#191 A story of transitioning from employment to entrepreneurship and back to employment (01/02/2025)

I once read a quote in a book that I'd like to share to see if you find it reasonable: "If you give yourself a month to do something, it will take a month. If you give it a day, it will take a day." Personally, I think this is very true, especially if you've left the workforce to start your own business as a "self-employed individual." In that situation, you really need to take care of yourself and manage your own time. No one will push you to work, and no one will set deadlines for you. Do you know what the consequence of not doing something is? There are no consequences; no one will blame you, and no boss will scold you. The consequence is that you'll accomplish less that year, and you'll know it yourself. Therefore, self-discipline is crucial in this environment. I have friends who weren't entirely satisfied with their work environment, didn't get along with their superiors, felt that some aspects of their job weren't suitable for them and didn't align with what they wanted to do, and also felt that their salary wasn't great and there weren't many opportunities for future promotion. Ultimately, they left their jobs to start their own businesses. To protect their privacy, I won't go into too much detail, but after starting their own business, they were initially full of passion and had many updates in the first month. However, as time went on, they realized it wasn't that simple. They started to feel difficulties and, as they put it, it wasn't as good as expected. They had more freedom and more free time, but they couldn't earn back the "salary they were already dissatisfied with" before, meaning things were even worse than before, and they felt their future seemed even more challenging.

Initially, they thought that by striking out on their own, they could earn more money for their family and provide a better life for their girlfriend, so that no one would have to worry. But now, it seems they have a lot of freedom, they can do a little bit of everything, and while everyone else is rushing to work, they're still not up yet. However, they seem to be more lost and their income is uncertain. They are actually considering looking for a job again, not at their old company, of course, but perhaps a similar position in their original field.

I rarely talk about this topic, but based on my own experience, the reality of starting your own business is that there's a high probability that if you're an ordinary person like me and not particularly brilliant, you'll need to work even harder than when you were employed, but you'll earn even less than your previous salary. This is normal; I experienced the same thing. In fact, the salary levels in various industries in Hong Kong are quite good. In most cases, it's better to be an employee than a "small business owner." Many times, we see highly successful examples and think, "WOW, they started their own business and earned xxxx amount of money in just a few years," and then we want to try it ourselves. But if you trace it back longer, and follow that person's development over the next few years, they might lose everything due to one mistake. It's very difficult to start a business and maintain it. Life is like that sometimes, which is why I've learned to be content with the present. As much as possible, while you still have the opportunity, cherish your family and friends around you. Call them more often, spend time with them, and be kind to everyone, whether you know them or not. Then, in the blink of an eye, a lifetime passes.