I’d Do These 5 Things Outside Work Hours If I Am Stuck in a Dreadful Day-Job
Because there is always something we look forward to
Many of us hate our day jobs. Nonetheless, we choose to cling on.
There are many reasons for this.
- Maybe that was the job offer from our dream company
- Maybe that was the only option we had on the table
- Maybe this job offered the highest salary
Life hits us with a salvo of maybe lemons.
Then the reality of corporate life kicks in. Millions of things can go wrong.
Our boss is an a**hole. Our colleagues play mind games. Our vendor counterpart takes our money and refuses to do what we want them to.
The light at the end of our tunnel is getting dim.
And you start thinking to hell with this. I am going to do my own thing and build my happy money fountain.
And this is how I do it.
1. Study the Internet & Learn How People Make Their Dollars Online
Don’t waste time engaging in lamentfest with colleagues.
Understand one thing. Misery loves company.
And this is the thing. You spent 3 hours engaging in an activity without (actually) getting anything done. That’s crazy.
Avoid that.
Instead, study the internet. Analyze how people build their businesses online. Type in their name on Google and study the results.
The list of results tells you what that person does to make money online. Type another name. Followed by another.
Ask yourself this question.
Do they inspire you?
If so — Copy what they do.
You are on your way to earning that unbelievable first online dollar.
2. Attend Courses to Meet & Learn from Everyday Superheroes
Perspective is everything.
I met a 60-year-old Auntie in a financial trading class 2 years ago. It was a 2-day class on equity options, and we were there to learn to make money trading the markets.
The lecturer got us to introduce ourselves, and share how much we earn from our day jobs and our target trading income.
The 60-year-old said she made $3,000 per month with FOREX trading. She is here to stack her knowledge of the markets with equity options.
The lecture room was quiet. So was the academic instructor. You can hear the sound of silence rippling through the air.
I paid $800 for the 2-day course. It was money well spent. Auntie 60 shared her skills openly in class.
“When this pattern occurs, do this. Sure win.”
“The bull is coming when you see a wedge. Ride it.”
“Don’t fight against the bear when the bid outweighs the ask.”
And this is the amazing thing.
Auntie 60 trashed all young punks in the paper trading simulation assessment held on the final day.
It proved one thing. Longevity exists when we work on things we enjoy doing. Trading the markets is the answer for Auntie 60.
Post-script: I call her every other day to tap her trading brain for market insights. She is my financial trading lighthouse.
3. Selling Without Selling A.K.A. Writing Online
You must sell to earn. There is no second way around it.
There are many ways to sell without engaging in the act of asking for money. Writing articles online is one example. Your published words sell for you while you get busy typing more words to sell for you.
Writing is a superpower.
Learn it today. Monetize it tomorrow.
It is unbelievably gratifying reading our published work featured in established magazines. I imagine feeling invincible.
Of course, I am still waiting for that day.
4. Learn to Overcome All Kinds of Objections to Grow Your Side-Business
Objections are your best friend if you want to build a small business on the side. The reason is simple. They keep coming at you.
And intelligence is about knowing what to do when sh*t hits the fan.
The epitome of human intelligence is in full display during a sales discussion. Prospects will tell you unbelievable things to wriggle out of a sales discussion.
- “My pet dog is sick. I need to rush Teddy to the A&E. Talk tomorrow.”
- “I need to go home and feed my baby. Let me call you back.”
- “I need to do more research before answering you.”
- “I need my wife’s permission to spend $100.”
- “Can you give me an 80% discount?”
- “Do I get a lifetime guarantee?”
Do you want prospects to hand their wallet over to you?
Then learn to blow past their objections. You can do that by practicing your sales skills daily.
I recommend spending one year in the sales department of your day job. It prepares you for life as a future side-business owner.
That was what I did in my 20s.
No regrets.
5. Find A Mentor You Trust and Apprentice for 1 Year
No kidding. I started my 1-Man consulting practice this way.
KB was a senior bid manager in my first job. He does deal pitches. And he is known to be the best in the firm. KB had a 75% deal closing rate.
We are talking about 6-digit, 7-digit, and 8-digit deals here.
I offered to apprentice for KB when he left to start his consulting practice. I wanted to learn about deal pitches, client presentations, and sales closing from him.
I worked and studied under him for 3 hours daily after work. It was difficult because I worked until midnight. I dutifully did what he needed me to and observed him from afar.
I asked myself the following questions every evening.
- Why is he doing this?
- Why is he doing it this way?
- Why does he choose to work with Client A and not B?
Active learning is like practicing martial arts.
You must observe and practice. Do your homework. Ask only when you have done so. Your mentor will happily explain when you have paid your dues.
KB did that. He got me to think like a seasoned consultant.
Here’s another tip.
Your mentor is where you want to be. Don’t suck away all their time and energy. Our job is to learn, not disturb.
Parting Keynotes
Sometimes, we are out of luck.
That dream job on paper may turn out to be a nightmare. That is life. There is no need to be too harsh on ourselves.
At the same time, we must learn to spiral ourselves forward.
We cling to the job we hate because we need money to pay the bills.
Instead of clinging on mindlessly, I propose we learn how to build happy money fountains.
Here’s why.
We only have 1 life, people. It is silly wasting our precious time earning unhappy dollars when there are alternatives.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
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