Quite a few of us have a dream of working for ourselves. It goes something like this I will leave my job and take my idea into the world and achieve great success. But so many just dream. In order to make our dreams come true we need to take action, starting today. So just where do you start? At the beginning of course.

Just what does it take to become your own boss and take your ideas and dreams to the level termed as success? It takes an all consuming passion combined with hard work and long hours. If you think working for yourself will be easier than working in your present job, no matter what you do now, you are wrong. You will work longer hours, give up your present life style, sacrifice lifes extras and keep on keeping on long after you thought you could. Sound like fun? It is and it is also rewarding in ways you can not imagine.

First lets break down some of the sacrifices you will be making for your dream. If you now work an eight hour day, five days a week, realize your new business will take a commitment of 10 to 12 hours a day every day of the week. Any many new business owners work even longer hours to get started. Is this hard? Not if you have a driving passion to succeed.

Your current life style probably needs some adjustments. If you are putting in all these hours, you will not have time to hang out with your friends, occupy the couch watching television. If your hobbies are shopping, club hopping, sport participation or watching then you will be getting a new hobby its called your new business. Although any activity that allows you to get some exercise on a solo basis (such as walking, running, etc) will bring multiple benefits. While you are getting healthy or staying healthy, you can be running ideas through your head ideas that put into action will make your business succeed.

If you dont have any responsibilities now except yourself keep it that way for awhile. While having a mate and/or children doesnt make success impossible, it will make it harder for both you and them. Family members will need to be onboard with your plans, as they will be making sacrifices as well. Money will be tighter and you will have less time to spend with them. But please do not sacrifice the ones you love for this dream, if it cant be done now, you can plan for the future now. Or you can take it slower than you would if you were single. However, do sit down and talk this out with your family (include the kids as well).

Perhaps they have talents that can be of help. And if you are all working together towards a common goal, they will feel a part of your life, not excluded from it. Also, as much as I love pets of any kind, they also require your attention and care. And you are better off not taking on any kind of responsibility at this time in your life if at all possible. You may need to travel; you will be working long hours. Giving a pet the care it needs and deserves will be problematic. So if you dont have a pet, now is not the time to get one. If you do, than line up some friends or family members that can pitch in when you cant. And remember you are not going to have the extra money to pay for pet care in the beginning unless Uncle Harry left you a fortune or you were lucky enough to win the lottery.

About this time you are probably thinking that your job isnt all that bad. But if your dream is still beating strong within you, then know that the rewards that come from the sacrifices are wonderful. Should you succeed you will not only be rewarded with more money and a better life style, but also the unbeatable feeling of winning against all odds.

In the next chapters, we will be covering planning for your new business, financial issues, legal and tax matters, marketing and once you have gone through the start-up phase how to continue to grow.