Talk of Backup Plans
If you have followed my posts you would know that I am currently experiencing cut-backs at my job. Despite the fact I am a casual worker, I am fortunate to still have a job. Infact, it looks like I will still have this job going into 2015, and that makes me feel good about ending this year on a positive and beginning next year in much the same fashion.
I work as a pick/packer in a large mining warehouse; if I'm not packing parts than I'm driving forklifts. I must admit that I really like the job where I am placed; and if I'm perfectly honest, I'd like to stay there for as long as they'll have me, because let's face it, I am only there for as long as 'they' need me. Initially I was told I would only have this placement for three to four weeks, but thankfully I have been fortunate enough to have been at my current job going on five months.
With the recent talks of cutbacks and redundancies a lot of my co-workers have been talking about "backup plans". When I thought about it, I guess I had been working on my 'backup plan' for quite some time now. However, when I thought about again, I realised I wasn't so much working on my backup plan, but more so working on my future; or working on my goals in preparation for my future.
If you are one of those who are asking others if they have a backup plan, than I would suggest you prepare your backup career plan right now. That way you would avoid being a victim of any cut-backs. Whether you think your job is safe or not (like mine) this would be a great time to plan your future. When we are feeling happy and positive we are relaxed and have a clear chain of thought. While you are thinking with such clarity this would be a great time for you to perhaps learn new skills or entertain the idea of earning a second if not new stream of income.
You could use this time to reassess what you would prefer to do going forward, rather than be forced into a job due to the necessity. When you have bills and a mortgage to pay it can often diminish your belief that anything is possible. So, while you're working now, and whilst you still have firm control of your finances, why not use this as an opportune time to look at creating your backup plan to secure your future.
Sitting down with a pen and paper to write out your goals and how you would achieve them is a great place to start. Perhaps you could look at taking night classes, or becoming a part-time student. Or, maybe you've always wanted to start your own business, now would be a great time for you to think seriously about those things.
If your budget allows, you could allocate a small percentage of your wages to learning new skills. For myself, I chose to do this. I put aside 10% of my weekly wages, and if I work overtime, all of that money goes into learning new skills as well.
When the idea of learning new skills became a new goal for me I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do or be; and rather than waste time trying to figure that out, instead I chose to start reading self-help books till I knew exactly what it was I wanted my furture me to look like. I had figured that while I was still making a firm decision on my future me than I would at least be saving a decent amount of money to start taking classes.
What I learnt through reading books written by Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Robert Kiyosaki and Zig Ziglar, changed my thoughts almost immediately. I had originally thought I would take classes and courses and work at gaining a degree (finally). Then I changed to looking at an opportunity where I could EARN while I learnt, which lead me back to network marketing. Only this time, I was going to become a professional network marketer and not just a poser or an amatuer.
Like all professions I needed to learn the real skills and real strategies to achieve the goals I had planned for myself as a network marketer. That meant I needed to buy the books, audios, kits, attend the meetings, attend the trainings, tune into the webiners, and put everything I was learning into practise.
While my longterm goal is to be financially free through network marketing, my immediate goals are to become disciplined and focused in learning everything necessary.
Recent Comments
1
Great to sit down and write out a plan like that. We all need backup plans. Mine isn't network marketing but internet marketing. That just seems more reliable to me as network marketing usually means that you are tied to one company and their whims. You will do well here at WA. Best wishes to you.
Glenda