Mindset is probably the biggest factor in success whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur.

As Henry Ford says, ‘whether you think you can, or you think you can’t you’re right’. You see, the way you think affects the way you feel, and in turn the way you act, and the outcomes you create in life.

So, if you’re looking to create a side hustle or even strike out on your own, then this is something important to think about.

There are typically two types of entrepreneur; the natural born and the value driven entrepreneur.

I’m definitely a value driven entrepreneur with my overriding value being ‘freedom’.

My drive to build my own business came after the death of my parents in 2013, when I knew something had to change.

I learnt about coaching and saw it as my opportunity to give something back, to create a deeper level of transformation than I could as a Personal Assistant.

I knew I had to get out of my own way, increase my confidence and self-belief, so I worked on my mindset and shifted the negative beliefs about myself.

So, if you’ve been an employee your whole life, how do you change the way you think and more importantly how do you succeed?

Let’s look at five key mindset shifts… 

Decision making (good and bad) – As an employee a lot of the big decisions are made for you as part of the corporate hierarchy.

Whereas, entrepreneurs have to make all the decisions themselves and know that any bad decisions are on their head. Entrepreneurs are typically more averse to risk than employees are.

What’s your attitude to risk?

Shifting your comfort zone – As an entrepreneur feeling uncomfortable is your new comfortable. You’re constantly challenged and have to think very much out of the box to find solutions. Employees on the other hand typically have access to greater resources and a wider support network.

Being an entrepreneur means being very solution focused, although I know from my time in corporate that is also a hugely relevant skill in the Personal Assistant role.

Your learning journey – One of the biggest mindset shifts between employee and entrepreneur is your skill set. As an employee you’re expected to have a certain set of skills to do the job and you can get on the job training for anything extra.

As an entrepreneur you’ve got to learn so many new skills and wear many different hats. It’s a constant journey of learning and discovery and can involve anything from marketing your ideas to creating the perfect pitch.

Quite the juggle!

Time isn’t a straight line – As an employee you have a timetable you work around. When you leave the office, you tend to switch off and focus on your personal life. An entrepreneur, however, is always thinking about their business.

Trust me, ideas pop into my head all the time!

There’s no off switch – you live and breathe your business. One of the reasons being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone.

This brings into question how you achieve a good work / life balance, both as a corporate employee and as an entrepreneur. Watch out for my next blog where I’ll be discussing this in more detail.

Start now – It’s easy to underestimate how long it takes to transition to entrepreneur. It’s good to start shifting your mindset while you’re still employed and even build a side hustle so you can start to experience this new world for yourself.

It will give you a great opportunity to pick up new skills, such as networking or marketing, and will help you when you have to make that inevitable leap from the safety net of your monthly salary.

Now, you’ve got a better idea of the differences in the two mindsets and how with the right attitude, you can increase your chances of success as an entrepreneur.

It’s absolutely normal to have an employee’s attitude right now, but that they can shift to an entrepreneurial mindset, using the tips above, should you decide to make that decision.