Give Thanks — for What?

I know that with downsizing, reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions, dried up venture capital, etc. it may appear to be a bleak holiday season.  We continue to hear from people who have been on the receiving end of “Axed, canned, decruited, deselected, destaffed, negotiated departure, personnel surplus reduction, redundancy elimination,  selectively separated, and workforce imbalance correction.”

But we are also hearing from many people who realize they have been given freedom to pursue their dreams – to find or create meaningful, fulfilling and profitable work.  One lady said she had been given the “grace of interruption” in her work life.  Others are describing these unexpected changes as “reinvention, graduation, repurposed, unencumbered by employment, released to fly free, transitioning from caterpillar to butterfly, and prompted to success.” 

Whatever your situation, this is a great time to be anticipating the beginning of a new year.  In 1937, Napoleon Hill wrote this in the original edition of “Think and Grow Rich:”  “The ‘depression’ was a blessing in disguise.  It reduced the whole world to a new starting point that gives every one a new opportunity.” 

Now I doubt that people going through the depression saw it a blessing.  But it did give rise to thousands of new ventures and fresh career direction for many people.  Maybe now is your time to simply give thanks for being given a new opportunity.

Need an Extra $15,000?

Need an extra $15,000?  I have a proposition for you.  Recently I purchased 5000 copies of the Spanish edition of 48 Days to the Work You Love from my publisher.  While sales of 48 Days to the Work You Love continue to rock I didn’t really have any plan for these Spanish versions and as of right now they are just sitting in our warehouse.  So before I initiate my own plan to sell these out I’m offering you an opportunity to exercise your creativity and innovation.  Many of you are looking for new opportunities.  New opportunities come easiest with new ways of thinking, so here’s your chance. 

This book retails for $9.95.  I’ll give you anything over $3.00 each. So if you discount them 40% and sell them for $6.00 each you’ll get 5000 x $3.00 or $15,000.  Sell them for $7.00 each and you’ll get $20,000.  Get a deal for $3.50 and you’ll get $2500.  You determine where you’ll end up. 

You could:

• Have one included in each freshman welcome packet at the University of Mexico this fall.
• Include a book in McDonald’s Happy Meal.
• Have Bank of America give a book as a bonus with any new account opened in San Antonio.
• Recycle the paper and print your own book.
•  ??????

What I want is an imaginative but doable plan to sell all 5000 copies.  I don’t want a plan to sell 50 or 100.  I reserve the right to accept or reject any plan presented – but trust me, I’m open to something really radical.  You’ve got until the end of July.  You don’t need any investment, any credit approval process – only your unique plan.  And I do mean a plan – I don’t want just an idea that I have to implement.  You make the arrangements – close the deal!

This could be your ticket for several months’ mortgage payments or your nest egg for your own business start-up.  The clock is ticking.  Be the first with a real plan and we’ll let everyone know how brilliant you are.   Just post your plan here – you’ll obviously be credited with the idea if you’re first in line.

Just Gimme a Little More Time!

In the first few moments of the movie Collateral, the taxi driver, played by Jamie Foxx, tells Tom Cruise’s character: “I’m not in this for the long haul.  This is just filling in—I’m putting some things together—I’m going to open my own limo service.” Cruise asks him, “How long you been doing this?” To which the taxi driver replies, “Twelve years.”

This is a classic example of how life happens.  I once saw a client who had taken a temporary job at a bank. He knew that wasn’t where he wanted to be; it was just a fill-in job while he did his real job search. That was fourteen years ago. Life just happened; he got used to where he was and didn’t take enough initiative to move on to a higher level of success.

Here is a step-by-step process for change (with example clarifications):

1. Clarify your current situation.

• I have been in the same job for twelve years with no change in sight.
• I detest the monotony of my job.

2. Seek the advice and opinions of other people.

• I will ask four or five trusted friends or professionals what they would do if they were in my situation.
• I will ask the members of my Sunday School class what they would advise.

3. Identify the alternatives.

• I could go back to school and get a degree in education.
• I could create a clear focus and do a job search with a company with some advancement potential.
• I could start my own chauffeuring service.
• I could request a manager’s position with my current company.

4. Choose the best alternative.

• I will start my own chauffeuring service.

5. Act.

• I will create my business plan in the next thirty days, give my two weeks’ notice fifteen days after that, aggressively plan to purchase my own vehicle by that time, and be open for business sixty days from now.

Whether it’s choosing a new school, a new place to live, a new car, or a retirement center for a parent, you must keep a clear deadline in view.  Otherwise, procrastination will lead to indecision.

The point is this: Don’t wait on perfect conditions for success to happen; just go ahead and do something.

Okay the Ferrari limo — that may be just my dream, but anything’s possible

Don’t force me to live my dream

Each week I create a new online radio podcast — answering a few of the many questions we receive. Here are some of this week’s questions you can hear discussed on the 48 Days Radio Show.  I start this show by talking about how you can “earn” a free 48 Days Seminar Package ($649) by being a facilitator in your company or church. 

1.  I hate my job so much it depresses me. I feel trapped and my attitude at work is costing me opportunities. I try very hard to not think negatively. I need my income but I want out BADLY. I am not good a making friends and would rather work in a position that I could work at alone, any suggestions? 

2.  Married, 42, kids are grown, and debt free except for the house. I make $70K, together we make $130k.. I am working on BA in Business Administration. I am MISERABLE and tired of working for someone else. I want my own business. I don’t know what my calling is and don’t know how to find it or where to start.   

3.  Hello Mr. Miller, I find myself not reading your emails that come to my email account weekly because it forces me to think about how I really need to step out on faith and start living my dream. I am going to start my own business in 2008, so I need to know if I need a Business Plan to start my business. I have two ideas………….. 

4.  I’m self-employed. That’s the good news. The bad news is I really dread what I do. I’ve had two career paths evaporate from under me due to market conditions and company closures, so I went into business for myself. Now I’m faced with long days, customers who won’t pay on time or at all, and I’m physically worn out from performing the work. This is NOT what is supposed to happen. HELP!!!   

5.  I would like to start submitting articles I write to magazines/newspapers for publishing. What do I do to protect the content of my work and make sure I get paid for it? 

6.  Hi Dan, After listening to your podcast I’ve built up my courage to pursue my dream career – illustrating celebrities! At the moment I am working in a stressful atmosphere, doing administration in an auction house. I am eager to quit as soon as possible because it is so depressing, but I don’t want to jeopardize my financial stability while I pursue freelance illustration.  What do you suggest I do? Thank you,