Becoming your own boss
It’s national boss day, and I’ve been reflecting on my transition from employee to entrepreneur and my own experiences with bosses. Perhaps I’ve never quite had a stellar boss who helped me grow professionally. Maybe if I did like my boss, the hierarchy of my boss has a boss who has a boss who has a boss, has come between true value creation and an environment keen to thought productivity. Instead, I found myself stuck on a job carousel — continuously spinning in a never-ending circle, but hoping to find the right job, the right role, or even the right boss. When I’d hop off that carousel, I’d find myself in a familiar setting, different theme park, but still spinning around hoping for the best.
I recently read a devotional on YouVersion about this transition and the mindset we may have become accustomed from years of working for someone else. It pointed to Proverbs 23:7 and how your heart thinks is what you really are. For me, this verse can be applied to job offers. The outward promise of benefits, salary, job growth, potential, awesome office culture, and other buzzwords used in job descriptions and touted during interviews have never seemed to correspond to the heart and what internally companies were prepared to offer; leaving me on the carousel and dizzy. No matter how promising and optimistic a boss or company may seem during the dating phase, there will inevitably be office drama and politics that gets in the way. I’ve never been good at the drama or politics, even though I did successfully work in politics at one point in my career. How many times have we seen a job description that said “great team, amazing culture” just to arrive and see how good they were at outward appearances and not internally feeling that way.
I was reminded of that verse again (in the same week) at my Propel Women’s meeting. Being surrounded by other strong, women leaders, I reinforced my belief that I am enough and believing in myself and the ability God gave me is enough. My heart was never fulfilled by the promises of a company or boss. While it does seem difficult to leave behind what has been taught as normal or comfortable — salary and benefits, perhaps you can achieve more without the boundaries and drama. It won’t happen over night, but maybe you’re one of the few who were made to be your own boss.
If you’ve found contentment at your job and have a super boss that adds to your personal and professional growth — you have been blessed and I’m happy for you. If you are someone, like me, who is always on a carousel and unfulfilled but questioning if you can do it on your own, I can only offer a few things that have helped me as I navigate this new chapter:
- God has a plan for you. I’m a planner by nature, so what stopped me multiple times from venturing out on my own was not having an exact plan set. That made me delay and get back on the carousel numerous times because it seemed easier.
- You are not alone. Getting started and having the power to push through can seem like a daunting task. I had friends and family that questioned my decision to leave what they viewed as comfort. Know that there are people who will help you achieve your goals and build you up. But more than that, God is with you.
- You can succeed. There will be ups and downs along the way, but you can persevere through the bumps and make it to the other side.
If you’re someone who’s already made it to the other side, I’d love to hear from you and your journey! Happy national boss’s day, entrepreneurs.
