On 1st March 2019 I completed TEN YEARS of Self-Employment and freedom from the corporate world. Here are TEN tips if you want to break free (and stay free) from the Golden Cage someday:
1) “Someday” will NEVER come on its own. “Someday” is created by you saying.. “That’s it. I’m done with this 9 to 9 routine. I am ready to start now. And I’m ready because I SAY I am ready.”
2) If you think being on your own is a road full of obstacles.. think of all the possible obstacles and then multiply them by 10. Then tell yourself you’re going to be UNSTOPPABLE in the face of those obstacles.
3) For me, the last 10 years were the toughest years of my life. But I had my family (and a couple of friends) who supported me financially and emotionally. I am deeply grateful to them, for without their support I would have probably given up a long time back. On this journey you need to have great relationships.. so work on them. A secret to great relationships : BE AUTHENTIC. Don’t pretend. Don’t hide. Express yourself fully. Give up judging people and making them wrong.
4) To start on your own, you need skills. But more than skills, you need attitude and imagination. Skills can be learnt over time. Work on your mental makeup. That’s way more important.
5) Patience is the name of the game. At first you will fail, and then you will fail more.. and you will keep failing till the Universe has finished testing you. Watch out and NEVER EVER QUIT!
6) Be willing to give up all your present day comforts. In 2011 I sold off my fully loaded Verna and started using my father-in-law’s old Alto. I stopped air travel and switched over to second class rail travel. Several times I slept on railway platforms in the bitter cold of the night while waiting for connecting trains. In the corporate world I had my own personal secretary. Now I am a personal secretary, a courier boy, a travel agent, a business manager and a Life Coach rolled into one!
7) Your parents are your source of power. Don’t hold grudges and resentments against them. If you have a lousy relationship with your parents and you’re venturing into self-employment, you’re headed for disaster.
8 ) Never ever ever ever chase money. Chase excellence and money will follow. Help others and the Universe will help you. Support other people and companies in paying their bills and the Universe will make sure your bills are paid.
9) Be courageous. Fear is merely a conversation in your head. In 2010, when I couldn’t pay my EMIs, credit card collection agencies used to hound me and threaten me. I even got legal notices from courts twice. I held my nerve, showed discipline in my repayments and promises and eventually many collection executives became my fans. I improved my CIBIL credit ratings from a pathetic 512/900 to an awesome 823/900. Now the same banks are chasing me and want me to take more loans!
10) Impossible is Nothing. In 2009 I was DEEP in debt (3 maxed out credit cards, 3 personal loans, 2 car loans totally to EMIs of more than Rs 1 lac – and remember NO SOURCE OF INCOME). I was a full blown alcoholic. I was shattered, I had lost ALL my savings in the 2008 stock market crash. It took about 6 years for my life to take a U-turn and the last 4 years I have been DOUBLING my income year on year.
If I could break free from the golden cage, stay out of it and fulfill my dreams, COME ON, so can you!