When you are employed, generally speaking, you get a regular paycheck, sometimes benefits like medical and vacation, and maybe even a retirement plan. Many people in this situation who dream of being self-employed think that these will be the toughest things to give up, and in some cases they are spot on in their assessment. However, many others who are newly self-employed find that it is the support structure, the personal interactions, and even the structure provided by a job and having a boss that are the hardest things to lose.

Most people simply don't know what they are getting into when they make the plunge into the world of the self-employed. You probably haven't ever done anything remotely like this, at least not while you have the responsibilities of family and other responsibilities that come with adulthood. To make it work, you will really need to have a very strong reason for doing it, much stronger than the idea of getting rich or finally being the boss. Additionally, you will find yourself in a bad position quickly if you don't have a strong network of supportive friends and family, a strong work ethic, and a total commitment to making it work.

So what is your reason for starting this new venture? Whatever your answer, consider if it is enough of a reason to keep you working until two in the morning, only to find yourself back at work at seven. Is it a strong enough reason to get you through your first battles with getting paid for your services? Is it strong enough to get you through the sleepless nights wondering if you will be able to pay the rent this month?

You may never find yourself struggling through those hardships, but you will find yourself struggling to get past some hurdles. And when you run into a particularly challenging one, your reason for doing this may not be enough by itself, which is why you will need to have a supportive network of friends and family. If you have to struggle against their perceptions and fight with them about why you felt the need to do this, you'll be fighting your war on two fronts, and few will ever find their way through that level of difficulty.

And even with a very strong reason and a great network of supportive friends and family, you will still find yourself struggling at times. These are the times where you will need to know with absolute certainty that this is the only path you are going to follow. You will need to be completely and totally committed to making it work. Even the most supportive network will falter, and both you and they will question why at times, but if you are truly committed you will see it through those times, and probably come out the other end stronger and more certain than ever before.

However, even if you posses these things, there is one other without which your strongest desires will fall through quickly. This all important quality is a strong work ethic. It has been said that an entrepreneur is a person who will work for himself for 16 hours to avoid working for someone else for 8, and there is at least some measure of truth in that statement, especially when you are just starting out. While a mature business with solid business systems can provide the owner a considerable amount of leisure time, in the beginning you'll need to be prepared to work long and hard enough to get everything done, and there never seem to be enough hours in the day.

While being an entrepreneur is very demanding, there is also little that is as rewarding as creating your own successful business. If you think you have a strong desire, good support and the tenacity to see it all the way to the end, go for it. You will find you are on the most frightening and exhilarating ride of your life, and you will never be the same again.