Why you should keep your day job (while you go for the business your dreams).

It seems like everyone I talk to lately wants to start a business. There are so many opportunities these days and when we see others fulfilling their dreams a part of us perks up and says "ooh, me too!". That is a good thing – so good! The next thought is often quitting your job, but there are a few good reasons not to hand in your resignation letter just yet...

Drop it like it's hot

We all hear the stories about people who "just knew" what their business would be and then proceeded to quit their job with $35 in the bank and build incredible business empires. This is such an appealing story! It's a hero's journey with a successful outcome. It is all guts and glory. It is also part of the reason why so many businesses fail in their first year. 

Don't get me wrong, jumping into things head first is totally my jam. I'm a quick start on the Kolbe index. But jumping in AND leaving your parachute behind (in the form of your day job), is not the smartest move for a few reasons.

Firstly, it creates too much pressure.

When we are highly pressured financially, all our decisions come from that place. It makes you reek of desperation trying to get business. It also makes you more stressed, less creative and less likely to take the calculated risks you need to make (over and over) to have a thriving business. 

So how about working a steady job but compromising to ease the pressure a bit. There are many ways to configure your working week: work on the weekend for a while, keep your day job but cut down your hours or get a part-time job instead. 

Keeping another income stream gives you the peace of mind and finances to really build the business that YOU want. It means you can try and fail over and over (also known as collecting vital business information). It may seem slower, but it has a much higher chance of succeeding and you get wiggle room that will allow you more time, creativity and risk taking overall. 

Secondly, it keeps some kind of structure to your day. 

When you quit your job straight away you have lots of time to work on your business. This is great in many ways but it can give you a little too much time. Time for self-sabotaging thoughts to take over (get a free guide here). Time to get lonely. Time to spend down rabbit holes online. 

It can be a blessing in disguise to have a limited time to work on your business at the start. Concentrated time working on it, surrounded by other blocks of time to think and doing other things, including your day job, can work really well. 

Thirdly, a steady job provides social contact.

As I said, quitting your job and working on a business solo can get lonely. Whether it's talking rubbish about the Bachelorette or celebrating the latest life event it's great to have colleagues around. While you build your new community, it's great to appreciate and enjoy your work community. 

There's one thing that people worry about when they decide to keep a day job while building their business. That it will somehow doom your business ("I didn't 100% commit!"), signal you didn't really want it or that you will lose motivation. 

The key is to know where you are invested, deep down.

Keeping your day job for a while doesn't mean that you have to invest your heart and soul in that job.

You can commit to your business, while still doing what you know well for a portion of your week. If you're running a business that is soul or passion driven, it's unlikely you'll lose motivation. It will have a drive of it's own. Knowing your 'why' is the foundation of it all.

Why are you running this business? 

It is uncomfortable for a while, straddling two worlds, but it will be worth it. You will know when to make the big leap. Trust that.

By the way, if you're not quite sure what business you want to start or job you want to move into, this is one of my favourite ways to help my clients.

I want to hear from you!

Are you planning a new business?

What questions do you have that are holding you back?

What expert do you currently turn to for an outside perspective? Or do you need someone?

Fill me in below, and let’s see if we can get you on track so you can move through the discomfort and take action!

xx Lara

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Hi, I'm Dr Lara Corr, life coach and researcher in work and wellbeing. I coach successful 30 and 40 somethings who want more fulfilling or bigger careers but doubt themselves and their options. I help them get out of their own way, find direction and go for what they really want.

Connect with me via Facebook and Instagram.

Lights on! What sets your heart on fire and why you're not doing it.

This week I caught up with an old colleague from academia. She does great research but was growing bored of her topic and starting to think about what was next.

While we were chatting she went a little off topic and spoke about having recently remembered her passion for social justice through the great examples of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. 

I got chills.

I pointed out what she just said (the conversation had since moved swiftly along) and you could see a light go on in her whole body. Like it was flooded with electricity.

Her subconscious had just thrown out an amazing clue of where she wanted to go.

Once that spark ignited, her mind was racing and a whole new range of possibilities were fighting for air time in her brain.

It was exciting, to say the least (I have chills again remembering it)!

She is a natural change-maker, drawn to helping professions, yet it seemed she had started reaching for smaller changes than the ones she really wanted to go for. Not to detract from the wonderful things she has achieved - she's awesome - it's more about where she wants to go and what she wants to do.

Later in the conversation she admitted reluctantly that she'd always thought that she had something 'big' to do in the world. 

Have you also had that thought whisper through your mind? That you might be able to live with your heart on fire doing something 'big' in this world?

I bet you have. 

So what happened?

Well, I bet that your little 'helper', the one inside us all always scanning for danger, shuts it down toute suite.

As most of you reading are likely to have your basic needs well and truly met and hopefully are not in physical danger, this hyper-vigilant part of us focuses on potential social danger. 

Heaven knows, it doesn't want you to get on anyone's bad side by not doing exactly what you've been told growing up, or subtly by those around you now. How dare you have big plans or even worse, actually start making them happen! You might make someone feel bad or not be good enough!

That 'helper' panics when you get big ideas. It might be concerned that you're getting grandiose and too big for your boots. 

Rest assured, that deep knowing you have about being able to do something 'big' is not about being grandiose.

The ideas attached to a deep knowing tend to have a different quality about them that isn't all about the ego but about following a compelling yearning (i.e. it's not about getting a super yacht or becoming a billionaire).

They are usually about:

...changing your world in some way - like knowing you can heal from intergenerational trauma and not pass it onto your children, becoming totally you, all the time, no matter what.

...changing the whole world (why not!)- fighting for a particular group in need, getting into politics, contributing to a cause, bringing a new product or piece of art to the world, or starting a revolution!

...meeting another type of soul dream, like achieving a great challenge or meeting a big goal, like climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, mastering an instrument or speaking a language fluently.

So, what are your yearnings, no matter how 'far fetched' they may seem? 

Start dreaming and now notice how fast your brain is to dismiss them as ridiculous, too hard or to bring out the big guns... the shame tapes we ALL have in our minds*:

"Who do you think you are?"

and

"You're not good enough"

We ALL have these tapes. Are you going to take them for the Truth? Or will you choose to light your heart on fire anyway?

Go get em tigers!

Love,

Lara xx

*If you're interested in learning more about shame tapes read about the American social work scholar Dr Brene Brown - these tapes come from interviewing over 10,000 people about shame. It isn't just you ;) 

Hi, I'm Dr Lara Corr, life coach and researcher in work and wellbeing. I coach successful 30 and 40 somethings who want more fulfilling or bigger careers but doubt themselves and their options. I help them get out of their own way, find direction and go for what they really want.

Connect with me via Facebook and Instagram.