Are you an Al?

Getting to Know Yourself
I have a friend, Al. I have known him for many years. Al worked for some major corporations in mid level positions. He was not particularly ambitious. He just coasted along. He was rarely promoted. He got pay raises based on seniority. He did not enjoy his work nor his job. He had to support himself and he stayed where he landed. He rarely looked for other jobs. Yet whenever we spoke he told me how much he wanted to have his own business. From time to time he would send me proposals of businesses he was looking at. He even asked me to be his partner.
Our conversations about him owning his own business were always the same old thing.
Me “I don't think you have the stomach to own your own business.”
Al “Yes I guess you are right but I want to own my own business.”
Me “Owning your own business is tough. You are responsible for everything.”
Al “I know but I want to get out of the rat race. I want to have my own business. “
The conversation would continue with me pointing out what it takes to have your own business and Al agreeing that it is not for him but he wants it anyway.
Well finally Al got the chance to own his own business, sort of. The company he worked for was sold. The new company changed his job and Al was on his own. Al had to go out and drum up business. Al had to manage his day. Al had to spend his own money to get business. Al was freaking out. Al called me often during this transition. I tried to help him but I can only help someone that wants help. It was during this time that Al finally learned that he did not want to have his own business. Al's values and his personality did not mix with owning his own business.
Al never had any specific goals about owning his own business. He just liked to say he wanted to have his own business. Al knew what it was like to own his own business from our discussions and he recognized these issues but once again he just liked to say he wanted have his own business.
I am not saying Al could not have his own business. He could have if he really wanted to. He could have if he put his mind to it. He could have if he was willing to take the risk. Al is not a risk taker. Al likes order. Al could have owned his own business if he took the idea of owning his own business seriously.
Al never sat down and considered his strengths and weaknesses. Al never looked at his values. Al did not do a lot of things that need to be done to start your own business.
Finally when Al had the chance to see what it was like to have your own business via his job change he freaked out. He got so freaked out that he actually quit his job and got a different one. He did this despite the fact that he was progressing in his current job.
You may feel like Al. But you do not have to end up like Al. You can have your own business. You must be honest with yourself. You must be serious with yourself. You must learn how to make a plan. You must learn how to do the research and business preparation. You must learn to work on your own. You must learn about taking risks. Not ice that I used the word “learn” repeatedly. Yes you can learn these things. That is what Al never understood. He never understood that he needed to and could learn these things.
So sit down with yourself and see what you know and what you need to learn. If after a truth session with yourself owning your own business is what you really want then go for it.