im directing this at those who have taken a risk, to run their own business and get a product out there.
Why?
What drives you?
What keeps you going through the hard times?
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
Unlike some people that had posted before me (in blue) and that have problems with authority, I have none… I’m quite happy with working for myself and working for someone else. 
Why?
Need. I returned to my country and crisis was striking (it started here before the rest of the world as we had another crisis running here). Salaries were (and are) so very low.
What drives you?
Need. Although I do enjoy doing something that I like from time to time.
What keeps you going through the hard times?
Need.There are still no jobs available and salaries are so very low.
In addition to that, I simply consider that giving up is not an option. And complaining is not an option either. You have to do what you have to do. Plain and simple.
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
Unfortunately, yes.
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
For better or worse, yes.
It starts with vision. That ensures Integrity, which is key.
All the “make a million dollars this year” wishes are just that: wishes.
The goals that spring, spontaneously and inevitably from your true Vision, are the ones that will change your life.
Why?
Because I got fed up with the phony corporate world
What drives you?
Usually an old Vauxhall 
Seriously though, it’s nice to make a difference and help people out.
What keeps you going through the hard times?
Knowing there’s always someone worse off than me.
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
Yes, be honest, do the best I can, and never rip anyone off
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
It’s more a lifestyle…
I have a huge problem with people in authority who I dont feel and earned the right to be there. After numerous arguments and confrontations with various managers I decided that the best course of action was to be my own boss.
Only problem was that I didnt know what to do so I taught myself to program 
What drives you?
Not wanting to work for anyone else ever again.
What keeps you going through the hard times?
Knowing that I have a plan B to fall back on and that hard times do eventually come to an end.
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
Yes, totally but with alot more wisdom having been burnt a few times.
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
Pretty much
(great question btw :tup: )
To meet people like you.
For knowledge and friends…
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I’ve never worked for anyone else… why start now?
Deep set neurosis, stubbornness and perfectionism.
Clients who stick with me (or pass me additional opportunities).
No, I have enhanced my values to not just “do the job” but “do it well”.
Yes, I don’t even remember some days… they all bleed into each other!
To avoid the risk of working for someone else all my life.
Momentum.
Knowing that there’s no plan B.
More or less. I’ve never put them down on paper. They are the same values as the values I live by, so there’s some evolution involved.
No. I was for a while in the past - didn’t work out well. Now I try (emphasis on try) to live first, then do. After all, you can’t do anything if you don’t live.
BY chance and nice to meet you.
Unfortunately, you will never be your own boss…your customer is now your boss. All you did was get rid of the middle-men
Since your customers are paying you to do a job, they are probably going to be more demanding than any boss you’ve ever had…so get ready to kiss some customer backside in the name of making a living!
In other words, your customers are now in a position of authority over you…so you may as well learn how to respect authority even when you disagree with them.
The worst they can do to you is exactly like those old bosses could do to you…fire you!
That is just very inaccurate. A customer is not a boss. A customer is a customer. You can choose customers, you can choose whom you want to work for and by what rules. Unless of course you let your customer be the boss.
If I were your customer, you’d do the job how I want it done…or I’d fire you.
If I were your boss, you’d do the job how I want it done…or I’d fire you.
Both the customer and the boss is paying your wages for certain things to be done their way and they have the ability to cut off said wages (fire you), so for all practical purposes your customer is your boss and they represent the same authority you didn’t want to be under when you were working for others.
There’ll always be someone in authority over you, so you can’t really get rid of that.
I prefer to think of it as a short-term - hopefully to become long-term - partnership.
I’m not grovelling for cash, any more than they are for work. I provide a service of benefit to them, and they provide monetary (and perhaps other) compensation.
You left out the scenario’s:
You’re my customer and you want me to do substandard work, I fire you.
You’re my boss and you’re unreasonable, I look for another employer.
It’s an employer’s / customer’s market right now so no problem…there’s plenty of folks waiting in line to get your job while you’re being all broke
I’ve spent alot of time in management and those that accuse the boss of being “unreasonable” aren’t team players, don’t appreciate their job, and are usually just there for the money and are the type of people that try to get attention by rebelling against all authority…they’re not worth having.
Hello everyone. I came across this thread and did a bit of a sigh of relief to see others that share the feelings I do. For the longest time, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I followed my chosen path till the very end to become a digital animator. It was fun and I was good at it, but it turned out I didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped. What killed the enjoyment of doing motion graphics, or any graphic design, were the clients. They could be an unappreciative bunch and they made designing feel more like dreaded work, not the excitement I had hoped for. That and I swear, myself and my colleagues would often mega sigh over clients always picking the least favorite design, it’s like they do it on purpose sometimes heh.
Besides the clients, I can’t fathom spending my life going somewhere everyday, that feels robotic and simply a thing to do to make ends meet. I’d like to enjoy my work and hope that others to, learn on the job and not endlessly pray for lotto to strike to do an instant vanish.
What drives you?
I’m quite resilient and patient. The thought of success and the feeling that comes along with it keeps me pursuing my goal.
What keeps you going through the hard times?
My monkey partner and my gaming obsession keeps me alive. Stress buckets are easily solved with some firepower lol. But he’ll often toss me back up if I need a boost.
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
I started my new business (custom drupal themes) just this year, Feb 2010. Feels like time has flown. I believe I have the same values, to make each theme better, improve them gradually as I learn new stuff, which is practically all the time.
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
Yes well I still do motion graphics and will most likely return full time as I’d need to financially support my goals by myself. But I have quite easily gone days designing all day, creating themes, studying others techniques, learning new techniques, working out problems and it never feels like much time has passed.
Also just had to add…it always seems like some of the people you work with that are above you, never know or understand what you do and expect you to shoot out marvelous works of art in two seconds. I’m tired of the assumptions from others and having to justify or explain, part of every job should be learning about the jobs of those around you. It’d make a much more peaceful atmosphere.
Fantastic question and fantastic answers!
If you were my customer and tried to enforce your authority over me, I’d fire you sooner than you’d think of firing me. The difference from a real boss is that it’s much easier to find new clients than it is to find a new job.
The only authority over me is the government. I’ve never worked for the boss, and I’ve never allowed a customer to be my boss (or rather when I allowed that it’s always turned out ugly), nor I intend to. That’s also why I don’t take paid customers anymore - too many of them thinking that just because they pay you, they automatically become the boss.
Does that make me hard to work with? You bet! But see if I care
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The first reason is that i wanna create some back link of my blog. i havn;t any information that who to create back links for my blog. so i;m here for find some help from that forum. any one plz help me out .
Why?
I found I could do better on my own. I have good ideas, and its nice to be able to use my brain.
What drives you?
That changes, and is something that I have to keep finding in new ways.
What keeps you going through the hard times?
I get outside and get some sunlight, see nature and animals, and meet new people. Then I come back refreshed.
Do you still hold the same core values as when you first started out?
I’ve always liked people, and working with people. I still have that interest today in seeing relationships grow.
Do you eat sleep breathe and practically live what you do ?
No, I have hobbies too, but it is certainly a big part of my life.