It is estimated that home businesses generate over $50 billion in sales per year, and that up to 50% of the households in America operate some form of home business. Home business is truly "big business" and the current economic crunch is motivating more people to explore this concept as an alternative to the traditional jobs.

In my experience, the key to success in making money from home is to develop a strong "why" for being in business. That is, in order to find the initiative to build and maintain a profitable operation from home, you will have to dig deep for the motivation. And this is where my five "whys" come into play.

Why #1: The primary why for most people is what is known as "freedom from the man." That is, the ability to quit your day job and not go broke in the process. A profitable home business that generates income equal to or above your current living expenses will allow you to do just that.

Why #2: Freedom from a structured, or regimented, lifestyle. If you have a job, you are obligated to be at a specific location for a set time period. As the owner of your own business, you get to call the shots.

Why #3: Time Freedom relates to the first two in the sense of having freedom of movement and the right to make decisions for yourself. However, time freedom goes beyond that. Time freedom means you have the ability to spend time away from either a job or a business. Remember, a home business is no better than a job if you must work it 10-12 hours per day. So, a strong reason why to make money at home is your ability to automate your business, allowing you to live the life of your dreams.

Why #4: A strong motivator for me was the idea of making passive income. Passive income is money that comes into your pocket on a recurring basis, whether you show up for work or not. Income from royalties, real estate, and intellectual property is common in this area; but, a home based business that is capable of operating on autopilot may also be considered a passive income source.

Why #5: Finally, you may want to make a ton of money. Why take the risk of leaving a secure job, or investing money in a business venture, unless the payoff can be potentially huge. Look for business opportunities with the potential to return huge sums of money.

Think about why you want to start a home business. A dream to achieve financial freedom is not enough in itself. Beyond that worthy goal, you must also be able to attach emotional significance to achieving financial freedom, time freedom, and the security of controlling your own destiny.

Working from home may not be right for you, but if you can relate to the five "whys" discussed above, you may be ready to consider the idea of making money from home.