I decided to try being my own boss after a few years of working in corporate America. It occurred to me how I didn't have the energy to keep doing the 9-5 routine for too long. So I started experimenting with a few business ideas. Some of those experiments were painful. Being your own boss means working twice as hard and taking on many hats.
The one things those experiments thought me was learning how to look for opportunities around me. Unlike when working in an office, a business is very hands on - especially with marketing and sales. I remember doing a lot of uncomfortable things when I was trying to get customers or make a sale. I didn't like the feeling of needing to do those things that seem like bothering other people.
Fast forward to last year. I was working with a large group of folks trying to help Ethiopia with COVID. Though an impressive number of people just wanted to help out, there were many people there looking for opportunities for their own business or career advancement. At first I was puzzled that people did that. Then I spoke to a friend about it and he told me that I can't fault business minded people for perpetually looking for opportunities in everything they do. That made me pause.
I recalled how hard I worked with my experiments with business so I understood the hunger for opportunity to talk to potential customers and make a sale. When I am in that mindset, I am more willing to do uncomfortable things. What I always worry about it losing the ability to detect when I am overdoing it. I don't want to be the aggressive salesman. I do not want to be an opportunist. But the more I pursue business, the more aggressively I find that pursue opportunities.
Is that all there is behind opportunist people? More importantly - how do I prevent becoming what I don't like.
The one things those experiments thought me was learning how to look for opportunities around me. Unlike when working in an office, a business is very hands on - especially with marketing and sales. I remember doing a lot of uncomfortable things when I was trying to get customers or make a sale. I didn't like the feeling of needing to do those things that seem like bothering other people.
Fast forward to last year. I was working with a large group of folks trying to help Ethiopia with COVID. Though an impressive number of people just wanted to help out, there were many people there looking for opportunities for their own business or career advancement. At first I was puzzled that people did that. Then I spoke to a friend about it and he told me that I can't fault business minded people for perpetually looking for opportunities in everything they do. That made me pause.
I recalled how hard I worked with my experiments with business so I understood the hunger for opportunity to talk to potential customers and make a sale. When I am in that mindset, I am more willing to do uncomfortable things. What I always worry about it losing the ability to detect when I am overdoing it. I don't want to be the aggressive salesman. I do not want to be an opportunist. But the more I pursue business, the more aggressively I find that pursue opportunities.
Is that all there is behind opportunist people? More importantly - how do I prevent becoming what I don't like.
