Is This The Year To Start Your Own Business?

If you came back from holiday vacation dreading the workday, it's worth asking yourself: am I better off striking out on my own?

The start of a new year is an opportunity to take stock of where you are in life and to commit to personal and professional changes. For many, this means setting new personal goals, learning a new hobby, gunning for a promotion or planning a bucket list vacation.

Each year, many people even decide that a job is really not for them and decide to start their own business.  

Right before I made this same choice, a friend offered me an opportunity to move to California for a great role at his company. He also shared that he thought I was close to becoming "unemployable."

He meant it as a compliment. He knew I was an entrepreneur at heart and would not be happy working for someone else for much longer.  

If you’re feeling unsatisfied professionally, it may be time to bet on yourself. If you are thinking about taking the entrepreneurial plunge this year, here are a few things to keep in mind.  

Be proactive

One of the largest obstacles on the entrepreneurial path is inertia. It’s often just easier to avoid the effort and uncertainty of pursuing a new opportunity—especially if you’re in a job that offers financial security. This inertia keeps many entrepreneurs trapped in traditional jobs that seem safer than they might actually be.

For example, in 2005, I was miserable working at a startup. I decided to endure my unhappiness in the job to get a few years of consistent employment on my resume.

But everything changed when I had lunch with a friend, Al Chase.