My 10th book was released July 27th. It's called You Don't Want a Job: Why Self-Employment Reduces Your Risks & Increases Your Rewards. If you're already a self-employed, it contains loads of information from great psychological resources that'll make you feel good about your choice, and help you make the most of it. Here are a few of the ideas from the book, which you can buy from us right here.

[S]ince no one else is going to take the trouble of making sure that we enjoy our work, it makes sense for each of us to take on this responsibility. — Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, p. 101-2

Self-Employed Doesn't Always Mean Entrepreneur

Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur.

Some are cut out to be freelancers.

Entrepreneurs want to create. They want to be in the driver's seat. They do not fear the fires of risk. They like finding new people, making connections. They want to choose their own deadlines and make their own way.

Some folks don't fit that description. That doesn't mean they should get a job. It means freelancing instead of entrepreneurship.

Freelancing is hiring out your talents to a number of different people. It's like having lots of bosses. Except you get to choose them, not the other way 'round.

Working freelance (the word comes from "free lance," as in, a mercenary who was good at one thing: fighting wars, whoever was paying for it) means you don't have to convince clients they need your help. Your clients are entrepreneurs who appreciate the skills you bring to their business. They understand you. Your marketing is simpler because it's aimed at other business folks, not end users. Your pricing is less subjective. You don't have to set your own deadlines. You know what needs to be done every day.

Entrepreneurs and freelancers get the same benefits despite their different personalities.

You Have Control

One objection I hear to the concept of entrepreneurship is that "you're just trading one boss for a whole bunch of bosses: your clients."

Well, sure, if you're doing it wrong.

Control is not a gift you're given, it's a power you wield.

When you're the boss, you have control over the 4 Ts.

You control what tasks you do.

You control the techniques you use.

You control the time you work.

You control the team you work with.

I can hear you yelling about the last two from where I’m sitting. "My buddy is never around because he's always rushing to meet a deadline." "My sister's clients are all jerks, but she needs the money."

Covered in my other books, I'll briefly dispel those here:

If you schedule properly and maintain good client relationships, you should rarely, if ever, be forced to work at a time you'd prefer not to. I keep my goal dates (I don't even call them "deadlines") flexible enough that if I want a day off, I can take one. What that also means is that if I wake up at 4am and feel like working, I can, because then when I'm tired at 9:30 I can take a nap.

Working for jerks will make you a jerk. It is an immutable law that we become like those we associate with. Choose clients you wish you were more like. It takes guts to turn down money from someone you don't want to work with, and I'll admit to making this mistake more than once — and regretting it every single time.

You do not have to work 88 hours a week, nor do you have to work with jerks. You are the boss. If you work too much or with the wrong people, it is because you chose to, not because you had to.

Autonomy Over Balance

Anyone who always chooses the 4 Ts entirely at their own whim is going to struggle. We live in a complex intertwangled society, as gregariously social creatures. It goes against nature to seek total independence.

Another autonomy is over the balance of autonomy we choose.

When the economy shifts, I focus more on one type of project than another.

When I'm partnering with someone I want to build a working relationship with, I'll use the tools they're familiar with, at least at the outset.

When a beloved client really truly needs it now, I usually choose to pull out all the stops to deliver for them.

While I won't work with jerks, either as my client or as a co-worker on a project, I have worked with folks who didn't light my fire in every interaction. I've asked advice from folks who seem incapable of tact. I've read great information in deadly dull books and blog posts.

And every one was a choice. My choice. Choice to balance how much autonomy is right for this time, this day.

A Job Is Simpler

Life is complicated and messy. We tell ourselves stories to simplify it, to get a handle on it, to teach our children.

Oversimplification can be a useful teaching tool, a beneficial coping strategy. It can also fool us into believing that simple is better in cases where it's not.

Having a job is simpler, tidier, than the messiness of creating your own business, whether entrepreneurial or freelancing.

Simpler.

Not better.

Even though you know who I am, we'll say it again, a little differently:

After losing two jobs in a row because companies went out of business, Joel D Canfield resurrected Spinhead, the web design company he'd founded in 1998. In the six years since his last job, Joel and his family have traveled full-time throughout the US and Canada for 18 months, created and refined multiple businesses, and spent nearly all their time doing exactly what they wanted to do instead of what they had to do. Read more about his newly released 10th book "You Don't Want a Job" at http://JoelDCanfield.com

At the supermarket I noticed a package of batteries with this blurb: Lasts as long as Energizer.

So, they're as good as the next guy.

Is that any way to advertise yourself? Is anyone going to switch battery brands (or, more importantly, start working with a "virtual" partner on mission-critical tasks) because they're "as good as the next guy" ?

