The Clarity Factor: Where Do I Start?

Several years ago I tried to find a way out of the nine to five grind. Each day was a daunting task trying to get up to go a job that no longer fulfilled my career dreams. This was the time of the online marketing boom and early days of Facebook when everyone and their sister was jumping on the bandwagon to start a blog linked to affiliate marketing and other forms of opportunities to earn money online.

At the time online marketing seemed like the option that could provide me with an alternative to the daily nine to five grind. This idea led me to teach myself how to build a website and sign up for affiliate links with the hope of earning money online.

I would spend countless nights into the wee hours of the morning all in the name of building my business. But the truth was, I was not really building a business, rather, I was fascinated by my newly acquired skill of designing websites. By the time the night was far spent all that I had done was play with fonts, colors and images – designing the website rather than find ways to make the real money.

I spent hundreds of dollars buying domains and website building gadgets with no results or return on my investment. I was completely at a loss about what I really wanted to do. I was confused and frustrated. The reason for my frustration and failure, I did not do my homework neither did I understand what online marketing was about or if it was something that I wanted to do, At this point I decided to abandon the world of online marketing.

Why am I telling you about this experience? The lesson that I learned from my failed online marketing experience was that no one should venture into the unknown, if it can be avoided, without first doing the homework. It’s called clarity.

Clarity has become an overrated word in the world of coaching and business. But in my world clarity is priceless and top on my list of things to do before taking action or making a commitment especially where spending money is involved. Clarity will provide a deeper understanding of what you are about to get yourself into. Importantly, it allows you to determine why you want to do it, if it is right for you, does it align with your values, and are you prepared to commit.

Avoid jumping from the frying pan into the fire! Regardless of what it is that you desperately want to do make sure to fully understand what you are getting into and why.

For example, many of us hate our jobs; however, if leaving your job to start your own business is heavy on your mind, here is what I suggest – pray for patience, wait it out and while you wait, think about the business that you want to do, spend time each da working on the business as a side hustle, make money in the process so that you are convinced that it works. If your side hustle is a true calling it will eventually manifest due to work and faith that you have put into starting and growing the business.

When income from the side hustle replaces your regular income you can bid your employer good bye and start to live your dream.