The people who have the best careers are often the ones who take full control, grabbing the wheel of their work journey with both hands and choosing where they want to go. And the most direct way to take full control is by becoming an entrepreneur. It sounds good, I know, but as you may have guessed, it is a road that is not easily traveled.

Having started two companies myself, I know this from experience.

Count the Cost (And It’s Not Just About Money)

Entrepreneurship is career ownership at its highest level. Since it’s your company, you can’t own it any more than that. It can be exciting, life-changing, and deeply rewarding. But every person who decides to go out on their own also faces challenges, struggles, obstacles, and setbacks that must be worked through, overcome, solved, and sometimes pushed aside.

Any time you take on something big, sacrifices will be required. There’s no avoiding it. You either step up and pay the price or sit on the sidelines while others move ahead. That’s why you need to count the cost before starting such a bold journey.

The demands of starting a business are many, but the one cost you cannot escape is time. Being your own boss requires discipline with how you use this gift. The days of wasting valuable minutes and hours are gone, at least until your business is running smoothly. Even then, it requires constant attention.

Devotion to building your business leaves little room for what everyone else gets to do. The more time you give to your company, the less time you have for family, friends, and fun.

What Entrepreneurs Share in Common

Here are some traits almost every entrepreneur has:

• They are willing to start from nothing.
  
• They know the bottom is as good a place as any to begin.
  
• They accept that early days are humble and can be humbling.
  
• They understand that failure will mark their efforts along the way.
  
• They accept that sometimes they will need a second job to keep the dream alive.
  
• They know that success is not a straight path.
  
• They value determination more than degrees.
  
• They are motivated by the desire for a better life and want more than what they already have.
  

An entrepreneur is an ordinary person who decides to “go for it.” They weigh the pros and cons, the good and the bad, and still believe it’s worth it. Entrepreneurs don’t have magic formulas for success. What they have is the courage to try, to give their best, and to pour their heart and soul into something. They are willing to start somewhere and then work tirelessly to get where they want to be.

A Better Idea…

Hoping the world will notice.

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. But it may be right for you. Are you eager to set out on your own, to build your own business? Do you believe you can provide a service better than someone else or another company? Do you ever ask yourself, “Why am I doing all this to make them money when I could be making money for myself?” Or maybe you have an idea for a better product. If your current job feels like it’s holding you back from what you’re meant to do, you may be an entrepreneur in the making.

Be Bold, Stay Strong

The path of entrepreneurship takes strength.

1. Starting small is fine, but thinking small is not.
Don’t look down on small beginnings. Big ventures take time to grow. Many successful companies started in ways that seemed small or unimportant.

Failure is also part of the process. Before Joe Torre became one of Major League Baseball’s most respected managers with the Yankees, he had a losing record with three other teams, and each fired him. As you go through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, remember Theodore Roosevelt’s words: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

2. Wait for the right moment.
Successful entrepreneurs are eager, but not reckless. While some succeed by jumping in quickly, the smarter move is to have a plan. Think ahead. Save some money for your new venture before leaving your job. And be sure to talk it over with family and friends before you begin, because the path will demand a lot from you.

3. Trust your instincts.
Your gut often points you in the right direction. Igor Sikorsky once called intuition “an extremely primitive…faculty of higher order.” He believed Thomas Edison and Henry Ford succeeded because their intuition helped them imagine the future—and then they worked hard to make it real.

Stay True to Yourself

Entrepreneurship gives you complete control over your career path. It’s a road less traveled, but one worth taking if you believe it is the best way to stay true to yourself and spend your working years as you’ve always wanted.