Mixed Feelings
Well, as some of you know, I have been unemployed for a little while. On one hand, it has been rather difficult. On the other hand, I consider it to be one of the best things to happen to me in recent memory, because if I hadn't lost my job, I probably wouldn't be here right now.
As I have mentioned a couple of times now, I joined last April, but only really got serious at the end of October. If I had been working up until now, I probably would still be delaying/ procrastinating when it comes to the lessons. When I found myself with so much free time, it allowed me to focus on WA in a way I hadn't been able to before.
When I first lost my job, I was hoping that I could start earning some income through my site before my unemployment ran out, so that I would be able to work part-time and then eventually turn my site into my full-time job. Sadly, that hasn't happened.
Now, I have a pretty good lead on a new job, but I have mixed feelings. It is obviously a very good thing that I will be able to work again, but I am sad that I will likely have a fair deal less time for WA. As it is, I haven't been able to give my site and the lessons as much time as I'd like. This will leave me with even less.
I'm going to have to find a way to work less, but better. Or maybe I'll just sleep less. My family is obviously my #1 priority, so getting a job is crucial, but outside of work hours, WA is going to remain #! for me.
I've come across a few tips and tricks lately that will hopefully help me get some traffic to my site. I can (sort of) say that I have steady traffic, as I haven't had a day without at least one visitor to my site, but it's not great traffic because it often is one visitor... Still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that things will pick up.
This is definitely where I want to be, and one way or another, it's where I am staying.
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Sometimes, things happened for reason, my friend. Sometimes, it is a blessing in disguise. Just never surrender. In fact myself this coming July 2017, 2 years since I was on the steady payroll for 13 years.
My young family and I taking all big risks our world could offer after my collapsed, even until today I am still being "attacked" by those irresponsibles that I just refused good 9-5 job offers, latest two weeks ago, 4th job offers I refused since I found the strength again in January 2016. I am totally working with tight capital from the liquidation of assets to stay survive fighting another day.
Just last week seems promising for me as things I working on seems to start to show something good but slow pace.
In truth, I am working on 3-5 things on and offline as of now.
I am sure you will get over all the obstacles! :)
Thank you.
I do believe that things happen as they are meant to happen, which is why I feel that losing my job was actually a great thing in some ways, but it's hard not to worry about finances when you don't have that steady paycheck coming in.
Yes, Sir, it is hard, I can feel that as this month is the 21st month since my last steady paycheck couple with the company only pay me half in the last 2 months prior to my resignation. That last two months I am still fighting my career but the illness getting worse.
But when working on the term of an own business enterprise is really cool stuff too as 3-5 works I am doing now a good base and feeling.
Next 28th April I'll be attending 10 days expo to see the potential of handmade herbal soap from alternative medication Ayurveda that popular for skin related problem like Psoriasis. I am very hopeful the good feedback there as I intend to start as a Seller on Amazon.
IF ANY WORK START TO CLICK NICELY AND REQUIRE COLLABORATION, I WILL TRY LOOKING INTO IT. WE DON'T KNOW ANY POSSIBILITY OF UNPLANNED NETWORKING, SIR.
I WISH ALL WELL FOR YOU AND BEST OF LUCK!
I can relate! I actually started a blog almost 4 years ago, but after I got a full time job, I didn't work on it anymore. I was laid off again 5 months ago, and at my age, closing in on 60, finding work, or at least work that paid anything, has proven next to impossible. Still, as fate would have it, I did get hired as a permanent substitute teacher just days after I joined WA, and my first thought was "Curses! I just found something I love to do, and now I have to go sit in a classroom for less money than I get in unemployment!" On the bright side, the kids are good, and I can write while I'm at school. On top of it all, we're downsizing, and would like to be out of this house by summer. Oy!
I give WA a couple of evenings and one full day per week, and I feel like I'm NEVER going to get where I want to be. The truth is, I'll never get there if I don't keep going, no matter how long it takes. I enjoy your posts and wish you the best. You'll make the right decision.
Thank you!
I smiled all through your response simply because it all sounds so familiar! I have had very similar thoughts/ reactions and I can also relate to the difficulty of finding a job past a certain age. I don't consider myself old by any stretch of the imagination, but employers seem to want people in their 20's for the most part.
I need to focus more and rededicate myself to this. I find that over the past couple of weeks, my determination has dropped a bit, and I think it's visible in some of what I post. I think it's the cumulative effect of frustration on multiple fronts that's getting to me.
Thank goodness for the community here.
Hey, I have full time busy job, gone at 7, home at 7, plus a young family and I can still do 12-15 hours/wk for WA. This can be done on a part time basis if you are determined enough! Generally through less sleep though and any spare time at the weekends.
Best of luck with the new job
Thanks.
Yes, I have effectively given up any and all pastimes for the time being to focus on WA. With any luck it will pay off sooner rather than later.
