With today’s economic roller-coaster, many people have been experiencing increased stress. That’s no surprise. Stress is caused when a person develops anxiety or fear about future events that may occur…potential adversities that are relatively unknown and unpredictable over which a person feels no control.
In many cases, stress is caused by financial worries, family obligations, relationships, job concerns etc.
So, can becoming an entrepreneur help reduce stress? Yes and no.
On one hand, becoming an entrepreneurs has it’s own set of stressful factors. Learning new things, stepping away from the “guarantee” of a paycheck (as though paychecks are ever guaranteed these days), becoming one’s own boss which eliminates someone else in charge, and the risk of making it (or not). As an entrepreneur there isn’t anyone to tell you what to do or when to do it, so it’s the ultimate responsibility.
Yet, when we consider why most people experience high levels of stress, it’s because they feel they don’t have control in their life.
Many people feel very much at the “effect” of the economy and their job. After all, at any given moment someone can be deemed “redundant” or “unnecessary”. Companies push forth lay-offs, often without warning. And, with the ever increasing advancements in technology, a person’s skills can quickly become outdated. So, consider that when one chooses to become an entrepreneur, they choose to take control. As an entrepreneur, a person has the ability to “make it go right”…to take a higher level of responsibility for their own future.
They step out of being at the “effect” and take a step towards being “at cause” in their life. The feeling of freedom, confidence and certainty that comes from “making it happen”, is in itself a stress reducer. Entrepreneurship is not without it’s own challenges, however, being an entrepreneur puts an individual in control of their time, their finances and most certainly their future.
The first step towards entrepreneurship is an accomplishment that brings with it a sense of power and freedom and a heightened sense of well-being. Can it reduce your stress? That’s up to you.
It used to be that a person could go to college, get a degree, find a decent paying job and, with that job, have some level of certainty and security. The job might also provide enough income for them to pay off their student loans in a decent amount of time. To get a promotion or a raise, you’d get another degree and expand your expertise. Companies would appreciate it and reciprocate some level of loyalty.