Marketers talk about your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for a good reason. If you can't show a prospect why you are the only possible choice, why you are the perfect match for them, ask yourself: why should they choose you?

If you're only as good as the next guy, what happens when the next guy gets just a little bit cheaper, or a little better, or both?

(By the way, even if you're far better than the next guy, if you can't show a prospect why you're a perfect match, consider the possibility that they aren't a perfect match for you.)

It's time to start thinking about the New Year. Are you just starting out in business or have you been in business a while? Either way, each year you should consider writing a new business plan.

Your business plan does not need to be lengthy and complicated. It should include specific goals, strategies and actions you can implement on a daily basis. Having a written business plan with specific daily actions can increase your productivity and grow your business.

So let's get started. The Canfield Kennedy InstantBizPlan.com website has a free report you can download - 6 Mistakes That Could Destroy Your Business . . . and How You Can Avoid Them. Go download your free report and get started on your 2010 plan now!

We live in a very fast-paced world and often find ourselves so busy each day just doing what needs to be done that we feel overwhelmed. There never seems to be any time to work on our businesses, to market to new clients, to come up with and implement new ideas.

I recommend you schedule 15 minutes twice a day to focus on you, your business and goals. You will find the benefits to be tremendous. The ideal times would be first thing in the morning and last thing at night. When you first get up, take 15 minutes to write down your thoughts and outline your goals for the day. I often find that I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas. So I keep a pad and pen next to my bed and jot these things down. Then in the morning I can use that as a basis for writing for the day. Keeping an ongoing journal of your thoughts and ideas is a great way to make sure you don't forget any of them. You can always go back to them at a later date.

Take a second 15 minutes the last thing at night to write down your accomplishments. This will help you relax and focus on the positive things that happened throughout your day. You will find you sleep much better, wake more refreshed and think more clearly.

Use these two 15 minute periods to relax, take a deep breath, and then let it all out. Then focus on something specific you want to accomplish or that you did accomplish that day. You will find that you become more productive by taking 15 minutes twice a day to focus on your business goals.

What do you do to stay focused each day?

The #1 challenge new virtual assistants have is getting that first client. You know that if you could get just one client and wow them with your work that they will in turn recommend you to their friends. But how do you get that first client?

There are a variety of things you could do. Today I'm going to give you three different steps you can take to find that first client.

Step #1: Subcontract for an established virtual assistant. Find an established virtual assistant and build a relationship. Some virtual assistants need additional help from time to time and if you've established a relationship, they may call on when they need extra help. Be aware, though, that the rate as a subcontractor may be significantly less than the rate you would charge a client directly. This is to be expected since as a subcontractor you did not go out and find the client and are not directly managing the project.

Subcontracting is a good way to gain experience and make a little income. I strongly suggest you have some sort of written agreement or contract clearly defining expectations and rate of pay. I know virtual assistants who only do subcontract work and don't want the additional responsibilities that come with managing the client directly.

Step #2: Trade or barter services. Especially in difficult economic times, many solo professionals are willing to trade or barter services. I've know life coaches, business coaches, massage therapists, chiropractors and other service providers that were willing to provide their services in exchange for a virtual assistant's time.

If you could use one of these services, find out if they would be willing to barter. Again, this is a great way to get experience and may result in good word of mouth referrals. If the client is happy with your work, this is a great opportunity to ask for a testimonial to use in your marketing materials.

Step #3: Offer an hour or two at no charge. I know you're wondering right now if I really just told you to give away some of your time without getting paid. Is that what I meant? Yes! However, I did not say you wouldn't get anything in return. Let me explain.

You are brand new, just set up in business and have no clients, no testimonials, no proof you are good at what you do. So why would anyone want to hire you or retain your services for five or ten hours each month? But if you could get even one client, a glowing testimonial and begin your portfolio, then there's a reason for someone to consider using your services. So how do you get that first client? Offer an hour or two for free.

Of course you still want to have a contract detailing the work you will do in that one or two hours. Be sure that both you and the client have the same clear expectations. Let the client know up front that you'd like them to provide a testimonial - if they are truly pleased with your work.

If you provide excellent service, you will find that the majority of clients who you gave an hour or two of time at no charge will want to continue using your services and will gladly pay your fee. I have never been disappointed with my return on investment when I've done this. I've found it's very rare that a client uses their free hour or two and then never comes back.

Since many small business owners are still reluctant to use a virtual assistant and aren't sure what we can do for them, offering a small amount of our time can break the ice. In my opinion, this is not much different than a business coach who offers a free report with the hope that you'll then pay for the more extensive eBook or even pay for his business coaching.

If you're reluctant to offer free services to someone you don't know, you may find a friend or family member that you can do some work for to gain some experience. Of course, this can have challenges of its own.

So what step will you take to get your first client?