How Becoming An Entrepreneur Can Help You Realize Your Potential

A lot of responsibilities come with the title of being an entrepreneur. There are actions and choices that have to be made every single day that concern the future of the business. You're the leader. For someone like me who is fairly new in the game, it can be an overwhelming feeling. But it also gives me an amazing sense of purpose. And I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I didn't give myself this amazing job in the first place.

The reason I know this is because I've realized my potential. My job puts me in both difficult and rewarding positions. I've examined my performance along the way, learning and improving from my mistakes. The fact that I've managed to handle whatever gets thrown at me on a daily basis grants me the wisdom I need to keep going.

If you're not sure where to start, here is how working for yourself can be the best thing you can do to help realize your potential.

1). Your rules. Ultimately, when you work for yourself, you set the boundaries, you create the work schedule, you determine how things are done. If you were to take a step back and look at how things are done from the outside, the rules you set in place can reflect a lot about your character, your work ethic, how serious you are, and the position you excel at within your company.

2). Your ideas. No one is stopping you from anything. If you want to dream, no one can take that from you. Your ideas and how you carry out those ideas are all on you.

3). You can get creative. There is no judgement here because you work for yourself! Even if you have a team, you can get creative with them. Your people will always want to impress you and work with you to make you happy.

4). Fulfillment. If your business isn't profitable yet, you can still practice your entrepreneurial skills. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day. You need time to grow first before you can become great. However, just because you may be new, doesn't mean there's no fulfillment involved. In fact, the little things in the beginning bring just enough excitement, if not more. To me, these little beacons of hope fuel the fire. The small achievements along the way build major confidence. And that's the foundation of being an amazing entrepreneur.

5). Experience. The more experience the better, right? Regardless of where you're at, experience brings wisdom. It can even add to your resume and help you stand out at networking events. Experience will always guide you to the right people and bring you closer to your goals.

6). There's no easy way out. When you're an entrepreneur, you are forced to think on a broader scale. You have to take the initiative to reach out to people, ask questions, research the facts, sign up for events, attend those meetings etc. Just do your homework.

7). Self-presentation. When you're an entrepreneur, you are a reflection of your business. I realized this the most when I started mine. I became self-aware about how important it is (to me) to be respected by others, to be understood, to be admired for my work. All that doesn't matter if you don't take yourself seriously. That means, making yourself a priority and taking care of your well-being. I always dream of the day I'll be taping my GMA interview. I sure as hell will look good for that. So I might as well start now.

8). Enjoy your company. By company I don't mean your business. I mean yourself. Being an entrepreneur oftentimes means "party of one." Sure, it gets lonely. But it also gives you the opportunity to really get to know yourself. As weird as that sounds, it's so important. In life, it will always be you. You entered this world alone, and you will exit this world alone. No one else jumps in with you. This is about embracing the journey. You should totally be your own best friend!

9). Branding. When you have a business of your own, you become a pro at branding. Everything from visuals, to the company mission statement, to you! It all has to come together and make sense. When you're an entrepreneur, you're telling a story and you're convincing us to listen and "buy into" your story. Branding is a great skill to have both personally and professionally.

10). Faith. Life is all a gamble. When you're in the driver's seat, you're putting faith in the car that it will take you in the direction you tell it to go. When you're an entrepreneur, you work hard to build something that will hopefully grow in the right direction. But no matter what, sometimes things will go wrong. It's inevitable. You might get a flat tire, or end up lost in the middle of nowhere. Whatever the case may be, things will go wrong. So you have to have faith in yourself. Be prepared for the disasters big and small, the accidents, the do-overs. It will happen. Just don't lose sight of the final destination.This makes you stronger, and keeps you focused on the bigger picture.