I too was hoping to be able to quit my job and earn money online, but that hasn't happened to me either. I was so miserable at my office job and couldn't handle it any longer, and I was actually putting myself in a worse financial situation by staying at this job (because my salary was frozen at $42,000/year with no chance of any raise). Since I wasn't making money through my websites, I looked for a new career. I found it at a health insurance company. For a while I will work on-site, such as for training, and I will be there just for 4 hours a day. After a while I will be able to work remotely. My salary will be quite a bit higher as an independent contractor through this company! Also, I will be self-employed and not working for someone else.
That sounds good.
I know that for many people (myself included) it is all too easy to end up at a job that is emotionally unsatisfying as well as not financially rewarding, but it is almost impossible to leave because you don't have another option and you need whatever income you are receiving.
Hopefully the new position will work out for you and allow you the freedom to turn WA nto your full-time enterprise.
Thanks. Yes I knew it was time to start researching work I can do remotely and I can be my own boss. This job at the government wasn't anywhere near financially rewarding.
I'm sure everything will turn out good :)
I imagine many of us have been in the same situation. I leave this weekend for a long term contract where I will be working about 60 hrs per week. I would like to be able to turn WA into my full time enjoyment instead of 60 hrs working. I am well aware of the effort needed to put into this before it will start paying dividends. I do take encouragement from the WA community and how you and others share their story and also struggles.
60 hours per week is pretty rough. I went the better part of a year working 69 hours each week and I really wouldn't want to do it again.
Hopefully we can all turn this into a full-time venture.
I understand where you are. I've been a freelance writer for 14 years and it's very roller coaster like financially. Do what's best for your family and promise yourself 1 hour a day to work on WA. You'll be amazed at how much you get done in that hour. Hang in there!
I will definitely maintain at least a one-hour commitment. I will try for at least two, actually but we'll see how everything goes.
I'm not guaranteed to get this job and if I do, it won't be for another two weeks or so anyway, so I will do as much as I can in that time.
Craig, take the job if you can get it and work p/time on your website until it picks up and starts earning. That's what I am doing and I just hope I can get it earning big bucks so I can go full time on it. It's tough juggling 2 jobs but it's even tougher having no income.
Absolutely.
I guess I'm feeling the need to work on my site/ WA as much as possible because I am seeing the sites of members who started after me which are very attractive and starting to be successful.
I know it's not a race and I know that sometimes it may just be the choice of niche that determines how quickly a site takes off, but I can't help but measure my progress against others at least a little bit, and I think I am going a bit slow in comparison. If I'm slow now, when I have more time, my progress may be glacial when working full time.
Hi Craig,
All the best with your work and you have a really good attitude. Just keep at this as little or as much as you can because as you know, every little bit counts. You already know this is the best place to be so I don't need to tell you that! Again all the very best,
Cheers, Sharon
Hi Craig
I'm in exactly the same position as you. However, we do need money to live! If a decent job offer came up for me, I'd probably also be better off taking it. At least in the short term. But I also believe that this will work out long term, and I love doing it, so don't want to give it up.
The dilemma is whether to grit my teeth and be at this (WA) 24/7 (or as close as possible to that!) so that hopefully it will drastically reduce the time to actually making a living from it, or take whatever comes along, and once again deny my dream of earning a good income while doing what I love and helping people...and there are all sorts of people saying that you can't make a a decent income from this...they look at you as if you have grown two heads!!
I do find myself working far, far longer hours here than I would if I was in formal employment, and struggling to find time to complete all my other (family) commitments. I really don't want to go back into formal employment, and am willing to put in massive personal effort and time and do whatever it takes (apart from spending money which I don't have) to get this right! If reward was based on commitment and effort, I'd surely be doing really well by now!
Anyway, best of luck with whatever you decide to do. Even if you return to work, this can be built up over time, even if it takes longer!
I imagine that the people who think you can't make a living at this are people who have never tried, or who have perhaps made a token effort and given up before seeing success. I know plenty of people like that and I do my best to avoid them.
To me, it is only logical that you can succeed at this, provided you have the right training (which is offered here) and the drive necessary to work at it until you're successful.
I see it as a numbers game: you need to get X number of visitors to have a percentage (Y) of people purchasing, in order to produce (Z) amount of income. All you really need is to get that X, which may take time, but is certainly possible.
I don't have time for other people's negativity anymore. I have my own negative voices in the back of my head and if I allow the opinions of others to bolster them, I'll never succeed, which is what they want.
It can be very hard to remain positive at times, and to believe in everything working out, but there are plenty of people here who ARE successful. The one thing that they ALL have in common is that they didn't quit when it became difficult or scary.
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Hi, Craig, thanks for sharing. I'm a true believer in all things happen for a reason. You're right your family comes first. You'll be able to manage some website work at night or on the weekends. It's not going anywhere. I hope the job works out. All the best.
Ann
Thanks!