So you think you'd like to have a business of your own. There are many advantages. You don't have to answer to a boss or punch a time clock. You could even take time off to be with your family or go fishing. You set your own goals, earn as much or as little as you like.

Many people want to have their own business because the lifestyle appeals to them. But there's another side to the coin. To do well in a business of your own, you must really want to succeed and you must be willing to work hard.

Without a boss standing over your shoulder, you can have a flexible schedule. But you must also motivate yourself to work at times when you'd really rather do something else. There will be mornings when you know you should call on customers, for example, but the weather may be wet and cold and you'd much rather stay home by the fire. If you have genuine entrepreneurial ability, you'll stick to your original plan regardless of the weather or the personal discomfort.

An entrepreneur first sets long range and immediate goals that are achievable. He decides that he will make a certain number of products by the end of the year. And that he will see a certain number of prospective buyers. To reach these goals, he will have to do a certain amount of work each week. He knows that, for example, if he takes off on Thursday to go fishing, he will have to work Sunday to make up for lost time.

He'll probably put business ahead of hobbies and sports, especially in the beginning when the business is just getting off the ground. And he won't mind because he is just as fascinated by the work he has chosen as he is by hobbies. The business may even be derived from a hobby or favorite pastime.

Many entrepreneurs don't know the difference between work and play. The don't think of weekends as a time for leisure. They work tirelessly for long hours, often losing sight of the time of day -- or night. They forget to read the newspaper or may even forget to eat lunch. If they have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to take care of a problem with their business, they may not be happy about it, but they do what has to be done.

Entrepreneurs may be away from their families for long periods of time, too, unless members of the family work in the business, too.

People think of entrepreneurs as risk takers, but it's not quite as simple as that. A lot of dare-devil types are not good business people, far from it. However, if you have an eye for a business opportunity and you know that a certain investment is required, you calculate whether the opportunity is worth the risk. This is different from plunging headlong into things for the sheer thrill. Entrepreneurs take calculated risks, and they're good at saying "no" when the odds aren't in their favor.

Also, though motivated by a powerful desire to succeed, they aren't afraid to fail. Most successful entrepreneurs tried businesses which "didn't work out." Without having a "swelled head," they have egos strong enough to withstand failure.

Many of them failed in school and got fired at an ordinary job or two. When they found themselves in a situation where things weren't going well, they got out quickly, cutting their losses. This includes business ventures they weren't suited to. A person who is not success-oriented may keep trying to make something work or "beating a dead horse," as the expression goes. The true entrepreneur is long gone, having picked himself up and moved on to something with a greater potential for success. People also think of the entrepreneur as a person mainly focused on earning money. Earning a profit is the name of the game, of course, and money is the way you keep score. Would-be entrepreneurs may spend a lot of time day dreaming about being millionaires or acquiring status symbols.

Truly successful people are too busy to spend much time day dreaming. They may have big houses, fancy cars and other material rewards, but they're most proud of other things: the business and the reputation they've built, the products they've sold, the customers they've served, the competence they can display. If these are things that you, too, think are worth working for, then welcome to the world of entrepreneurs!.