10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 3)

December 10th, 2009
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reception 10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 3)

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Today I will reach to the end with my discussion to Steve Pavlina’s article „10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job“. Here are the final arguments from Steve.


8. An inbred social life


Many people spend much time together with their colleagues. I do not mean only working time, but evenings and weekend as well. Usually you do not choose your co-workers (if you are not at the managerial position) so you will not choose the people you are socializing with. You just get hired to one department and after that you are going to spend much time together with them.


If you are a businessman than you do not have pre-assigned colleagues and you have more choice with whom you are going to spend time together. You have more freedom and you can be together with people you really like.


Actually if you are an employee there is no obligation to spend your leisure time together with your colleagues. For example, I have never spent too much time together with my co-workers from the university. I have always had my friends outside university and I have always preferred them.


The fact that jobs will inbreed your social life applies mainly to people who are not very eager to make friends. It is an easy way to socialize with people, who you are working together with and to participate in all kinds of company parties and activities instead of finding yourself places to go and things to do.


9. Loss of freedom


On many jobs there are detailed job descriptions and employees are strictly told what and when they should and should not do. They may not have control over their working time, they may not choose their working tasks and co-workers. They may even to be told how to dress, talk and move.


On the other hand, being a business man provides you freedom. Nobody will tell you what you have to do. Actually you do not have to do anything (but you will not earn money then). You may wear whatever you like (although what you are wearing will affect your business success).


Although being an employee is more restrictive it suits better to people who are below average in self-discipline, who are not confident to make decisions individually or who want that they are supervised.


10. Becoming a coward


An employee may be dissatisfied with his/her boss, but he usually can’t or does not dare to criticize him much, because it may cost his/her job. Therefore workers may hate their bosses in their hearts but they still will obey them. But this is generating stress and unhappiness. If you are an employee then you will loose your courage.


Fortunately, things are not so dark. Opposing your boss, will not always cost you a job, in some cases it may give you more respect and will have a positive impact on your career progress. You boss will notice you. And even if it costs you a job, then you can get a new one. If you act bravely then it will increase your self-respect which will help you in finding a new job.


To sum all these arguments up, it is not possible to tell what kind of a life should a person live, should he be an employee or start his own business. Everyone is free to make his decision. Being an employee is an easy solution and it is better possibility for people, who are less capable (actually they believe that they are so). Being an entrepreneur requires much effort. Basically every one can do it, if they really want it and if they believe in themselves. But if you do not have enough belief in yourself or will-power then it will not be a good solution for you.

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kristjan Business freedom, jobs, leisure time, working time

SQ3R for improving your comprehension

December 7th, 2009
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study SQ3R for improving your comprehension

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If you want to handle texts efficiently then you cannot only focus to reading speed, but you have to remember what you read. Otherwise there is no point in reading. There exist many methods for improving comprehension. Today I will show you how to use SQ3R. This method was introduced in 1946 by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his book, Effective Study.

SQ3R is a reading method, which includes 5 steps.SQ3R means Survey, Question, Read, Recite  and Review. There are many variation of this method, here I will introduce you the basic version of it. The main point is that you will not just read the text but you will work on it through these five steps. I will explain you how you should do it.

  • Survey. Look through the text before starting to read it. It means that you will make a quick preview of it. Search for the headings and subheadings; see what the structure of the text is. If there is an introduction or conclusion then look them trough at fast pace. Do not spend much time on that phase and avoid starting to read paragraphs from the text. You should get only a fast and brief overview of the text, which will help you to comprehend later.
  • Question. Before you start reading ask yourself questions about the text. What do you think the text is about? By now you have already gained some information about the text and if you question yourself then it activates your brain for reading. You may write the questions down in order to make this step more efficient.
  • Read. Now you are ready for reading the text. Concentrate while reading. The better your focus, the better your comprehension will be.
  • Recite. Take a sheet of paper and write down the most important facts and keywords. You should write them in your own words. Rephrase the main ideas. This phase activates your knowledge. If you apply newly acquired information through reciting it then it will significantly improve your comprehension.
  • Review. Look at the keywords you have written down. They will reflect the most important information from the text. Try to recall what the linkages between these keywords were. If it comes out that you have forgotten something then you can look it up from the text. You should repeat the review on the next day in order to harden the information. Later you may look through your notes from time to time in order to brush up your memory.

This method allows you to remember texts better. However, following this method will not guarantee that you will get the information from text within the shortest possible time period. SQ3R is not a speed reading method, its primary target is improving comprehension.

