How You Can Become an Entrepreneur While Keeping Your Job

You long for it – to become an entrepreneur. Flexible working hours, being your own boss, hiring people to work for you and no office politics. Wherever you go, people ask how your business is doing. You say it’s slow but picking up, and their eyes fill up with respect. Does that life sound amazing? It IS amazing. Pursuing something that you enjoy doing is a deeply satisfying feeling. Goodbye Monday morning blues. Every day, people of all age groups are quitting their jobs to become entrepreneurs. You too can achieve this lifestyle that you desire. But this life is not a bed of roses. In fact, far from it. A life of entrepreneurship might appear as smooth as a highway. In reality though, it’s a long winding road filled with potholes. Smooth tarmac occasionally appears for a few miles, before it reverts to the winding potholed road. Entrepreneurship is a marathon in times when even a sprint feels like an eternity. If you are an entrepreneur, you know the bite. There is nothing else in the world that you would rather do. This is one of the few addictions which make you better. But what if you want to be an entrepreneur, but don’t know what to do? Below is an infographic which will help you answer that question for yourself. It will also help you also design your own ideas and steps to become a good entrepreneur. By a good entrepreneur, I mean one who knows what she wants to do, and succeeds at it.     Failure is glorified today. That has its pros and cons. Please don’t get me wrong. I have immense respect for people who have failed, because they tried. But when people fail often and call themselves serial entrepreneurs, it makes me wonder whether we have got the idea of entrepreneurship wrong. Like anything in life, entrepreneurship is fatal if you take the plunge without learning how to swim. Yes, you will learn hands on. But success without preparation is as rare as you being applauded for below par work. Engage with people at your job. Understand the crux of every process. Makes notes of what is good and what isn’t. Do this while keeping an eye on your ultimate goal – being a good entrepreneur. Your job will also teach you resilience, something needed in abundance in entrepreneurship. Your job might appear meaningless, but it is a platform to sharpen your skills. Give it your best. Your dreams are waiting for you to achieve them. —– About the author: Vishal is the founder of Aryatra, a venture which helps individuals improve their productivity and live more fulfilled lives. He also is a digital marketing consultant helping businesses generate revenue from their online presence.