There would be very few people out there who haven’t thought about getting up and leaving their current job to find a new path, a new life goal, or to simply have a change. I had been really frustrated for a really long time working for someone else. I felt confined and boxed in, every day was like groundhog day and the years were rolling by a little too fast for my liking. Leaving my job to work for myself has been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and I haven’t looked back since.

While quitting your job and working for yourself may not be for everyone, there are heaps of people out there who have thought about it but aren’t sure where to start or what the benefits are. Today I wanted to share my top reasons why working for yourself is awesome!

1. More Opportunities

Working for yourself will allow you to explore your options and jump on board with change and new ideas when they come along. I’ve been able to hone in on what my objectives are for my business and see both the big and small picture to help me achieve them. Not only this, but I’m able to follow-up any idea that pops into my mind! There are no limitations on the opportunities you can create or be presented with, as well as the people you get to work with too.

Just like a big business I always sit down to some proper planning. Matt and I make the time to do an annual review of what we’ve achieved and what we see as our plan for the next 12 months and regularly tap into our intuition to make business decisions and come up with new ideas. It’s really fun having that control over what you create and having the passion and drive to plan properly.

How to approach brands to work together

2. You’ll Be in Control

Working for yourself means you are managing your own goals and the decisions you make about workflow, expansion and direction. It gives you complete power to say no to something or fight really hard for something you want. This gives you a great feeling of ownership and pride for everything you create. All the successes are yours, just as the failures and lessons are too.

You gain a full understanding of exactly what money is worth and how the financial structure of a business operates. This will give you complete control in choosing what areas to expand on and where to hold back. The control also means you can work harder and produce more when you’re energy levels are high and take some time to slow down and take care of yourself when you’re sick or feeling a bit slow and sluggish.

There are loads of companies at your disposal to help you set-up your own business and heaps of other people who have gone before you and are there to provide support and guidance. For bloggers, I regularly refer to ProBlogger and Blog Society for guidance on marketing and all things blog-business.

3. Out of Your Comfort Zone

Although some people might cringe at the idea of leaving their bubble of comfort, this is often exactly what is needed to give you that drive for life again. You may not realise how dissatisfied you were in your previous job until you do decide to step out of this comfort zone and work for yourself. It pushes you to do things you never thought were possible and you’ll learn a LOT very quickly, especially around things like tax and managing cash flow.

Working for myself has really helped me appreciate my strengths and understand how to make up for my weaknesses. It has taught me to rely on other people for help when I need it and to rely on the things I excel at to help me get ahead. As an introvert, I’ve really struggled to network in the past, but now I don’t really have a choice and it has helped me develop confidence in myself and what I create.

Board walk

4. Paid Your Worth

Starting your own business may not mean you will be rolling in cash in the first few years, but don’t let this deter you. Once your business has established itself, you will be taking home everything you earn for the projects you work on, not a standardised salary. Being paid what you’re worth doesn’t just refer to monetary value either – it’s you that will be reaping the rewards of well-executed goals and tasks.

I used to feel sick to my stomach that people who were under performing were being paid the same as I was at my old job. It really upset me and took away a lot of motivation to be a good employee. Now, I know that every dollar I earn is because I worked hard for it and it makes me value it so much more. It also makes me fight harder for paid projects and appreciate them when the come.

5. Personal Achievement

There is no greater sense of achievement and pride than when someone tells you they appreciate what you’ve created. For me, it’s better than any reward, even a weekly salary showing up in my bank account from the payroll. Knowing that I’ve built every little piece of my business myself, and with the help of Matt, makes me feel so proud of myself. It has taught me that I am capable of achieving a lot more than I ever thought I was and that’s absolutely invaluable.

The idea of quitting your job to work for yourself is an overwhelming concept; however, these nerves and fears are exactly what you need to get yourself focused. Being scared means you are also being realistic, which is the best way to enter into a new business. It means you’ll be cautious, monitor your objectives, and will set achievable goals – all key elements for the success of the self-employed. It’s something that’s both terrifying and incredibly rewarding and absolutely the best risk I have ever taken, not that it seems like it was ever a risk now I’m living it.

Watch: our ‘Plan your next adventure’ video


Phoebe Lee Profile ImagePhoebe Lee is a travel writer and award-winning blogger with a love for storytelling. Phoebe creates practical, fun and engaging written content designed to inspire and energise travel-lovers and dreamers. Follow her and Matt’s adventures at home and around the world, right here on Little Grey Box and through InstagramFacebook and YouTube.

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