| Are you a once reliable, accomplished, and regularly | | | | more technical and non-technical knowledge and skills |
| employed professional, increasingly finding working for | | | | and take on new challenges, your future as an |
| someone else intolerable? Are you becoming | | | | employee looks like more of the same.o Shackled by |
| unemployable? Are you beginning to think about | | | | Success-You've earned a regional, national, or beyond |
| going out on your own, flying solo as a sole | | | | reputation in a technical area or in a particular |
| proprietor entrepreneur or freelance consultant? | | | | function. However, you want to move into new |
| Some common motivators for flying solo are:o | | | | areas and/or functions. Unfortunately, you are |
| Career security-The gold watch, once the job | | | | viewed by the principals of your organization as being |
| security indicator, is gone as is the job security it | | | | able to do only one type of work or perform only |
| once symbolized. A capable independent consultant | | | | one function. Their narrow perceptions shackle you. |
| simultaneously serving several or more clients is likely | | | | Unsettling motivators such as the preceding |
| to enjoy more job security or, more precisely, career | | | | increasingly suggest that, at least for the foreseeable |
| security, than an employee of any one of those | | | | future, you are in effect unemployable and should fly |
| clients.o Bureaucratic excess-Two examples are | | | | solo, go it alone. As you begin to discuss this option |
| cumbersome decision-making and resistance to | | | | with trusted friends or colleagues, some urge caution, |
| change. Another is excessive reporting on what you | | | | especially in this down economy. However you know |
| are doing, leaving even less time to do productive | | | | what you want and what you can do, including |
| work.o Lagging Net Worth-Your net worth may be | | | | releasing the leader within you. |
| growing too slowly to ensure a comfortable | | | | You are aware of Mark Twain's advice: "Keep away |
| retirement. Working harder and smarter as an | | | | from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small |
| employee hasn't substantially increased your earnings. | | | | people always do that, but the really great make you |
| Perhaps you could do better working for yourself?o | | | | feel that you, too, can become great." Accordingly, |
| Stagnation-While you moved rapidly up the learning | | | | you increasingly seek the counsel of very |
| curve earlier in your career, now you seem to be | | | | accomplished individuals, those who have achieved |
| plateauing in terms of the rate at which you acquire | | | | notable success and significance. But, before you |
| new knowledge and skills. While you want to gain | | | | leap, take one last look at interval options. |