I’ve had over 20 different jobs since I was a teenager (I’m 55) and never held most of them for more than 2 years, the longest (2 jobs) for 5 years. However I was never fired, I always went to another job or took a break from work. I’ve also had many great ideas that did not get off the ground because they were impractical or I never did what needed to be done to promote them properly (I’m getting better at selling and talking with customers).
I’m 55 and have been self-employed for 5 years now. I do everything from A to Z. It’s starting to get too big for me to handle alone now, so my husband (also ADD) helps out, in the ways that he can. I am learning the hard way that it may be appropriate for me to cap my business, not get larger, not hire others. I was a manager in previous jobs and I’m terrible at it.
I also am resisting the idea of opening a retail outlet. It’s too much overhead. I would have to hire staff. I don’t like having to show up at a particular time – I have very little structure to my day and that suits me, although I do have the problem of when work begins and ends and home life starts (I work from home). So whenever someone asks me if I have a retail outlet I have to resist the urge to act on it. I much prefer the $$$ in my own pocket. I also have to resist the urge to add too many products, I am trying my best to simplify (my husband reminds me of that a lot). I mean, I have 30 books beside the couch that I’m in the process of reading and I have a million and one projects that I would like to do. Why should I consume my whole life with my business? It’s an ongoing challenge to cut back on things.
On income? How much is enough? I’m learning how much. Too much is too much – I don’t want to work that hard. Too little is too little – I have to contribute to our household finances. But just because I’m in business doesn’t mean I need to make a lot of money. Some people just don’t get that, my banker brother, for example, who is thoroughly enmeshed in the business rat-race, the I-have-to-make-more-money-so-I-can-get-ahead-or-keep-up-with-my-colleagues mentality. That old barber down the street who’s been cutting hair for 60 years is successful, but he doesn’t need to open a hair-cutting chain to show it.
Having said that, I try to support the little stores in my area, especially the bookstores. Big business has crowded out a lot of entrepeneurship and from my own experience, that’s where I belong, running my own business, doing my own thing, marching to the beat of my own drummer. There’s probably quite a few ADDers out there doing the same thing. Take that, WalMart! 