A "Plan B" IS Necessary - My Personal Story

 In the last blog article I discussed the question, "Do you NEED a 'Plan B'?" Again, "Plan B" referring to having a "back up" plan or source of income in case your "Plan A" (main plan or source of income) falls through.

You will have to decide that for yourself but, in my opinion, the answer is a great big "YES!".

In this article as well as in the podcast I've done on this topic (see links below) I will discuss my personal, most recent, story about my last "job" and how that situation has, once again, emphasized to me and for me the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY to have a "Plan B" in place and, more than likely, even a "Plan C, D, E, F and G" , if not more.

 

Some of the time frame on this may not be completely correct but, I'll do my best to be as accurate as possible. The main focus of sharing this with you is to help you understand what could happen to you - IF it hasn't happened to you already.  

Back in November of 2021 I answered an ad that I had come across for a job that, to be honest, seemed too good to be true. It was for a job to where I only worked two days a week and had the ability to make $100,000 + my very first year. It was for the position of being a sales consultant (official title was "Clinic Consultant") to close on a $5,000 product offering. 

I applied but, to be honest, I didn't expect much and definitely didn't expect it to actually be a legitimate job opportunity. However, I DID start noticing commercials on my local television channels for this particular company and for the office from which I would be working. That increased my "faith" that this may, indeed, be an incredible opportunity.

Long story short, I was interviewed by a couple of managers, hired and went to a 4 day training at which I caught COVID which delayed my start by about a week. 

I finally started my work the first week in January of 2022 and, after a nervous and slow start for the first couple of weeks, I began to "hit my stride" and began to have some INCREDIBLE results for the two days that I was working for the week. WOW! I was excited and thankful for such an opportunity.

I had already told my wife that I KNEW that I needed to get a "Plan B" in place because this was a job that relied on me being physically present to do the job and it was all commission. In other words, if I didn't work, I didn't make money or even have the opportunity to make money.

In March I noticed that things began to change. Instead of "screening" being done in such a way that the majority of the people I met with being able to actually pay for the product, I was seeing more and more people that were on fixed incomes that had no way to be able to do so.  This greatly was impacting my commission checks and, from what I could tell, it was affecting everyone in the company that held the same position that I did in different offices. 

Even though my commissions took a big hit - probably cut in about half - I was still able to maintain a reasonable amount of income with promises of "it would get better". I was beginning to feel uncomfortable due to the "rah rah" talk that I was hearing that would be similar to someone on a sinking ship stating that "all is well". 

Fast forward to the end of April and everyone in the company that held the same position had their "days to work" cut in half. In other words, I went from 2 days a week (8 days a month) to 2 days every 2 weeks (4 days a month). Again, "Oh, it's going to get better!"

For various reasons, my clientele dropped by about 80% and my commission dropped by about 90%. I knew this was a sinking ship and it was confirmed when, on one of my "off" days, I dropped by the office and found someone there that was about to go to training to take my spot.

I had never had any problems, never been "written up" and had produced well. My managers were not even aware of this move and I discovered that this was happening to others as well.

So, I was out just like that with no "Plan B" in place.

None.

So now I've been scrambling to try to get something going that would enable me to make some good income and also allow me to still work on developing a "Plan B, C, D, E" and so on.

You tell me...after reading that story, would you agree that it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to get a "Plan B" in place?

COVID-19 should have made that very clear to EVERYONE. If you don't know what I'm talking about due to when you read this article, do a little research but, businesses were shut down and not allowed to operate, people were sent home with no way to make an income and MANY of these businesses went OUT of business after being in business for decades.

What if you get sick or hurt and you can't work? What if your spouse or a parent or a child becomes ill or injured to the point that they need YOUR care and attention that would prevent you from working a "regular" 9 to 5 job?

I will continue this discussion in the next article but, until then, ask yourself this question: "How much CONTROL do I actually have over my current situation/job?" 

Be watching for it and, 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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MORE Than Promised!

(be sure to check out the podcast on iTunes or on the RSS feed)

How many times have you heard the phrase, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" And, yet, even though we've heard that often and even though we know it to be true we still often fall for the hype found is so many promises, especially those connected with "opportunities" to make money!

What about the promises and claims that YOU make? Are you still trying to convince YOURSELF that these "too-good-to-be-true" promises are actually valid by repeating those empty claims to yourself? How's that workin' out for ya'?

We've all heard them, right? "Become a millionaire by devoting only 20 minutes a day!" "Make money overnight WHILE YOU SLEEP!" And on and on it goes.

I'll be honest in telling you that I - yes, that's right...me - have fallen for some of these in the past but, hopefully, I've learned better along the way. I have actually come across a few - VERY few- that will tell it like it is and make sure that you understand that it is a HARD and LONG process that will take TIME and a LOT of effort!

Why don't more just go ahead and tell the truth? Because, usually, the TRUTH IS HARD! Who wants hard? Go back to yesterday's podcast about how too many of us are looking for what is EASY instead of what will help us to grow and apply that to today's thoughts.

Listen to what Jim Rohn had to say on this type of thought:

"Better understated than overstated. Let people be surprised that it was more than you promised and easier than you said."- Jim Rohn



Too many in this world OVER promise and UNDER deliver while people like Mr. Rohn emphasize the opposite... the need to UNDER promise and then OVER deliver.

Businesses that catch on to this philosophy thrive. Why? Because they let their customers know that they will go ABOVE and BEYOND anything that they have said and/or promised along the way. Those that want to "cut people short" may exist but, in my opinion, they will never thrive. Remember, it's always easier and far less expensive to keep a REPEAT customer than to have to always be finding new ones.

This applies to how we present ourselves as well. If you have to TELL people how smart, wise, good-looking, humorous, caring, etc. that you are then, well, there's a bit of a problem there! I couldn't think of the name of the song when I was recording the podcast for this topic but I remember it now..."I'm Sexy and I Know It". I'm around a group of teens right now that seem to like to sing this song...especially the guys (it's a male that sings the song, too). I've told them several times, "If you have to tell someone you are - YOU AIN'T!"

Wouldn't you agree?

Let people be surprised instead of disappointed. Don't brag. Show by doing.

I remember watching a television show when I was a kid entitled, "The Guns of Will Sonnett" and Walter Brennan was one of the stars. If I remember right he had something he would say quite often on the episodes of this show. "No brag. Just fact." In other words, what he was saying was NOT bragging, it was just a fact.

Facts are proven to be facts by evidence. Fools fear proof.

Now for the diving board scenario that I've been using all week long. Which would be better - to tell everyone how you can do a 2 1/2 gainer when you don't even know how to dog padde OR to get on the high dive and not make any claims at all. Let me help you out here - MAKE NO CLAIMS and surprise the heck out of everyone! Remember, the fool fears proof and, in this scenario, the fool is going to make all kinds of excuses as to why they won't even JUMP!

So, as you live your life and perhaps even work at expanding your business opportunity OR even just as you live your life...always try to remember to deliver MORE than promised. What a nice surprise for those around you.

Be sure to join me tomorrow for another great quote by the late Jim Rohn. Until then, whatever you do, be sure to...

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

Mike