Is it better to work for a paycheck or own your own business?  At first

thought I would believe that it is much better to work for yourself then work for someone else.  However, there are many upsides and downsides for each.  To figure out what would be a better career choice you must first look at the pros and cons for each.

            There are both positive and negative sides that come along with working for someone.  The biggest upside of working for someone else is security.  You are guaranteed that you will have a paycheck each pay period and you usually know how much it will be.  Depending on what your job is you may be assured that your job will always be there, for example if you are part of a union you have the job security.  On the other hand your job could be terminated without warning because of cutbacks and layoffs if the company you work for in unstable.  Another positive about working for someone else is that, for most people, when your day is over you leave your job at the office and don't worry about it till you punch in the next day.  This could be the complete opposite for some people which is when the stress and anxiety of work begin.  Some jobs become your life before you know it.  A job like this would never be an option for me.   

             For some people working for someone else is never an option.  Highly motivated entrepreneurs thrive of off the challenge of starting their own business.  This is not the same for everyone.  While owning your own business could make your life a lot easier it could also do the opposite making life stressful and chaotic.  Most business fail within the first few years.  Usually if it makes it threw the first couple of years it becomes stable and a sure thing.  There are plenty of positives that come along with owning your own business.  You can make your own hours, you don't have to answer to anyone but yourself. If your business becomes large and successful you can usually hire more people to do the jobs you once had to, which can make your life much easier and far less stressful.  Probably the biggest downside to owning your own business is that you are solely responsible for the business and the jobs that are associated with it.  But if your business becomes successful you usually don't have much to worry about.

             As we can see there are many ups and downs to owning your own business or working week to week for a paycheck. After weighing the pros and cons for each I think that I would much rather own my own business.  However,  I don't think I would have the skills and willpower to start a business from the ground up.  I would rather purchase a business that was already well established in what they do so that I wouldn't have to deal with the stress and uncertainty that would come along with the business in the first few years.  I find that I can work for someone for a few months before I can't stand the job or boss anymore.  I am not one to take orders from people which is why I think that owning my own business is the best option for me.