I keep getting questions about how I can juggle three to four jobs, family, friends and a life. The answer is that I made my own niche by being flexible with some things and sticking to my guns with others. You can too. Whether it is in business, relationships or life in general, you can build your own life up the way you want to.
Out of work? Need money? I have been in and out of work as a consultant, and back in the day I was out of work and deep in debt. I slogged my way out of it the same way that you are doing. One day at a time. At one point in my life in Florida I was picking corn with migrant farm workers. You do what you need to do to survive and keep your integrity intact.
Was it easy? No. Did it hurt at times? You bet. I came to the conclusion that you had to be yourself and make life work for you on your terms. The way that I have become flexible is that I have become very good at retraining.
I started off as a mainframe programmer and have progressively stayed current with other systems and the punchline is that my old Cobol skills are still marketable. I also can learn any new system or language fairly quickly. This isn’t bragging, it is a fact from learning other skills on my own. I decided early on in life not to always wait for permission to learn something. If there is something that I want to do, I go out there and try to do it.
With the economic realities the way they are I also know when to dial it back. Some people want to hire you just for the gig that they want you to do. Then that is all that I will present to them. People like to pigeonhole other people into comfortable slots but in this Depression a lot of images and ideas are out the window.
Do Depressions last forever? It sure seems that way but the truth is there is always work. Even in countries that had horrible times like Italy, people survived after wars, Depressions, more wars and the country is still around. I am hopeful that here in the United States because money is a great driver of commerce that things will recover.
We have the workforce and people wanting to work. We need our states to make it more conducive for money to come back into the states and easier for firms to start up business so they aren’t getting taxed to death or strangled by regulations.
Getting back to my advice to people who wonder how I do it-fall in love with something. Whether it is someone or some thing (hopefully something positive and not a cult) and lose yourself in your desire to make things work whether it is for your family, friends, a good charity or what have you. Just make sure that you do so wisely and try to save some money along the way as you do it.
When you lose your sense of self in what you do, time goes quickly. When I am designing or programming i can look at a screen and before I know it, eight hours have passed. That happens to people who get immersed in video games as well. They love the games so much that they don’t want to leave.
Reality is a lot better than fantasy once you decide to make things better for yourself and the people around you. Remember that I am not asking you to be a sucker, but to start looking around you. If you are doing this already, more power to you.
I decided to start publishing my own books because there was a need for information on Rett Syndrome that wasn’t covered in a few of the books. I felt a “first strike” book was needed. That led to me publishing other books where part of the proceeds go to research Rett Syndrome. It was something I had a stake in and could lose myself in as part of my work.
For those of us who are working, please remember to be grateful you have a job. For those of us who are not working, be grateful you are alive. Life is life and sometimes it is better than other times.
If you are caring for a special needs person, my heart especially goes out to you and you are in my thoughts. You can develop a lot of love for the person and for life by caring for a person who isn’t able to help themselves like you and I can. You may also be exhausted, tired and frustrated at times so please make sure that you make time for meditation or repose. You deserve it.
Be well everybody and be healthy, wealthy and wise (and happy).
Sep 02 2009
Also, please don’t quite go anywhere yet. Having some tax issues or tax questions? Any problems with trying to make it through the financial Depression we are in that is making you depressed? Please read on.
I am expanding my practice and taking on new tax clients. If you are interested in having somebody who is a successful businessman and tax professional with integrity review your returns discretely and see if your tax guy or gal is doing a good or goofy job, please drop me an email or post a comment with your contact information and time.
I have experience in international business, small businesses, partnerships, multi-state tax returns (they can get complicated) and anything else you can probably think of.
I also do business consulting and have ran several businesses (still running a few) myself so you are in good hands. Did I also mention that I have authored over a dozen books that are still in print? I invite you to please check them out.
If you are looking for a day job, part time work, suggestions for saving money or investing, please check out my book, Practical Money Making, that is listed right after his paragraph in this very post. There are some great suggestions and ways to survive the Depression we are in.
Interested in any of my books? You may want to make a stop over here. Please click through to purchase my books and some other interesting items that actually ARE on sale.
Have you read my book, “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea“? Please order it today. The tips inside can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Tax planning should be done year round and not just two weeks into January or later.
Part of all the proceeds from the sales of that book go to Rett Syndrome research. One girl is born with Rett Syndrome worldwide every fifteen minutes. My daughter Arianna has Rett. Thanks for your support.
Kim Isaac Greenblatt
Make Your Own Niche