Well, I went ahead and did it. I quit my job. I’m a full-time entrepreneur.
I think it feels exactly how I expected it to. It’s a mix of being incredibly grateful to not be caught in the corporate rat race, and a realization that every decision I make directly impacts my future.
The latter part was always true, but I didn’t have as much control over the outcome. At a job, you can work hard or slack off, and 95% of the time you get the same pay and benefits.
Now, I am responsible for everything in my life. It’s freeing, but it’s also a challenge.
It’s my responsibility to be disciplined to plan, execute, and follow through on my commitments.
It’s my responsibility to take care of myself, my family, and those around me.
It’s my responsibility to do the daily tasks that I should be doing every day.
I can’t offload the work to someone else. This is my life now. It’s this work, every day, for the rest of my life.
On one hand it’s nice that life is that simple. It’s not complicated. Do the things you’re supposed to do.
- Get to bed early, and get a full nights sleep.
- Eliminate distractions and get deep work done everyday.
- Be attentive with my family and contribute around the home.
- Get in the Word every day to feed my spirit man.
- Move everyday. Get a run or a body workout in.
- Eat good natural food, and not too much.
- Don’t overextend myself and give away too much time.
- Be generous on every occasion, helping those around me.
- Write everyday, improving clarity of thinking.
- Break down tasks into smaller chunks and write them down.
- Keep pace with finances. 1/3 spending, 1/3 savings, 1/3 investing after tithe and taxes.
- Avoid most people. Avoid drama. Avoid gossip.
- Foster deep relationships with the few.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s an example of the things I need to be conscious of every day.
Conscious is the right word. It’s active. It’s not passive. These things don’t happen automatically. They’re not intuitive. They are against what the flesh would rather do.
And that’s the challenge. It’s consistent action just to maintain a level of success and progress.
This life isn’t an accident. Every decision I make matters. I don’t have room to slack off.
If I don’t get my work done, no one else is going to do it for me. It’s all on me.
I’m responsible.