Why we don't work as hard for the boss, when he is us?

[GordonJ]

I was working 65-70 hours a week at MACE Electronics. Went to work one day, the doors were chained shut. Without notice, no warning, no indication, the company was going belly up.

25 years of success when ran by MACE, but within 2 years of his sons running the thing (Larry, Curly and Moe)...bankrupt.

So, did I put 60 hours a week into my own thing, even the job hunt or to start my own business? Hardly.

I ran across this a couple of years ago. Now let me toss out some example numbers just for illustrative purposes.

A guy is making 40 grand a year.
He works 45 hours a week (not counting his get ready time in morning, but counting his 15 minute drive to work) IF we time him from the wake up to the coming through the door after work, it is more like the 50-55.

For my simple minded math sake, 40 grand a year, 40 hours a week.

He goes to work FRI. , gets the MACE type news. Come Monday morning what does he do?

Probably sleeps in.

I ran a job club for almost 3 years and those guys hated the idea of giving up 6 hours, 2 on M-W-F to come to job club and prepare themselves for work.

We have a tendency, best guess at least Pareto at 80/20, but probably more like 95%, to NOT work as hard for ourselves as we are willing to do for the MAN, the boss, the wench at work who makes our lives miserable.

Why?

Two years ago I talked to dozens of people who wanted to build their own business, some with only a few hours a week because they were working jobs, others with all the time in their world.

One of my frustrations during this period was learning that most of them were unwilling to put at least as much time working for themselves as they readily gave to get a STEADY PAYCHECK.

MOST are not cut out for Entrepreneurship.

We here, have more of a tendency to lean toward being our own bosses, and for the most part are willing to put in the time and effort.

What has been your experiences with people who talk about being their own boss and wanting to escape the rat race...and their reality of rather having a boss and someone to tell them where to be and what to do, in exchange for their pay?

Do have different experiences? Similar stories?

I know that when I lost my job at MACE, my wife and two kids didn't cut me much "we feel sorry for you" slack, it was more like get your ass out there and bring home some bacon.

Your thoughts?

GordonJ