Does your current 9 to 5 job have you feeling less than fulfilled? Do you feel stifled working for someone else and believe becoming your own boss is the answer for you?

Shifting from your day job over to the role of a full-time entrepreneur is a challenging, up-hill climb, but the benefits, once there, are extremely rewarding.  Maintaining a positive attitude while still working full time for someone else, although not always easy, is paramount.

Negativity can put mental blocks in the way of your focus and sabotage your efforts, making your journey more difficult and less rewarding. The right mindset makes being your own boss easier to achieve. 

Let’s look into how an attitude of gratitude leads to a more fulfilling journey and what things you can do right now to help change your outlook for the better to set yourself up for a more rewarding path into entrepreneurship.

When you have an ‘attitude of gratitude’ towards something you release serotonin, a ‘feel-good’ hormone, and raise your level of happiness. As cited in several published studies from 2000 to 2015 from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, happiness is associated with many amazing health benefits.

When you approach tasks that you’re not fond of doing with a more positive mindset, they become less annoying.  Over time, as your perspective changes to one of grace and gratitude instead of resentment, your daily 9 to 5 grind becomes less of a… well, less of a grind.

Negativity clouds your judgment. Having more positive emotions helps you handle the challenges you’ll face each day as you transition from employee to business owner with less stress and confusion and you’ll become better equipped to make good decisions.  Good decision making will aid you in knowing when it’s time to scale down the 9 to 5 and step into the bigger role of working for yourself full time.

As your attitude towards your day job improves, you’ll also gain better judgment and be more equipped to focus on examples of good behavior that you witness and set the professional and moral standards for your own business accordingly.

Here are three things you can start doing right now to increase your positive mindset and your attitude of gratitude while still at your day job.  These tasks are simple and as Jeff Olson points out time and again in his book, The Slight Edge, they are ‘just as easy to do as they are not to do’.

However, regular habits of expressing gratitude daily compound them and lay the strong foundation to ensure your journey of transitioning into working full time for yourself becomes less stressful, a lot more fun and infinitely more rewarding!

1. Daily Gratitude Writing

Handwrite at least 3 things each morning that you’re grateful for and appreciate. Writing by hand is known to have more of a lasting impression on our brains than typing. Not to mention that it’s more intimate and personal as well.  Whether you keep a daily gratitude journal or make a daily gratitude list, either way – write them down.

This exercise has a ‘snowball’ effect. The more you practice it, the more you’ll find to be grateful for during the day. And, looking back at all the things you’re grateful for at the end of each week, each month and each year, with fill your heart with even more gratitude. 

2. Goal Setting

Every day, write down 2 to 3 goals you can start working on now in your new business and list the steps to get there and the time frame in which you’d like to accomplish them.  Be as specific and clear as you can about your goals.  They aren’t set in stone and you can always change them but make certain to write them down.

Although passion may drive you to set your goals, it’s consistent actions that will get you to your goals and writing them down helps with this and holds you accountable. After you write them down, read them aloud to yourself. Why? Because nobody’s voice is more powerful when it comes to your dreams and goals than your own – never forget that! And, it’s nice to have your own voice inside your head.

3. Read and Research Daily

Set aside a few minutes each day to read and do some research on your chosen profession. The more we know, the more relaxed and confident we become. Investing the time to educate yourself as best you can have a profound impact on your confidence as an entrepreneur. There’s always room to learn more. Leaning should continue until your heart stops beating. (Well, that’s my take on it anyway!)

So, there you have it – three small starting-steps to take to begin setting yourself up with a positive mindset and an attitude of gratitude which will help you transition with more confidence and ease from your 9 to 5 into being your own boss.

Here’s to your success!