HAVE you ever thought about setting up your own business? Or perhaps you are in the early stages, having already made the decision?

However prepared you think you are, it will be a steeper learning curve than you expect, and the tough times are very tough. But the good times are amazing and there's no feeling like it!

Running a business is a constantly challenging process which can be mentally very tiring – every day you are confronted with new situations and decisions to be made.

Your own business can be all-consuming, not least because when you work for yourself it doesn't feel as much like 'work' — but also, if you don't do something no-one else will!

Inevitably there are times when there aren't enough hours in the day and you have to choose between work and family, or work and friends.

Try not to over commit yourself, leave yourself some spaces in your diary every week so if last-minute meetings come up (which they inevitably do), you can fit them in without having to cancel other things.

Yes, working for yourself can mean a greater degree of flexibility about when and where you work, but it can also mean you are working harder for longer hours. In the early stages, at least, your business really only consists of you, and what you get out is directly proportional to how much time and effort you are prepared to put in.

The rewards are great but, as with most things in life, you don't get something for nothing, and often the rewards of your own business are higher because the risks are greater.

Every success is your own, but equally so is every failure, and staying focused on what you are trying to achieve overall is essential to not getting dragged down by small issues.

Accepting you will make some mistakes along the way is essential.

Every successful entrepreneur will tell you they had difficult times; moments when they thought they might not make it. But if things seem impossible, just remind yourself that you are doing it because you wanted to, and chose to.

You put yourself in the situation and you have the power to change it — one thing at a time.

Whatever you do, make sure you take the time occasionally just to stop and enjoy it.

And, lastly, always remember that everything always takes longer and costs more than you think it will!