However, SQ3R can be combined with speed reading, if you apply speed reading techniques at step 3. Steps 1 and 2 lay a good ground for being able to comprehend well while reading at fast pace.

Not all the texts are worth applying SQ3R. Use this method only for text which you need to remember very well. If you are satisfying with only getting the main points from the text and if you need not remember them far in the future, then SQ3R will be a waste of time.

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kristjan Speed Reading comprehension, concentrate, reading method, reading speed, sq3r, texts

10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 2)

December 3rd, 2009
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fisherman 10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 2)

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Today I will continue with discussion to Steve Pavlina’s article „10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job“. Let’s take the next arguments from Steve.


4. Too many mouth to feed


Employees are usually taxed heavier than businessman. If you own your company then it gives you many options for tax deductions reducing the amount of money you will have to pay to the state. In addition, when you are an employee then you have to earn profits for your company. If you are working in your own company then you will keep the profits. An employee you will get only a fraction of the income you generate.


While all this is true and for many people these are good reasons for having their own business, there are some drawbacks of it. While you have to pay more taxes as an employee, you do not have to bother yourself with the bookkeeping. It is not so difficult, but for some people it is the reason why they prefer to be wage earners.


Managing a business is even more difficult thing to do. If you are a part of a big team then you can earn money even if you are not doing so great job. If your performance is below average then you will be clearly better off as an employee. You will not earn much, buy still get something to cover your expenses.


5. Way too risky


Steve claims that employment is too risky as you can get fired easily. You will not have control over your company. If the management is making silly decisions that will drive the company into bankruptcy then you really cannot do much about it. In the ongoing economic and financial crises so many people have lost their jobs and it really feels that employment is not as safe as it was before.


It is true that employment relationships are not so stable anymore. Those times are over when you could work the whole life in one organization. Getting fired is part of our lives. Still, if you are a good employee then the chances of you getting fired are lower (although Steve is right that things are not completely under your control).


If you are an employee than you can get fired if you are a businessman then you can go into bankruptcy. Although the outcome will depend more on you when you are an entrepreneur the consequences of it may be more favorable to an employee. If you will get fired you will receive unemployment insurance and you can find a new job. Most people who get fired will not remain unemployed for the rest of their life.


6. Having an evil bovine master


The word boss comes from the Dutch word baas, which historically means master. Steve argues that you can avoid unpleasant people when doing business, but you cannot avoid your boss even if you hate him.


Still, even if you are a businessman then you may still have to deal with people you do not like. You can encounter them every where. It is true that you can choose your business partners, but it is also true that you can choose your boss. If you do not like your boss, then you can get a new job.


7. Begging for money


If you are an employee then you will have to ask from your boss for a raise. It is true that employees, who do not fight for their wages are often underpaid. So there will be always a debate with your boss about your pay and you can view it as begging.


If you are a businessman then you have to earn profits on your own and you will not have to negotiate about them. This is absolutely true. In addition the possibilities for earning more are much bigger as a businessman. Still, flexible and performance based pay systems are more and more used, which allow earning higher wages for employees with out begging from the boss.

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kristjan Business bankruptcy, Business, job, profits, wage earners

5 speed reading books to study

November 30th, 2009
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buzan 5 speed reading books to study

One option for learning to speed read is to get a speed reading book and study it on your own. There are a number of speed reading books to buy. Today I will give you some comments about 5 speed reading books, which you may consider buying.

Tony Buzan „Speed Reading“

It is one of my favorites. Covers different areas of speed reading. Starts with common reading problems. Much focus on improving you eye movement. Provides good tips for improving your concentration and vocabulary. Does not focus only on improving your reading speed, but also on comprehension. It is a good choice if you want to take learning speed reading seriously.

Abby Marks Beale “The Complete Idiots Guide to Speed Reading”

Well, this famous series has now reached speed reading. It is an easy and well explained book. Includes many exercises. Special focus on reading different types of texts such as magazines or texts from computer screen. If you are afraid that speed reading is difficult for you then it is a good choice for you.

Wade E. Cutler “Triple Your Reading Speed”

This book includes more practical exercises than most speed reading books. On the other hand it does not cover many areas of speed reading. Much focus on breaking old reading habits. Includes “two stop” reading method, which you are not likely to find from other books. In addition, it gives you tips for test taking.

Peter Kump “Breakthrough Rapid Reading”

It is a slightly old book, but it covers a wide range of speed reading topics. Besides technical tips lots of advice about developing the mind set of a speed reader and setting goals for reading. Provides tips for time management on speed reading. Includes lots of exercises.

