To break out on your own or not?

One of the reasons I was focusing on the homefront during my hiatus was I have been trying to decide what to do with my career (If you can say what you do for a livinig at 45 years old is a career). I have always wanted more sovern time for myself and my family. I have always wanted to call my own shots. I have always been successful for whomever I have worked but the lion share of the money has always ended up in their pocket and not mine.

I have been a good hunting dog and brought back the bird for my master to eat. So he can sit around the lodge and brag about his day in the field. When in reality the lazy bastard did nothing but sit in his blind with a warm cup of joe, while I went out and riled the prey. He then stood up shot the dumb birds and then sent me to retrieve the trophy he would later mount on his wall.

I have always been gratful for those who have given me the opportunity to work and I have always been paid well as a wageslave. But I have never had any atonomy. I have always had to be at a certain place at a certain time or drop everything I am doing and run off somewhere else on my bosses whim.

I want some of the time for me now. I want time to write whatever I want to write along with my appraisal and consulting work. I want to get up when I want to and make my own travel arrangements. I want to decide when I spend the 8 to 10 hours a day at what I do when I want to do them. I have no aversion to work I just want more control over how it is done and when it is done.

I also need the balls to make the jump.

Does anyone out there have this experience? How did you do it? How did it go for you? How do you feed a family on dreams?