Want a Better Career in 2014? Find Your Own Way.

A new year is upon us, and many New Year’s Resolutions are already out the window. An American university study claims less than 8 percent of us achieve our New Year’s Resolutions.

However, if one of your resolutions was to improve your career, you have a slightly better chance of doing just that. If you heed my advice and find your own way.

Give up on the golden handcuffs, they don’t exist. Used to be, you’d graduate from high school, get a job, and be at that job for your entire working life, retiring with a gold watch.

Not anymore. Uh-na. Nope. Not unless you own the company, there’s no gold in your future.

Have you ever heard about someone making a million dollars working at Wal-Mart?

Unless you’re the CEO, or one of a handful of executives in that company, you’ll be lucky if you can make a quarter of that in your lifetime working there.

But being your own boss puts you all the closer to making a million dollars – and more.

Even better than the potential for a real income, comes the benefit of real job security. You can’t get fired by anyone when you are the ultimate boss. You won’t have to kiss another manager’s hairy butt cheeks, or worry about getting that promotion either. It’s your business, you call the shots.

Of course, being your own boss isn’t for everyone.

Some people like to be slaves to their employers. They enjoy being told what to do, how to do it, and for how long. They enjoy having to always grin and bare it, even if they can’t stand the person they work for, the work they do, or even the customers they serve.

Sounds like such a wonderful life. Here, let me get you a power saw, it’ll be faster to end it all with that than the dull butter knife you’re currently using.

Seriously, working for someone else is like committing suicide with a very dull blade. As hard as you try, it just never ends.

Don’t kill yourself slowly, embrace your skills, knowledge and experience and ask yourself, what would you rather do, than the job you currently do?

Don’t be vague. Don’t be ambiguous. Don’t be shy. Take a moment to ask yourself what you’d really rather be doing than your current job?

Then figure it out.

Piece together a plan with realistically achievable goals and then take action to make those goals happen.

It’s a long, tough road towards success. There will be failures along the way. Keep going. That’s normal. So long as you learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.

Not like making the same mistake most do, and keep working for the man, hoping one day, you’ll get that promotion, and eventually a nice Rolex.

The only way towards true success, is to do it yourself.

Don’t depend on anyone, ever for your income again. Unless you like working at Wal-Mart.