It would be difficult to select a single action or attribute and consider it the one, most important tool to master. You could make a case for the importance of mastering your online presence, for building your team, or for taking the time to learn from more experienced mentors, just to name a few.
The simple fact is, however, none of these is the single most important weapon in your arsenal – though each is important in its own right. In fact, the single most important tool you have is one you have had all along. Some call it talent, some call it instinct or even intuition, but at the end of the day the real gift is your human brain’s common sense.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines common sense as “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts.” I don’t think it takes much explaining to see how important this is to the self-employed entrepreneur looking for their piece of PIE. Sound and prudent judgment is something you should be exercising at all times. After all, it’s your money and potential earnings on the line. And you’re better at displaying sound and prudent judgment than you might think. After all, your brain is the product of billions of years of evolution, and hundreds of thousands of years of human innovation and advancement. That counts for a lot more than you might give yourself credit for.
Take cliches, for example. A cliche is a simple phrase or aphorism that’s become so universally recognized that it’s steeped into the heart of human culture. Cliches are memorable, short – and convey valuable information (or did at one time) which ensured that they were passed on. Your brain is likely full of them, and silly or not, there’s wisdom there. Take the extremely common phrase “don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched” as an example. It’s unlikely to be referring to literal chickens – though that depends on what line of work you’re interested in pursuing – but the basic lesson that underpins the cliche is obvious: don’t bank on success until you’ve seen proof with your own two eyes. Seems obvious? It is – because you’ve learned it with every cultural interaction since before you could talk.
When you’re pursuing your Personal, Independent Earnings and staking out your own turf in the world of self-employment, don’t be afraid to make use of every advantage you can grab a hold of. That big human brain of yours is full of bright ideas, to be sure, but don’t discount or ignore the obvious common sense you’ve been absorbing for your whole life. Keep your simple truths in mind, and before long you’ll be hatching plenty of your own chickens – figurative or otherwise.
