Q&A: Am I better at working for others than myself?

This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.

[Music]

All right, all right, what's up? Welcome to Side Hustle School. My name is Chris Guillebeau. Thanks for tuning in today and welcome as well to a brand new week, a new week on the podcast, a new week in life. And I've got an interesting listener question for you today.

Now, I bet a lot of people are gonna relate to this because learning to work for yourself is a skill. It's not innate. It's kind of like remote work, you know, in the sense that if you have only had a job that you go to and then because of a global pandemic or some other reason you start working from home, you know, learning to work remotely requires some adjustment. And I think we've seen a lot of people over the past couple of years, you know, learn to make those adjustments and sometimes adapt to it right away, but sometimes struggle a bit. And the same is true with working for yourself as opposed to working for a boss and with a team.

Just a little bit of a different process. So that brings me to today's question. Today's listener thinks she is better at working for others and is worried about whether she's cut out for starting a side business. So is this just a matter of self-confidence or is there more to it? Let's talk about it.

Am I better at working for others than myself? That's our question coming up in just a moment. [Music]

Hi, Chris, this is Chelsea from Denver. And I've been listening to the show for a couple of years. I like the idea of starting a business, but I worry that I won't be any good at it.

I don't mean the technical or operational aspects. I just mean some of the organization and strategy. Long story short, I think I'm better at working for others than I am at working for myself. I appreciate the accountability of a team and a boss who gives me direction. Like I said, though, I still like the idea of having a business and I understand how important it is to diversify my income.

Do you have any advice for someone like me? - What a great question. Thank you so much, Chelsea. I'm sure you're speaking for a lot of listeners out there. So short and sweet, my advice is don't overthink it.

Just remember you're not quitting your job tomorrow and becoming a full-time business owner. You don't have to make this huge decision. You're learning to diversify your income, as you said. And so the whole goal is to experiment in a low-risk, no-pressure way. So I bet a lot of our listeners would say, yes, I also like the accountability of a team and a boss who gives me direction.

But many of our listeners are also successful in running a side business, even if they feel that way, because it's just a different experience, it's a different process. It can be really fun if you haven't done it before. And so I would just encourage you to step into it without overthinking. You might be surprised to find that you are better at the organization and strategy that you think, or you might just find that you improve over time, like most people do. So I would not let this initial impression hold you back from moving forward with an idea.

Go forth with confidence, at least the confidence to explore further. Let us know how it goes, Chelsea. Listeners, just a reminder that there is something you can do. There is a project for everyone. I really do believe that everyone can find a way to create a new source of income without quitting their job, therefore providing themselves with more options.

That's what it's all about. Economic security, freedom, you know, the chance to make something for yourself. And that's why I make this podcast for you every day. So thank you for tuning in, sidehustleschool.com/questions if you have something to contribute. And otherwise, I hope you're doing well, taking care of yourself during this holiday season.

And, you know, I'll be back tomorrow. New episode coming up. My name is Chris Guillebeau, this is Side Hustle School. [Music]

From the Onward Project.