Stanley D. Frank “The Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program”

It’s a classical book on speed reading. Follows the methodology developed by a speed reading pioneer Evelyn Wood. Much focus on using your hands for reading faster. Not so many practical exercises in it, which is the weakness for the book. Besides speed reading provides you many tips about learning methods. The book is targeted to students.

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kristjan Speed Reading speed reading, speed reading book

10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 1)

November 26th, 2009
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shipyard 10 reasons you should never get a job revisited (Part 1)

Photo by The U.S. National Archives

I got an idea of writing this post by reading Steve Pavlina’s article „10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job“. In this post he explains why you should not be a wage earner as it is better idea to start your own business. I personally prefer to be an entrepreneur too, and I am less and less working for pay. At the same time I do not agree that being an employer cannot be a desirable and suitable solution for many people. Many people are not capable of doing business and many people do not want to do it. Let’s take a closer look to Steve’s 10 arguments.


1. Income for dummies


When you are a wage earner then you are getting paid when you are working. You have a certain number of working hours or you have certain tasks to complete. You are only paid for doing them. If you own your business then your business is working for you, your goods are being sold by other salesman and so you can be making money while you are sleeping or snowboarding. In that sense income from employment is active, while income from business is passive.


In fact, income from business is rarely totally passive. You still have to do some work. Even if you have invested your money to other peoples’ businesses then you have to keep your eye on your investment. It takes lot of time to build a business that earns you money. Keep in mind that on the average self-employed works more hours than wage earners. If you start your own business then you have to work very hard in the beginning and it takes time until you will be earning money.


And even if you succeed then it is very difficult to automate your business to the extent that you can be totally passive. Even if you are doing business in internet, then it takes time. For example, it took time for me to write this blog post and upload it. Of course, if you have it running well then you can reduce then number of hours you put in it, but usually the market situation is changing fast and you have to develop your business continuously, which requires your effort.


In the short-run you will be making more money in the paid employment. When you start your own business then it may often happen that in the first one or two years you will not earn any profits.


2. Limited experience

 

Many people do not start their own businesses as they think that they are not experienced well enough for that. Therefore they will get a job and obtain experience from it and pretend that they will start their own businesses later.


Steve argues that being an employee provides experience for being an employee and that kind of experience is not much use when you want to by a business owner. Most jobs give you experience how to do a specific task well instead of teaching you to how to make money.


I would not underestimate the value of experiences from paid employment although I would agree to Steve to some extent. Your job will develop many different skills for you are clearly some of them are beneficial for starting your own business. I would say that you will need these experiences especially if you are let’s say 20 years old. It is very difficult to start you own business by that time. If you have worked for 5 year in other company then it will be much easier.


Of course it depends on the type of job you have. If you have a job in sales or management then it can be pretty similar to entrepreneurship and it will give you lot’s of experiences. If you are working as a librarian then it will not help you that much. I have being working at the university for 5 years and although my experience is not directly linked to business, I would say that it is useful for my for my business projects.


3. Lifelong domestication

 

When you have a job then you are taken care of many things. You are provided work tasks and tools, you get regular pay every month, you do not have to deal with accounting, taxes or selling your product.


It may be comfortable for you but at the same time you have to obey the orders from your boss. He decides what you should do and what not to do. To some extent it may be look similar to being a pet or even a slave. You have to obey your master and he takes care of you.


Entrepreneurship gives you freedom. That is one of the main reasons why many people choose to start their own businesses. It is the same for me. I like freedom. I like to make decisions on my own.


But freedom is not so easy. It is not so comfortable. If you make mistakes then they will hurt you more when you are a businessman. If you make a mistake as an employee then you may get fired, but you can usually find another job and until that you can get money from unemployment insurance. If you are a businessman then wrong decision can cost you your investments.


Actually many people prefer to be pets. They are satisfied with moderate income and they enjoy the fact that at 5 PM they can close the door of their office and may forget their jobs until the next morning.


Not everybody is capable of doing business. If you know that you have serious trouble on focusing to the work if your boss is not monitoring you then you would be better of by working for your boss. Business is not for lazy people. But if you want to be lazy then paid employment may provide you an option of living a lazy and comfortable life.

