For years we've been employees in various organizations.
Our attitude of "making your business our business" was misunderstood.
Employers are often in-between the desire to have highly motivated employees and the fear of control being taken away from them.
In many developed countries the notion of private life is rather hard hammered in everyone. No matter how big of a party animal you are in your private life, here "private" is defined against the "public place" which is the workspace i.e. "not work".
We are not after the money.
We are after the lifestyle.
This often results in the expectation of you doing your work (if not merely coming to your workplace) from 8 to 6 and then going home to "rest" and not think about your work. If you do otherwise you are frowned upon.
Multiply by 40 years of service and you've got the recipe of success for Joe Public.
If one does go a different route and stops being an employee it is often expected from them to become an entrepreneur - a risk-taking, dangerous breed of a beast who would sell his mother to you if he has a chance.
Alas, public does not distinguish an entrepreneur from a business owner.
Though one does not exclude the other and often these are combined in one person they do have different targets and different sets of values.
I always thought of us as business owners. We do have leadership, we have plenty of creativity and we do have a plan.
The goal is not becoming super-rich, however... though this would be a welcome bonus.
The goal is to enjoy the process. Think cash-flow vs. account balance.
