Do you find yourself gazing off towards the horizon and have dreams of what it could be like if you had your own business? Or maybe you're unsure of what exactly you'd like to do business-wise, but you know you'd like to have more control of your time and your life.

Deciding to become one's own boss and to be responsible for one's own income is a HUGE step. It will take a leap of faith (if you don't have a trust fund to fall back on) and some planning so that you have enough to pay your bills as you start out. 

Plenty has been written in academic and business circles about the personality traits that comprise a potentially successful self-starter. Inc. Magazine reports that highly successful entrepreneurs are creative, passionate, motivated, optimistic, future-oriented, persuasive, flexible, resourceful, adventurous and decisive. I agree with all of these things but I believe that above them all is belief in one's self. If you don't think you can have a rocking self-guided career, then it doesn't matter how creative or persuasive you are. 

Sure, there are times where we all feel self doubt, or may going through LinkedIn's or Indeed's job listings "just to see what's out there. Especially at times where we aren't making the sales we'd like and may feel a bit frustrated or down. But truth is, these feelings pass if one believes in his or her own vision and the benefits of what you're contributing to the world. 

So ask yourself these questions today:
1) Do I believe I have something special to offer?
2) Do I believe that I am the one to do this (whatever this is)?
3) Am I passionate, motivated, creative and optimistic?
4) Do I know where to go for the support I may need? 

If you aren't quite sure of the answer to the last one, many online groups and organizations offer free support to people with big ideas or a big audacious goal. I run a Facebook group that does that called Creating the Freelance Career. Others can be found on LinkedIn (if you don't like Facebook) or through local chapters of national organizations. Google search what's available in your area, or check out Alignable (it's like an extremely localized version of LinkedIn). Or, send me an e-mail or a shout out on social media that says you want to talk about your idea and need some support. I'm always happy to lend an ear and to help so that people can stop dreaming and start doing. 

From the 23 of May until last week, we took a much-needed vacation. I still daily moderated the Creating the Freelance Career Facebook group but I did no other work...for the first time on vacation in almost five years. (I'm notorious for spending a chunk of time every time i travel on work, including finishing the book manuscript for ​Reframing Quality Assurance: Evidence from Practice during my honeymoon in Bora Bora while my husband was on work conference calls). 

But this time, we hiked and ran the dog on beaches, ate amazing food, and enjoyed the California coastline and Central Coast wineries. And we spent quality time together, connecting face to face with each other and making new friends. 

On the drive home, we stopped along Highway 1 to see some exquisite wildflowers and took a short walk from the highway to the ocean. We took photos, breathed in the salty air and marveled at the surf as it crashed into the rocks. Only later, back in the car, did we find a tick on my husband's jeans. 

And then over the next week, we found more ticks. Two more on my husband, followed by six or seven on Nacho the wonder dog (pictured above). All of these ticks we easily removed (some weren't even attached yet). But the ticks tickled my thoughts (after I got over the creep out factor and confirmed that they weren't deer ticks so they weren't carrying Lyme's Disease). I realized how the possibility existed to permit the ticks to overshadow the sheer awesomeness of the spontaneous walk to the shore. In essence, I could choose to let the little bastards overshadow and squelch my joy or I could choose to remain in exuberance over wonderful walk and the totality of time well spent.

I choose the latter.

In business we come to the same crossroads. For example, we prepare and present an apt proposal to our bosses or a potential client. And we relish the feeling of "win"....but only until we hear one negative word about anything or receive an unrelated rejection. Then suddenly, our minds are reeling down a hole of darkness and our emotions plummet, too. And even if the win is much bigger, for some reason we focus on the little picky thing, the little tick, and not only do we help it embed, we almost welcome it.

Instead, we need to determine to brush the tick off and let the comment or rejection bounce off of us like a rubber ball bounces off of asphalt. Say "Sayonara" to the disappointment or the letdown and focus on the joy, the wins, the present and the future.

The ticks will always be there, but we don't have to entertain them (physically or mentally) in our lives and our businesses.