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kristjan Business doing business, entrepreneur, freedom

Get the message from the text

November 24th, 2009
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message Get the message from the text

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One of the main reasons why we spend too much time on reading is that we have developed a habit of reading all the words from the text. We read texts in a linear way, word after word and sentence after sentence. We have always read the texts in that manner and we usually do not think that three are possibilities for reading faster.


What is the aim of reading texts? It is not reading the words. It is getting information from the texts. Words are a medium for delivering information and reading words is only a means of obtaining information, not the goal of reading itself.


You do not have to read all the words from the text in order to get to know what the text is about. In fact, many words in the text do not contain valuable information. Consider the sentence “What is the aim of reading texts?” and compare it with “Aim of reading?” The message from these two sentences is practically the same, but the first sentence consists of 7 and the second one of only 3 words. It will take only half the time to read the shorter sentence.


In the most cases you do not need to get all the information from the text, but you are looking only for the general ideas. You want to get to know what does the author say. Although the information density of different texts may vary, on the average it is possible to get the main message from the text when one third of the words are missing.


So you can skip every third word and still understand the content. It means that when reading you do not have to be limited by the habit that you read all the words. Let your eyes fly over the text and do not be worried if you miss some of them. As far as you can follow the text, it is ok.


Reading the message and not the single words from the text is a matter of mindset. If you want to read faster then you have to approach the sentences as whole entities not as they consist of single words. Read sentences and not words. Get the idea from the sentence with out paying attention to every single word.


How can you develop that kind of habit? Instead of reading the text, let your eyes move over the text. Move your eyes in a faster pace than you are regularly reading. Read what you can, but do not pay attention if you miss some words. Let your eyes fly and follow the main message of the author.

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kristjan Speed Reading information density, message, mindset

What kind of options do you have for learning to speed read?

November 19th, 2009
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software What kind of options do you have for learning to speed read?

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Classroom course


For learning to speed read there are basically four options. First, you can participate in a speed reading class. It means that you will take a classroom course and a speed reading trainer will teach you there. Typical courses will consist of 8-16 hours of training, which to a large extent involves many different practical exercises. Usually, it will take one or two days to complete a classroom course, but there can be evening courses, where you will have classes for 2 hours in the evening one or twice a week and that kind of courses will take several weeks to complete.


Classroom course is for many people the best option for learning to speed read as your trainer will see you how you are doing the exercises and he/she will guide you if you are doing something wrong. At the same time there is a possibility to ask questions and get instant feedback to your progress.


A drawback of the classroom courses is that you will depend on their schedule, if you are not going to buy an individual course, which may be possible. You have to find a speed reading course in your location for, but there may not be available any in your area, especially if you are not living in a big city. In addition, this is the most costly way for learning to speed read. It will cost you $300-$600 to participate in the course.


Completing a classroom course does not mean that you should not continue practicing on your own. It will take time for you to harden your skills, so you should continue individual practice for at least 30 days following the completion of the course.


Speed reading book


The second option is to buy a speed reading book and study speed reading on your own. You will get an overview of the reading techniques plus exercises for improving your reading speed from it. Some books include only description of the exercises; others include practice reading texts and other exercises in it.


Learning from the book will give you flexibility as you can choose when to deal with it. At the same time it requires lots of self-discipline and you have to follow the instructions carefully in order to get the techniques right.


By my opinion it is the least efficient way for increasing your reading speed. Many people buy speed reading books and read them, but they really do not work hard on them and therefore they will not succeed. On the other hand, it is the cheapest way. You can get an older speed reading book for about $10 or you can borrow it from the library. Recent books will cost you around $25-$40.


Speed reading software


Using different software packages for training your reading skills has become very popular. In comparison to studying from the book, using a computer program gives your more interactivity and it is more fun way to do it. These programs include many different exercises, majority of them focus on your eye movements. Usually, it is possible to track your performance and test you reading speed.


A negative aspect of these programs is that usually they do not provide you much knowledge about theoretical aspects of speed reading and they focus too much on developing mechanical reading speed. But there is more to learn, if you want to read fast then you have to get a new mindset.


Similar to studying from the book, it is time flexible, but it requires self-discipline. As it provides more interactivity then the chances are higher that you will be able to make progress. Still many people do not make use of these programs. The price range for speed reading software is comparable to books, although it may be slightly higher. Some programs will have free versions, which allow practicing 1 or 2 exercises, but if you want to take it seriously then you will still have to buy the program.


Online speed reading course

 

Finally, there is a possibility to enroll in an online speed reading course. Buying that kind of course means that you are provided access to a learning environment, where you have different kinds of materials available for improving your reading skills.


