goals is going to take a commitment on your part and it’s going to require some work. There’s no such thing as an overnight success.
Living Your Best Life
Do you want to change the fact that you have to suffer through an hour-long commute to the office every day? Do you want to change the fact that your boss dictates when and where you can and should work? Do you want to change the fact that someone else is telling you what projects to pursue? Do you want to change the fact that you get paid exactly the same even if you are responsible for significantly increasing company profit?
Then you need to face those hurdles head on and recognize what it’s going to take to change them.
Are you ready to take the leap of faith? Are you ready to invest in your own future?