Are YOU in CONTROL Without a "Plan B"?

At the end of my last article I asked the question (or similar): "What CONTROL do you have over your current situation/job?"

Sure, consider the obvious things such as being told when you can or cannot go to the restroom or take your lunch break. Depending on the schedule, do you even GET a lunch break? Wow, how about trying to schedule your vacation only to be told that you can't because of some "reason" that those "in charge" decide that they want to do first?

Are you able to participate in your child's school activities? Even if it's just trying to get off a little early to do so? How many days can you take off to take care of a child that is sick and has to stay home from school? 

But let's go a little deeper on this thought...

What control do you have over actually KEEPING your job?

Yes, I understand that there is a LOT that you can do to make sure that you not only keep your job but get promoted with your job. A lot of people want to do the minimum and expect the maximum in benefits by doing so. It just doesn't work that way.

I'm referring more to situations like what I discussed in the last article and podcast about my own personal recent situation. 

The bottom line - the TRUTH - is that you DON'T have control when it comes to the actions of those above you that could greatly impact your ability to keep your job. You DON'T have control over whether or not your company decides to shut down and move the company to a foreign country. You DON'T (and DIDN'T) have control over the government forcing your company to completely shut down which put you and everyone else out of work. For how long? Again, out of your control. 

So, yes...you DO have some control over your own actions and abilities. Your habits and your work ethic. But, beyond that...how much control do you actually have?

The only real way to GET 

(and maintain) control is 

to TAKE control!

This may surprise you but, in this article, I have no solutions for you on this problem. I have no suggestions for you. 

Why? I honestly have yet to find something that has worked for me. Now, I know others that have done GREAT things with a "Plan B" and, yes, have also developed a "Plan C, D, E, F", etc.  I'm working on some things right now and...if they work out for me, I'll let you know. 

Here's the thing: There is PLENTY of information out there about "side gigs" and putting together a "Plan B". Again, COVID really brought the need for such to the fore-front. 

BOTTOM LINE: Don't wait to begin your search when you are under pressure to MAKE something happen! That generally will cause you to make poor decisions and it will also remove your ability to be patient with the process.

I do have something planned that might be of assistance to you in this area. I am currently working on a series entitled, "People of Passion" in which I will be interviewing a few people that I have connected with either personally or via online sources that have exhibited a sense of happiness and passion in their lives. Some of these are also involved in some "Plan B/Side Gig" opportunities and some are not. Be watching for that!

I'll leave you with this: "If you are not in control of (fill in the blank), chances are, someone else is."

Until then remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Taking Care of Business NOW!

NOW!

Some of you may think of Elvis when you hear the phrase, "Taking Care of Business" while others (like myself) think of the song by Bachman Turner Overdrive (yeah, BTO sings TCB...I just love all of these abbreviations).

And, you may be wondering what this has to do with our current discussion on LOVING WHAT YOU DO. Hang with me here...it's an easy leap on this one.

First of all, remember, we have been talking about a video featuring a man that worked as a janitor when he won the state lottery. What did he do? He kept right on working his janitor job because of his love for the track program and his desire to donate money to help build a new track for the school. He had a PURPOSE and a PASSION for what he was doing so it didn't matter to him that he didn't HAVE to keep working as the janitor. He WANTED to!

That is when you know you are at your "dream job". When you don't HAVE to do it but you do it anyway.

Now tell me, would being a JANITOR ever have been on your list of answers as being anyone's "dream job"? Likely not. But it brings on the main point of this whole discussion.

Here it is: it doesn't matter what ANYONE else thinks about what you are doing or what they think you SHOULD be doing. It's up to YOU to live your dream, whatever it may be.

Now then, most of us think of something far more elegant when we think of our dream job, don't we? But, again, let me refer to a question I asked early on in this series that SHOULD give you a clear view of your "dream job" - If money were not an issue, what would you be doing?

Well? Surely by now you have come up with an answer to this question if you have been following this series.

But the curve ball comes when we look at where we WANT TO BE and then at where WE ARE and we don't like what we see. The "wanna' be" is a long ways away from our "what is".

What then?

Yesterday I suggested that it might be possible to learn to love what you are doing even if you are not doing what you love (your "dream job"). I hope you have thought about that.

On yesterday's podcast I encouraged you to really try to brainstorm and think of HOW you can approach your current job with excitement rather than dread. WHAT CAN YOU DO to approach your day and your job with a challenge so that you get out of the rut of whining and complaining?

One thing that may be absolutely necessary is to change who you hang around with at the office!

BREAK FREE from those that do nothing but whine and complain but also never lift a finger to try to improve their position or make any attempt to actually do their best for the company.

How many times have you heard someone say something like this (and YOU may have been one of the ones to say it!): "Well, I'm not doing one thing more than I have to! If I don't HAVE to do it then I'm not going to do it!"

May I be blunt? What a loser mentality!

What if you decide to TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS RIGHT NOW where you are TODAY?

What if you decided to put 100% of your effort into doing the very BEST job that you can RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW?

What if you did this today, tomorrow and EVERY day from now on?

What do you think would happen?

I can tell what would happen - THINGS WOULD CHANGE!

You don't need me to tell you what might change for you, do you? Take a moment and write down everything you can think of that would change for you if you adopted this approach.

Why not STOP dreading the day at work and why not TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS when you go to work today and start learning to love what you do (which is simply loving the fact that you are living up to your potential!) until you get to the point that you can finally have the "job of your dreams" and do what you love.

Thing is, you just might find out that this "dream job" was right under your nose all along.

Think about it.

And, until next time, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com