Having written in my last post about the 9 Steps to Reinvent Yourself - how to lead a more fulfilled life by undergoing change from time to time - Stonehenge's reinvention as a musical instrument brought a smile.
And with reinvention still on my mind, I was particularly interested to come across a report from The Centre for Entrepreneurs, Migrant Entrepreneurs: Building Our Businesses, Creating Our Jobs.
Whatever your take on the current wide-ranging immigration debate, the report makes for some motivational reading.
Migrant Entrepreneurs, or 'MigrEnts' as they are being called, are people who really do reinvent themselves. From another country and often a completely different culture, alone and without knowing anyone who cares about their welfare, they still manage to set up in business and make it a success.
In fact, the report reveals that migrant entrepreneurs are setting up one in seven of all new UK companies, and have much higher levels of entrepreneurial activity - 17% of non-UK nationals have launched their own business as opposed to 10.4% of British-born individuals. They also go into business younger, so have an average age of 44 as opposed to 52 for 'native' entrepreneurs.
More often than not, they start with far more challenges in comparison to the rest of us.
You are almost certainly well-educated, quite possibly with a university degree that has equipped you with an excellent foundation of knowledge and skills - theoretically that's a pretty good starting point.
Also, as an experienced professional you are used to the demands of meeting targets in a high-pressure environment and are able to produce a good standard of work consistently.
Your career to date has exposed you to knowledge, events and experiences that give you an insight that others don't have, so you're at an information advantage.
You're also in your comfort zone, living in a country whose culture and values you understand, rather than far away from your own country and your own family, where the strangeness of everything can seem bewildering and overwhelming.
You speak and write English fluently, so you can communicate effectively with others. Many immigrants have to learn the language from scratch.
Thanks to having had a good career to date, you have a credit history, and probably some savings, which could make borrowing funds either to start a business, or to 'featherbed' you while waiting for money to come in from your first clients, easier.
As a native, you're accepted socially, rather that regarded with suspicion or distrust because you 'fit' others expectations.
When it comes to starting a business, all these things put you ahead of the game. So if MigrEnts, can overcome all these obstacles and still succeed, what could you do if you tried?
Of course, one major reason why many of them succeed is simply because they have few other options.
You do. But are you really happy using your talents working for others in an unforgiving corporate environment, enduring the inevitable poor work/life balance, and continually worried about possible redundancy (an issue that hasn't gone away yet, despite our emergence from the recession)?
I want you to ask yourself why you aren't in business for yourself. Be honest with your answers.
Is it because you haven't thought of that 'killer' idea?
The good news is that while it would be great to have one, you don't actually need it. For instance, many very successful businesses these days were based on their owner's hobbies or interests, which has then enabled them to serve a niche market particularly well. If you really are short on ideas, just sign up for our newsletter as this will push your entrepreneurial genes and train you to see where opportunities are hidden.
Is it because you think becoming an entrepreneur is too much of a challenge?
If so, that's probably just your corporate background talking. But we can help you shift your thinking so you develop the entrepreneurial mindset needed for business success. We've done it many times for others.
Is it because you think you don't have the necessary skills?
That may be true, but you can learn them, just as you've done with everything else you know now that once was all new.
Is it because you're risk averse and don't want to take the chance of leaving 'secure' employment?
The truth is, no job is secure any more. When you work for a corporate business, someone else is always calling the shots and that means your job isn't safe at all. That's why so many across the corporate sector are still being made redundant every month.
Is it because others are depending on you and you feel that you have to battle on with a job you no longer like, no matter how miserable you are, to meet their expectations?
Well, you don't have to make the move from employment to entrepreneurship in one big leap. Many of our clients make the transition in a controlled way, often by running an online business in the background before leaving their job.
Or is it because you're someone who struggles with taking action?
Even if you are making decisions all day long at work, sometimes it's difficult to take action for ourselves. If this is the case, then having a third party like us to hold you to account for your actions, could make a big difference when it comes to moving you forward.
If the prospect of enduring never-ending commutes, long office hours and paperwork catch-up weekends, constant stress and increasing pressure seems easier than having a go at creating a financially rewarding, fulfilling future for yourself, where you're the one in control, that has to be your decision.
But if you would love to swap one for the other, or at least begin to explore how much better your live could be, then sign up for The Corporate Escape newsletter and be inspired by the insights and ideas we will share with you.
Ready To Take Action?
What's been the main reason why you haven't yet considered starting out on your entrepreneurial journey? Let us know in the comment box below.
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Looking for more inspiration from the Award winning author, speaker and coach Maite Baron, then download 2 free chapters from her Nautilus 2014 Award winning book Corporate Escape The Rise of the New Entrepreneur. With the bonus that you will receive her weekly thought provoking updates. Get your download here.