Here we go, another ‘x steps in becoming ..’ article; however here is my take on 7 steps to opting out of the job paradigm. Before I really begin here is a huge disclaimer: I am currently employed full time, really enjoying what I do whilst still helping local businesses with their online advertising and website management needs. Disclaimer here is that there are plenty good jobs and employers out there no matter where you live and there is absolutely nothing wrong in earning your living as an employee.
This also works for anyone who is looking at parallel opportunities and additional income outside of the standard 9 to 5 grind.
Here are those 7 that I found work
- Build your unique ability and become an expert at it.
All of us are born with something we’re better at than other things. As children, we were good at certain things and enjoyed immersing ourselves in it. We live in the world where our unique ability can earn us lots of money via that great channel called Internet – YouTube, social media. Writing, gardening, investing, what is it for you? - A positive mental attitude.
It is not always what you know but what your attitude toward it is. Look at the opportunities especially when the whole world seems to be crumbling around you (like the global financial crisis of 2008 time) - Have a plan – a vision for greater you.
If you want to get to any destination, you need a map, anyone disagrees with this? If you don’t have a plan for yourself, someone else has a plan for you and you’re not going to like it. Moving right along - Set SMART goals in life – Specific, Measurable, Affect, Realistic and Timed.
Only 5% of people have goals set in life, what are your goals, what do you want to achieve in life? - Find a mentor.
Chinese saying: ‘when the student is ready, master will appear’. Most successful people want to share their successes and all you have to be is a good listener. There are mentors everywhere, in your community, industry, they’re around; all you gotta do is ask them. All successful people have a mentor, sports people have coaches don’t they? - Ready, fire and then aim?!.
Nothing is ever going to perfect, dive in as soon as possible and start doing. - Never give up.
I expand this one with a caveat – never give up till you’ve realised with great certainty that what you’re doing is just not going to work and get onto the next thing, hence – never give up. One of Google’s founders Sergey Brin said that if you’re going to fail at something, you want to do that as quickly as possible so you can move onto the next thing. Brin said this in the context of one of their failures where they invented a system to send a fax over an internet to order pizza! If Google founders failed before inventing Google, I think it’s fair to say that anyone is allowed to do that before succeeding.
Your thoughts in the comment section bellow are appreciated.
And here’s Sergey’s Pizza story
