Being gainfully unemployed is actually a state of mind, a spiritual awakening and a way of life. Or, it is the fact that you decided to quit your day job and do something fun and exciting. Or, it could be that renting snorkels on a beach in Mexico provides a better chance for advancement. It is whatever you want it to be! The idea behind becoming gainfully unemployed is to work for yourself in such a way that you can actually do better for yourself than as a full-time employee for someone else.

I've always been a highly schedule-oriented individual. I need to have an organized list of tasks that direct me toward an ultimate goal. With that, I knew that if I was ever going to leave my full-time job, I had to sit down and map out my direction. Of course, I had no idea which direction I was going, so I had to figure that out as well.

This article provides an overview of the steps I took in developing my plan of attack. I had to determine what I wanted, where I wanted to go, and how I had to get there.

Prepare Your Plan

The plan is the most important part of starting out on your new endeavor. It is essential to map out your direction so to know how to get to where you want to go. The plan also helps you know when you get there. It can be used for motivation, direction, ideas, and helping to keep you on track when your brain starts on a tangent.

The plan itself is based on three important items:

1. The Mission - A short statement about your overall direction, what you plan to do
2. The Vision - Identifies where you might see yourself in five years. Your long term objective and direction.
3. Your Goals - Identify short-term objectives, the stepping stones to achieve your Mission and reach your Vision.

Set Yourself Up

There are two ways to make it happen for you: quit your job now or set yourself up to be able to step off into a comfortable opportunity. I would suggest the latter as life is much easier when you make it happen your way instead of having to claw and pray that you can pay your bills.

You need to start talking with potential clients and get your name out there. You also need to begin work right away in the direction you want to go by working at night and weekends to make it happen. This step will test your abilities at handling your new venture before you leave your full-time job. If you can't make it happen on a part-time basis, then stop here and keep your day job.

Prepare Your Business

The type of business entity and direction you select is important for professional presentation and for tax purposes. It is important to research your direction and match it against a business entity that will best meet your needs.

Market Your Product or Service