I have a good friend who has been unemployed for 2 years.

He’s smart and can be very charming, when he wants to be. His expectations have always been high, so he has said no to a few opportunities which he felt were beneath him.

Recently – he was in a perpetual state of despair, lacking the motivation to move on.

Unemployment is like that. I was there once too. It sucks the life out of you, and eventually, you give up.

But staring him in the face – and anyone who is unemployed – are a million hidden opportunities for self-employment.

The world is in rough shape, and in need of help in so many ways.

Yet – how do you get someone whose self-esteem is at an all-time low, to take the chance and strike it out on their own?

It’s hard enough to convince someone who is doing well to become an entrepreneur, let alone someone who is not doing well.

In a recent chat with my friend, I asked the question, “Can you tell me what you have to lose? Especially if I give you the moral support you will need?”

His answer: Nothing

All of the ideas we spoke about did not involve capital expenditure. I started my business with zero money, and today – more than ever – guts, determination and ideas will trump money any day.

He may be down, but he’s far from out.

Just the learning experience alone makes a run at freelancing or independent contracting worth it – regardless of how things turn out. No MBA can teach you like “doing it.”  The fascinating thing is that when you start something, it often morphs into something else better.

My friend spent his days doing odd chores around the house, wandering aimlessly in search of meaning.

Now – he looks forward to getting up in the morning – to make plans, brainstorm ideas with me on Skype and most importantly – to start believing in himself again.

Most employers do not have your best interest at heart. Many so-called “friends” will criticize you, then quickly move on and forget about you.

Today, and every day, people with experience and smarts are fired by faceless entities because of “restructuring.”

We’re not here to cater to the whims of others.

We are here to make our own mark.

What have you got to lose?