These courses are usually divided into chapters as books and before sending you to perform practical exercises they will give you theoretical background of different reading methods. In addition, many online courses include video material. There you can see how to perform the exercises correctly. If you are going to participate in an online course then I would recommend you to choose the one, which has video material included. It will help you to get the techniques right.


Online courses include many different practical exercises and some of them are similar to offline speed reading software. In addition it is possible to track your progress and test you reading speed during the course.


In addition, online courses may include an option of communicating with the trainer, for example by email. So it will allow you to get feedback as the classroom course.


From my point of view online speed reading course is the second best option for learning to speed read after the classroom course. Clearly, it beats studying from the book or by speed reading software. It will give you theory, practical exercises and feedback. Still, it requires self-discipline to complete the course, which is the reason why some people may not succeed with it. And the feedback by email is not so instant and direct in comparison to the trainer being in the same room with you.


For some people it can be the best solution. For example, if you do not have a class room course available in the location. Or if you do not have time to participate in it. Or if you prefer individual learning. In addition, it is less expensive than the classroom course. The price of the online courses ranges from $75-$200.

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kristjan Speed Reading online speed reading course, reading speed, reading techniques, speed reading, speed reading book

Will you forget speed reading?

November 16th, 2009
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forget Will you forget speed reading?

Picture by jemsweb

Speed reading will help you save time on reading as it will allow you to increase your reading speed. On the average, after completion of a speed reading course and sufficient individual training most people are capable of doubling their initial reading speed. Speed reading skills are useful in many professions, especially for office work. In addition, you will benefit from these skills when reading for studying or leisure.


If you want to increase you reading speed then you have to learn new reading techniques. It can be achieved though participation in a speed reading course, which can be either a classroom or on-line course. Alternatively you may study on your own from a book or using computer software for that. These new skills have to be hardened, so you have to practice speed reading for at least one month.


Some people think that speed reading does not work, because they have hoped that it is possible to become a super fast reader just in one day (or even faster). It is not true. At the same time, exercises you have to perform for increasing you reading speed are not so difficult. And 45 minutes a day is enough. So it takes patience and consistence, but practically everyone can do it.


But what happens afterwards? You have become a fast reader and what next. Will you forget these skills? Could it be that after six month you are slow as you were before?


If you have practiced enough and acquired correct techniques for speed reading then you will not forget it. In that sense speed reading is a life time skill. It can be compared to learning to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. You can’t forget it.


But at the same time if you do not apply these skills regularly then your reading speed will decrease to some extent. For example, if you have managed to increase you reading speed from 250 words per minute to 550, then it can be that you can manage to read only at 425 words per minute six month after completing the course if you have not worked on yourself later. It is like practicing sports, you will not forget the basics, but in order to achieve a good result you have to be in top form.


Fortunately, it is not so difficult to apply speed reading techniques everyday. For example, reading with out moving your eyes backwards is something you can always follow. Or the principle, that you have to concentrate while reading and avoid distractions.


If you have learned techniques for fast reading then you can always take it up and practice in order to increase you reading speed. But actually you do not have to be a superfast reader. It is beneficial if you can read 2 or 3 time faster then average person does, but reaching speeds 1000 words per minute and above, will not give you so much additional advantage. If you want to work efficiently, then your ability to prioritize texts and select your reading material is more important. You have to read wisely not just fast.


In the speed reading courses you will learn how to preview texts, set goals for reading, read selectively and improve your comprehension. You will benefit from these techniques even if you do not actually read at very fast speed. And you will not forget these skills even if you reading speed drops to some extent.

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kristjan Speed Reading reading speed, reading techniques, speed reading course

Can everyone be an entrepreneur?

November 12th, 2009
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business Can everyone be an entrepreneur?

Picture by llawliet

The overwhelming majority of the richest people of the world are involved in entrepreneurship in one way or another. It is almost impossible to reach the highest income ranks as a wage earner. An exception to that rule is individuals who are world class in some professions. For example best actors, singers, and professional athletes. In other cases you have to do some business in order to become ultimately rich.


Only a relatively small number of people deal with entrepreneurship. Although the entrepreneurial activity is different in different countries, the number of self-employed is roughly 10% of the employed in the western countries. It means that only one out of ten deals with business and the rest of people are employees. Why so few people choose entrepreneurship, when it is practically the only way of getting very rich. One reason is the fact that although some business-owners are extremely wealthy, on the average the self-employed are not much richer than employees. There are many small businessmen all over the world which have not created a decent income despite the fact that they have dealt with their businesses for several years. Some people do not earn anything form entrepreneurship, their businesses go broke and the entrepreneurs loose their investments, which in many cases come from their personal savings.


