Dear Dave,
We’ve got our emergency fund in place, and we’re debt-free except for our home. We’d like to have a child soon, but my job requires frequent travel. I don’t want to be away most of the time when there’s a baby in the house, so I’m thinking about opening my own business. That way, I can set my own hours. What do you think of this idea?
Ray
Dear Ray,
Ask yourself this question: If time and money weren’t considerations, which one would you rather do? You’d be on straight commission as an entrepreneur, so there would be no regular checks to count on as income. You’d have to wake up every single morning, go out and kill something and drag it home. If you don’t, your family won’t eat.
An entrepreneur is the only person I know who can go from sheer terror to sheer exhilaration and back every single day. You’ve got to have a strong mind and heart to make things happen, and it will be a rough ride if you don’t have both. Plus, it won’t last long if you don’t absolutely love what you’re doing.
Everybody wants to be successful in their job and make lots of money, but personal happiness is just as important. If you wake up jazzed about what you’re going to do every day, chances are you’ll be successful and happy. But if you wake up dreading the day and your job, then I can almost guarantee you won’t be successful financially or happy.
Do lots of research and planning before you make any big changes, Ray. There are great small business ideas still waiting to be had, but to make something good happen you’ve got to find the one that’s right for you!
— Dave
* Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8.5 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
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