ou love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes f

So what is it about cutting the umbilical cord that appeals to so many, fed up with the hierarchy and red tape of the corporate jungle? Anil, a 32 year old I.T outsourcing entrepreneur feels his work not only defines what he does, but who he is. “I have effectively re-invented myself and achieved unbelievable success that I would never have seen as an employee in my old company”. In many ways, achievement on your own is harder and daunting, but the exhilaration of creating your own path is a powerful motivator.

Working is not simply about paying the bills and the few exotic holidays abroad that it affords. Enriching and satisfying work is essential for the well-being of your soul. To do work that you simply endure, is to avoid your own potential and a waste of your talents. The Asian culture emphasises self reliance, enterprise and the capacity for hard work with many exceptionally talented soloists who are trail-blazers in their specialist fields. What’s more is that they enjoy quality time with family and friends, go out and play and do things they love. Making alterations to the way you work is always possible, from reducing your hours to promotion through creative contributions to new ideas that increase profit.

After years of working with companies who have forgotten what it means to work with artisan care, I wanted to see if I could make a success of myself, on my own terms. One image beckoned me like an oasis: the image of J.K Rowling in a caf? with her baby, creating stories that captivated the world with her imaginative wizardry. I wanted to touch my work with that kind of testing intimacy. More and more people are realising that you can have two or more entirely different careers and be successful in all of them. There are no hard and fast rules – you can be a painter in the evening and a waitress by day. I enjoy the polarities of practising law and having my own executive coaching consultancy. My friends refer to me as the ‘lawyer who got a life!’. The variation in the multi-skills can be challenging at times, but always tremendously satisfying intellectually and spiritually. I am engaging both the left and right sides of my brain, balancing the creative and the analytical beautifully. Doing something that you really believe in and enjoy is a master stroke of liberation – you find your true purpose in life. It’s always tough making any break, but many find it is the best thing that they ever did.

So what stops us from doing what we love as a job? Most of us believe that work and pleasure are separate and that the former has to be dull and routine. Seema, 26 a former recruitment consultant who now owns and runs a dance studio which attracts the funkiest crowd, says “This doesn’t feel like work. I’m just having a great time and getting paid for it”. Use your powerful imagination – it has incredible force in inspiring you. What would you love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes fr

ure, is to avoid your own potential and a waste of your talents. The Asian culture emphasises self reliance, enterprise and the capacity for hard work with many exceptionally talented soloists who are trail-blazers in their specialist fields. What’s more is that they enjoy quality time with family and friends, go out and play and do things they love. Making alterations to the way you work is always possible, from reducing your hours to promotion through creative contributions to new ideas that increase profit.

After years of working with companies who have forgotten what it means to work with artisan care, I wanted to see if I could make a success of myself, on my own terms. One image beckoned me like an oasis: the image of J.K Rowling in a caf? with her baby, creating stories that captivated the world with her imaginative wizardry. I wanted to touch my work with that kind of testing intimacy. More and more people are realising that you can have two or more entirely different careers and be successful in all of them. There are no hard and fast rules – you can be a painter in the evening and a waitress by day. I enjoy the polarities of practising law and having my own executive coaching consultancy. My friends refer to me as the ‘lawyer who got a life!’. The variation in the multi-skills can be challenging at times, but always tremendously satisfying intellectually and spiritually. I am engaging both the left and right sides of my brain, balancing the creative and the analytical beautifully. Doing something that you really believe in and enjoy is a master stroke of liberation – you find your true purpose in life. It’s always tough making any break, but many find it is the best thing that they ever did.

So what stops us from doing what we love as a job? Most of us believe that work and pleasure are separate and that the former has to be dull and routine. Seema, 26 a former recruitment consultant who now owns and runs a dance studio which attracts the funkiest crowd, says “This doesn’t feel like work. I’m just having a great time and getting paid for it”. Use your powerful imagination – it has incredible force in inspiring you. What would you love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes f

image of J.K Rowling in a caf? with her baby, creating stories that captivated the world with her imaginative wizardry. I wanted to touch my work with that kind of testing intimacy. More and more people are realising that you can have two or more entirely different careers and be successful in all of them. There are no hard and fast rules – you can be a painter in the evening and a waitress by day. I enjoy the polarities of practising law and having my own executive coaching consultancy. My friends refer to me as the ‘lawyer who got a life!’. The variation in the multi-skills can be challenging at times, but always tremendously satisfying intellectually and spiritually. I am engaging both the left and right sides of my brain, balancing the creative and the analytical beautifully. Doing something that you really believe in and enjoy is a master stroke of liberation – you find your true purpose in life. It’s always tough making any break, but many find it is the best thing that they ever did.

So what stops us from doing what we love as a job? Most of us believe that work and pleasure are separate and that the former has to be dull and routine. Seema, 26 a former recruitment consultant who now owns and runs a dance studio which attracts the funkiest crowd, says “This doesn’t feel like work. I’m just having a great time and getting paid for it”. Use your powerful imagination – it has incredible force in inspiring you. What would you love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes f

brain, balancing the creative and the analytical beautifully. Doing something that you really believe in and enjoy is a master stroke of liberation – you find your true purpose in life. It’s always tough making any break, but many find it is the best thing that they ever did.

So what stops us from doing what we love as a job? Most of us believe that work and pleasure are separate and that the former has to be dull and routine. Seema, 26 a former recruitment consultant who now owns and runs a dance studio which attracts the funkiest crowd, says “This doesn’t feel like work. I’m just having a great time and getting paid for it”. Use your powerful imagination – it has incredible force in inspiring you. What would you love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes f

ou love to try, if there were absolutely no obstacles in your way? Think of the last time you lost track of time and were absorbed in a creative project – what were you doing? When a good idea first hits you, there is a physiological change. It’s your heartbeat or goose bumps or a wave of emotion. You start to tell your friends and you become passionate about it. You are on the right track for a phenomenal break through.

If being your own boss excites you – go for it. What about my sick pay, holiday pay, pension and promotion prospects, I hear you say?! These are temporary sacrifices which you are capable of surpassing ten fold, if you are committed to making your new business work. The only true security comes from when you depend on yourself, rather than on others. Deepak Chopra, in ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success’ talks about the wisdom of uncertainty. You can seek a lifetime for security and not find it, he says, whereas if you are willing to live with uncertainties you will also allow in endless possibilities. Of course, it is a good idea to build up some capital before leaping forward which gives you peace of mind and back up funds in case you need it. Ditching your common sense is not necessary when taking a risk!

Sometimes in life, you instinctively know you have to move on. Why remain miserable in a job that will just age you faster than raising ten kids?! Successful soloists have a high degree of self worth and have proven that they can trust themselves to make the right choices in life. You can do anything that an employer would have done for you and more. If you do decide to take the plunge, then be a good boss to yourself. Encourage, reward and praise yourself for your grit and determination.

Focus strongly on your talents and slash that negative mindset like a warrior. Get so good at doing what you love that work feels like play. Many of my clients have taken that leap of faith and I’ve seen them flourish and looking forward to every day ahead, because they model a life of freedom which they hungered for.

Shilpa Unalkat
www.staflow.com