Ready To Start A Home Based Business? Whoa! 2 Red Flags That Say No

Copyright (c) 2009 Kathleen Tremblay

So, you want to start a home based business. Well, you are certainly not alone. Millions of individuals scour the internet every month searching for legitimate home based businesses with the dream of making it big and leaving their jobs. Every day, someone is thinking, "There must be a better way," or "Please help me quit my job," or "I want to work from home."

Today, many people are afraid. They are fearful of their economic futures, and the term, "This Economy" is spoken everywhere, and not in a positive light. What this means is that there are a lot of people struggling to make ends meet.

Many are hoping for an economic miracle. Others have decided to start a home based business to help improve their situation.

Before you act on the impulse to start a home based business, there are a few things to consider. Let's examine two major "red flags" indicating that you are NOT ready to venture into the world of the home based business entrepreneur - and what you can do to change the situation.

Red Flag #1: You feel desperate. You don't make enough money. Perhaps you hate your job, and you'll do anything to leave your current job situation. Or, you may be afraid you are about to lose your job.

Why this indicates that you are not ready: If you are feeling desperate and miserable, this is not a good time to start a home based business because you will carry that feeling of desperation into your search for a legitimate home based business opportunity. And instead of calmly weighing the pros and cons of various serious and profitable opportunities, You will be more likely to act out of desperation, falling for "get rich quick" scams - probably more than one - and spending your already hard-earned money on something that you feel will be a quick fix to your situation - that "magic bullet" that, frankly, does not exist.

How to change the situation: The first thing to do is calm yourself, and look at where the feelings of desperation come from. What can you change in your own attitude to make your job more bearable while you search for a profitable home based business? Instead of feeling angry and desperate, can you teach yourself to see the positive in your situation?

For example, if you already have a job - even if it's not a great job - you could be thankful that you have a source of income that can help you save up for the right opportunity. You could sit yourself down and take full responsibility for where you are - after all, you made the decisions that led you to where you are now, and you can now make decisions to take another direction, if you choose. Just do it rationally, and without emotion.

Release your feelings of desperation and hate - those feelings are not who you are. You are a lot bigger than that! There are plenty of places online to learn the techniques that can help you change your own outlook. Use search terms like "self development resources" or "self development techniques," etc.

Red Flag #2: You are broke. You have debts you cannot pay, and you think that if only you could start a home based business, that this will cure everything.

Why this indicates that you are not ready: I don't care whether you think you've found the Holy Grail of home based businesses. If you are already in deep debt, you will go further into debt. Why? Because being in business for yourself costs money.

Even if you have a paying job, and just want to start something on the side to help pay your debts, if you are unable to stay current with your payments, you will not be able to get the credit or financing that you might need to get your home based business off the ground.

Running a business costs far more than the "5 to 10 hours per week" that so many business opportunities tout as being all that's necessary to succeed. Scheduling your time commitment is only one part of the equation. You need to schedule your money commitment (aka "budget") too.

How to change the situation: First of all, understand at the get-go that if you intend to start a home based business, you WILL need to spend money. Stop searching for "free home based business opportunities," or "easy home based business," and get real.You don't get anything for nothing. Ever.

So, before you decide to jump into a home based business, decide how much you can save for your start up costs which will undoubtedly include advertising, website hosting fees, months of carrying your business before the search engines begin to recognize you, and qualified buyers begin to find and visit your website.

If you are truly passionate about starting a home based business, then you will do what it takes to pay down your debts and begin to formulate a logical plan to undertake a serious home based business venture. Until that day, you are not ready.

Depending on the type of home based business opportunity you are looking at, you can probably find others who are already active in the opportunity what type of budget is necessary to maintain the effort until you begin to earn profits.

Finally, you may be saying, "But, I really AM passionate about starting a home based business! Where can I get the money?"

This oft-asked question has a relatively simple answer - but unless you have the strength, determination, and self-discipline to do this, you won't do it. And this is where the rubber meets the road.

Here is the answer (drum roll please): Sell your stuff. Get rid of it. Sell on eBay. Sell on CraigsList. Have a yard sale - have more than one yard sale. Just sell your stuff. Most people have far more stuff than they need. Do you REALLY need 10 pairs of shoes? How about that (Heaven forbid), that "Wii" you just had to have? How about your collection of collectible bears, NASCAR, purses, Goth skulls, or electronic do-dads?

How badly do you want to start a home based business? How badly do you want success? Sell the TV - or at least one of them (it's a huge time waster anyway).

Sell the 4x4 SUV that you really don't need to begin with. If you have kids, get them on board with you - kids are great dreamers and the thought of better stuff might nudge them in the right direction.

What else can you do? Stop spending needlessly. Buy your clothes from thrift stores instead of the department store for a while. One person we know plans "treasure hunting" trips to thrift stores with her kids - it has become a fun game, not a deprivation.

Do you really need that new handbag? Do you really need that piece of jewelry? Brand name versus generic? And on, and on...

If the last few paragraphs offend you, and you cannot bear to 1) part with your stuff and/or 2) stop buying more stuff in order to realize a dream, then you are not passionate about starting a serious home based business opportunity. That's just the way it is.

But... If you felt your heart begin to pound just a little when you thought about possibilities instead of limitations, if you felt hope instead of desperation, faith instead of fear - then, my friend, you WILL find a way - not only to START a home based business, but SUCCEED.