How many times have you heard somebody remark “I hate my 9-5?”
How many articles have you read which suggest that the reliable 9-5 job is bad for you and creative freedom is the only way forward?
I am a self-confessed entrepreneur, I have risk, failure and success running through my veins. I love creating opportunities and following my instincts. I love building businesses. However recently I have been giving the concept of a 9-5 job a lot of thought.
We live in an era, right now, where anybody can create a business. All of the tools are available to help entrepreneurs build a product or service, find where their ideal customers hangout online and target them with an AD system that is so well developed, you can achieve unbelievable success.
However what of the 9-5? The stable job, the regular pay check, the strong credit score and the peace of mind which comes from working everyday and getting paid at the end of the month ? I still believe that there is a place for the 9-5 in our world. I am not talking about workplace flexibility and leadership skills and how employees are respected in the workplace, there is absolutely a need to improve on all of those things, but for now, I am talking about stability and the opportunities that derive from having a 9-5 job.
When I first started my adventure as an entrepreneur I had worked for a number of corporate companies, I built an 18 year career in the digital marketing space. I had tough bosses, days where I just wanted to cry and others which made me question if the path I was on, was the right path for me. What I didnt appreciate at the time were the opportunities and experience these roles gave me. The structure and discipline needed to operate in a highly political environment gave me the skills to work in a structured way when I was on my own, working on my own business. The long meetings and the challenging questions posed by C-Level executives, gave me the courage and knowledge to face investors. Having a 9-5 job taught me to be a better entrepreneur.
Have you thought to yourself “Its ok if my new business doesn’t work out, I can always go back to what I was doing before?” You might not admit it to others, but admit it to yourself. Your 9-5 gives you a safety blanket which enables you to embark on your entrepreneurial journey. It gives you Plan B.
When things get a little tough, there isn’t any shame in thinking about the need to get back to a 9-5 for a while. You haven’t failed and you aren’t running back to the fold with your tail in between your legs. You should feel proud that you can dip into your tool bag of experience and use what is available to you, to help you reach your next level of entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs are creative beings and we thrive best when we can flourish, create ideas and innovate. Creativity stems from stability. Your best ideas tend to flow when you arent worrying about paying the bills or the multitude of things you have to do as a business owner. Creating a business is a huge journey and setting yourself up for success from the outset will determine how you react to the challenges you face along the way. I used to think we should just follow our instincts and jump. But now, with a few years under my belt, I really appreciate the stability a 9-5 can bring and the platform it can give an entrepreneur ahead of embarking on their next journey.
So the next time somebody mentions a 9-5 job to you, try not to groan or hate on it. Treat it as a well respected friend, who will throw out a safety net when you need it and give you the skills you need to push forward on your entrepreneurial journey.