July 25, 2007
Posted by Ryan Graves
A Job is like Rent
For those of us struggling to figure out just how we’ll “do it on our own”, the largest struggle is that in the mean time you have to work. It’s not all bad, the training is good, the experience is good, the money (relative to starting your own business) is easy. However, it’s just not as satisfying. I woke up this morning with a very simple metaphor for comparing a job to a start-up or your own business. A job is like Renting. You get out of it exactly what you put it. When renting you pay your check (hopefully) and you are allowed to sleep under that roof for the next month, in your job you go…everyday…and in return you get a paycheck every 2 weeks. Seems like a fair trade right? We’ll when you start your own company you go…everyday…maybe the entire day, but in return you get more than just a pay check. Just as in home ownership you get not only a roof over your head but you get the appreciation on your house and you get the satisfaction of ownership. Same in business, you have something growing under you that maybe if you’re one of the lucky ones will continue to grow without you; you get the satisfaction and the reward of ownership and knowing that you are providing jobs for others, that you are providing a product or service that other people enjoy, need, want and gladly part with their money for. Just as renting is somewhat of a black hole…well maybe a job is also?
