Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor do the children of man as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
Helen Keller
1880-1968, Blind/Deaf Author and Lecturer
Security. For us humans, it’s an important thing. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, short of making sure you can actually physically function with enough food, sleep and other basics, it’s the most important thing there is.
In our current society, security has become about having money, and having enough of it. Having enough money means getting a steady paycheque. Getting a steady paycheque means working. Even if you hate the job. Because you have to, right?
Show me the money
When I talk about the fact that I have started my own small business, the most common reaction is “wow, that’s great, but I could never do that. I could never take the financial risk.”
What stops many people from starting their own small business, or even entertaining the thought, often has nothing to do with a lack of desire or smarts. It’s fear, plain and simple. Fear of not getting that cheque. Of risking financial ruin. Of being a failure.
And those of us that have been running businesses for a while know about the money challenges at the start. But we truck on anyways. We dig into those savings. We take on those loans. We just f***ing charge it. (Which according to one of my mentors, Danielle LaPorte, is something you should NEVER hesitate to do when it comes to making that business dream of yours a reality).
If you’re still in the process of getting a small business started, or have just entered the life of an entrepreneur, you inevitably worry about money, especially on those really bad days when you’re questioning what the hell you’re doing, and why you started your business.
But that’s all part of the process of being a small business owner. You basically have said screw it to something that our society values highly and that takes a lot of guts.
But I say that small business owners do have security, just of a different kind.
I run a small business and I have security
As a small business owner, I am completely and totally secure in the fact that I…
• Love what I do for a living
• Feel happy with my contribution to the world
• Can make my own decisions; no one shoots down my ideas
• Decide the type of lifestyle I want to lead
• Make my own schedule
• Take a mental health or sick day whenever I need to without an ounce of guilt
• Had the courage to follow my dream
It might not be the same type of security that gets preached at us from when we’re born, but in my mind, it’s better. And it’s personal for each and every one of us.
The points above are mine. You will have your own. And I would love to hear about them in the comments!
Comments, likes and tweets are always appreciated! Did I mention that I LOVE your feedback?
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My name is Martina and I’m a 
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Hey Martina – That’s such a great way to look at security. I work for myself now because the emotional risk of working for someone else is too great for me. I worked for myself, then went back to working in a day job for a year, and absolutely hated it.
That said, I’m always willing to be open to finding my true purpose. I can honestly say that I am not there yet. I LOVE what I do, but it is not something I feel that I *must* do, and I will not rest until I figure out what that is.
Judging from past experience, the likelihood is that even when I figure that out, I will still be working for *me* and experience the same security that I have now. I like you don’t consider security purely financial.
PLUS, I can’t take the financial risk of working for someone else and have them lay me off! Although I have never been laid off, I’ve worked for not one, not two, but three companies who went through layoffs while I was working for them. NOT FUN. And certainly NOT secure.
Cheers,
Tia
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Love it Tia! Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. You’re right, even in traditionally secure situations, like having a steady job, you never know what can happen. In my mind, financial security is a myth. You never have complete control of money matters, so finding security elsewhere is very important. Here’s to finding your true purpose, and enjoying the journey 🙂
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