I've had a few jobs in my lifetime. I can't say I enjoyed any of them. My last job had long hours with 10-hour shifts on average. Something that I learned with my last job is that I don't work well with others. I feel as though I am more capable of working on my own without others to slow me down. I've always been this way, ever since I was a little kid in elementary school. I was known as a 'quiet kid' but I was also known for being much smarter than the rest of the class. I focused on getting my work done early so I could relax while the other kids talked to each other and then struggled to finish their work on time.
See, I've always thought of working with others as a hindrance to my productivity. They bring along their opinions, drawbacks, and doubts. I don't need that. I know exactly how I want something to be done and I don't need anyone else disagreeing with it or trying to tweak it to fit their ideas. You might call this narcissistic but I think of it this way: if you want something done right then do it yourself.
A wise man once told me if you're not working for yourself than your just working for other's dreams. Most people have a boss and that boss doesn't care about your goals. That boss only cares about his own goals. Odds are you won't feel the same urgency to complete your work because it's just a paycheck to you. I find this system to be quite dreary and uninspiring. Your time is the most valuable thing in life. You can always make money back but you can't turn back the clock. Why chip away your effort at something that doesn't serve you?
A few years ago I had a business idea. I felt very good about this idea, sharing it with everyone I came across hoping to gain more insight from those with business experience. I was preparing to go into the School of Entrepreneurship and signed up for a ton of business classes and all the entrepreneurship classes I could take before getting into the program itself. The program starts junior year of college so for the first two years I just had to take care of all the prerequisite classes. I was deadset on becoming an entrepreneurship student. I sent in my application and wrote an essay about my business idea and why I would be a good entrepreneur. I waited and waited until one day my inbox lit up with an email from the program coordinator. Anxious to see the good news I opened the email, only to discover I hadn't gotten in.
With that, my entrepreneurship itch faded away. Doubts and adversity had overcome hope and passion. I started to think that starting my own business was a pipedream, that there was no way I could make this great idea a reality and make millions of dollars before I turned 25. I gave up on business school and switched to something easier - creative writing. I had always been a good writer and I figured I'd give it a shot. I knew it would be easier than business calc and accounting. While the English department has allowed me to expand my creative talents it still feels empty. As I write this article I imagine making a living for myself that is independent of others - I want to become an entrepreneur. The path is yet to be discovered but the seed has been planted.