The second reason for such a low share of entrepreneurs is a widely spread belief that most people are not good in doing business their personality is not suitable for that. This can be used for explaining the fact that many businessmen are unsuccessful and cannot reach high earnings. Usually the personal traits which are required for doing business successfully are the following

  • Desire for achievement and will-power. Entrepreneurship requires continuous and goal-oriented action. There will always be drawbacks and it may take some time to gain success. Doing business is suitable for those who like to commit them themselves to achieving results in longer perspective.
  • Desire for independence. Entrepreneur is his own boss, in many cases his quite individualistic by his nature. Entrepreneurship is not suitable for people who like chatting with colleagues and passing time doing nothing. If there is no boss, it means that no one will give you detailed orders what you have to do, the entrepreneur has to decide it on his own.
  • Self-confidence and optimism. Entrepreneurship is about making choices. What is the best price for your product? How to advertise your product? How many and what kind of employees do you need? How much you will pay them? An entrepreneur has to make such decisions every day. If you are indecisive or sceptic about future then it is difficult to be a businessman. Entrepreneur has to pursue its goals without being too much worried about the possibility of failure. Entrepreneur has to pursue profits not avoid losses.
  • Risk tolerance and eagerness to act in uncertain situations. No business is completely risk-free. Although preparation, gathering information and commitment to your business will reduce the risks, there is no possibility to totally eliminate them. Entrepreneur’s income is unstable over the years, one year he may earn millions of profit, the next year he may get losses. If you like stable and fixed income, then entrepreneurship is not for you.
  • Inclination to fast decisions and action. The world is changing faster and faster. Entrepreneur can not wait long with his management decisions or the competitors will be ahead of him. In doing business, there is frequently not enough time for sophisticated analysis, but you have to make a good enough decision during a short period of time.


Most of people think that those kinds of traits are inborn or at least formed in childhood or youth and therefore people, who are lacking these characteristics, think that they are not suitable for entrepreneurship. In fact, as far as they do not possess these characteristics doing business may not be successful for them. But actually it is possible to develop entrepreneurial traits even if you are grown-up. First of all it means altering your thinking. We can change our attitudes towards risk. We can develop diligence and dedication. We can train ourselves to make fast decisions. We can get used to unstable earnings. We can make a habit of acting without orders of the boss. If we think a little then we find that we can acquire all those characteristics, which were listed above. Of course, the question is that are we ready to change ourselves and do we want to work hard on that. If yes, then we can be successful entrepreneurs.

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kristjan Business business skills, doing business, earnings, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, personality

Does time management turn you into a robot?

November 10th, 2009
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robot Does time management turn you into a robot?

Picture by burgundavia

One of my prospects turned down an offer to participate in a time management course by explaining that he does not want to be turned into a robot. It is a common belief that time management is about doing things very fast and keeping yourself busy all the time. So it may really seem at first sight that good time managers act like robots.


The aim of time management is achieving your goals in your life and being satisfied with your life. Time management does not mean that you have to live a fast life. Many people who have completed time management courses keep themselves busy because they choose to do so. For example, if you want to earn high income or climb up the career ladder then time management will give you tools for it. Fast life is just the matter of preference.


Still, automatic approach to some actions will help you to save time. There are always some routine tasks for you to do, whatever profession you will choose. It can be some paper work, checking your e-mail, making bank transfers etc. Many of us do not like doing them, but we still have to do it. If we can minimize time spent on these tasks then we will have more time available for tasks we like more and tasks, which are vital for our success. It may seem that a person, who handles e-mail fast, acts like a robot, but think that he will have more time to spend together with his children or friends.


But what about people, who do not make conscious decisions about their time use. Many people are regular 9 to 5 employees, who reluctantly obey the orders from their boss. Even their leisure time goes according to a typical pattern. When they arrive home from job, then they will watch TV and eat junk food. On Friday night there will be party and on Sunday morning they will wake up with a hangover. Does not it seem as living a life of a robot?


Many people dream of breaking out of that circle, earning more money, having more free time and getting a meaning to their lives. But without learning how to take control over their time they will not succeed in it.


Time management will give you the possibility to reconsider the values and habits in your life. You will take control over you time. You will be responsible for your life and you are the one who chooses what you are going to do with it. What do you want to achieve in you life?

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