If you are not busy living, then you must be busy dying. Most of us do this subconsciously and are unaware of which side of this equation we reside on. It must follow then that if you have lots of money, you are probably busy living and living well. Everybody wants more money. But is it the money itself or is it the freedom it buys? Lots of money = lots of freedom.
On the opposite side are the people busy dying. It must follow then that their income falls short of the mark. They cannot meet their obligations, their debts are growing, and there is more month at the end of their money. Yet fuel prices, housing costs, taxes, even groceries keep rising. How do you budget an inadequate income? So they add on a part-time job to make up the deficit. Lack of money = lack of freedom.
In one month alone, nearly 400,000 people went to Search Engines for "self help".
* 1,324,817 for help with depression
* 910,029 for help coping with divorce
* 355,077 for help with anxiety
* 276,647 for help with an addiction
* 131,850 for help with anger management
* 73,183 for help with panic attacks
So, how do we correct this? More money is the only solution and there are many ways to do this. For most, it is not how much they earn but how much they are able to keep. This is the single most important difference between becoming wealthy and staying poor. Spending more than we earn leads to certain financial disaster, yet most people do just that.
The poorest people would never think to buy knowledge or invest in their greatest asset ? their brain. Certainly the easiest way to gather financial knowledge is through educational publications on the subject. Yet the ones who desperately need this knowledge almost never read it. They think poor and so do nothing to change it.
All too often we entertain the thought that there may be a shortcut to wealth. We dream about winning a lottery, or investing in a popular trade, or jumping into an Internet wonder-business that promises you a license to print money ? (been there, done that).
I'm sure by now you think I'm going to come up with the perfect solution to this problem and I wish that were even possible. But I'll offer my two cents for what it's worth. Let's start a new generation with one parent staying home with the kids. Like the old days we seniors like to say. And it doesn't always have to be the at-home-mom; plenty of dads can fill this need and do a superb job; I happen to know a couple of them first hand.
We live in a new millennium where dotcom millionaires are made every day. So I will make earning a living online my solution, because it is the only way a parent can stay at home without fracturing the family budget. And I'm not talking about paid surveys, stuffing envelopes, secret-shopper, or (god-forbid) telemarketing! Usually this is too little, too late.
To realistically run a business from your home, you must set aside some funds for start-up costs. Free is swell, but in the end it will not pay the bills. Compared to a brick and mortar business $1000-$2000 is not unreasonable. Currently, a McDonald franchise goes for 3.5 million! And what good are profits if you are imprisoned by your business. There is no freedom in the food business (been there done that too).
You will need some tools to run your business proficiently. Don't start out with a handicap like some one-armed paperhanger. You will need everything going for you if you are to succeed. Properly equipped, you will appear to be a serious business person but more importantly, you will feel like one.
Start with a domain name, a hosting company and unlimited phone service. A lot of your time will be in conference and follow-up calls. You will need a toll-free number if you want prospects to contact you ? most will pass on a long distance call. You should automate your business as much as possible because you will be splitting your time between home and office duties. A Lead service and Autoresponder would be beneficial. A secluded place for your new business would be ideal and should be labeled "off-limits" during your scheduled work-time.
Working at home can be challenging if you don't have discipline. You have to resist morning TV shows and learn to say 'no' until friends and relatives realize that you do have a job with a schedule to keep. A structured day is almost mandatory, especially with small children. It does get easier when they are in school. Your day can match school hours and the many camp-options can eat up the summer months. And oh yes, you will be able to afford it by then.
So the next step is to search for the perfect home-business. Personally, I like independent sales so I don't have to share my profits with several upliners. I also like residual income to be the larger part of my earnings. What is residual income? It's when income continues to flow automatically as a result of your efforts months ago. It takes no further effort on your part and rewards you generously.
Put high priority on a company's product. If you've never claimed to be a 5-star sales person, you will need a superior product at an irresistible price. But once you discover what works you will stop doing what doesn't, and never look back.
© 2005 Esther Smith - Free Reprint Granted
About the Author: Esther Smith publishes a syndicated Newsletter every Sunday: subscribe here: clendon@charter.net. More articles by Smith here: http://www.thepermanentventure.com/articles.h tm
She is a proud member of the Profit Masters Team ? the power and simplicity of this business earns $3k - $5k weekly in a very short time. Creating wealth is fun if there is no struggle attached to it. http://www.exec-lifestyle.com
The mortgage industry accounted for $1,815,949,279,000 in loan transactions in... Read More
The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you're... Read More
There are definitely things that you can do to avoid... Read More
Are you looking to hire the best talent? Are you... Read More
An independent recruiter, recruiting agency or executive search firm is... Read More
* Has it been awhile since you explored career options?*... Read More
Have you given up on yourself? Have you decided to... Read More
To survive and thrive in today's competitive environment, it is... Read More
We need more people to choose nursing as a career.... Read More
The first point to make is that the terms "CV"... Read More
Your job is to rise ABOVE the challenge. Do more... Read More
After creating the perfect resume, you then need to distribute... Read More
Phone interviews are de rigueur with many organizations.Companies conduct phone... Read More
There is one little practice that is vital to generating... Read More
I recently was "unhired" by my former employer. Unhired is... Read More
Use a resume as a foot in the doorWhen you... Read More
It's amazing how we fool ourselves... while at the same... Read More
Have you been desperately looking for a job and keep... Read More
In today's unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with... Read More
In my career advising practice, I often find that my... Read More
Can music help you with your next job interview? It... Read More
In one of my past lives I held a Top... Read More
Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions... Read More
There are a great number of good reasons for someone... Read More
Let me ask you a question: are you tired of... Read More
As the old saying goes, "you never get a second... Read More
Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If... Read More
What's It All About? The field of patent law is... Read More
When I was working more than 45 hours a week... Read More
Your resume will generally receive a 15- to 30-second scan... Read More
Negotiating a pay rise is not something many people do... Read More
So that you can decide just how critical your job... Read More
Have you ever tried to contact a past employer only... Read More
Starting a new job can feel like moving to a... Read More
This career article will give you some great tips on... Read More
I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine,... Read More
Families, mothers, employers, and medical practices all interact in one... Read More
One of the best things you can do to increase... Read More
Dear Job-Seeker:Just as Goldilocks was suspicious of the big bad... Read More
One of the greatest threats facing both employees and the... Read More
Individuals not within their target career field may feel insecure,... Read More
It's Not What They Ask - The Hidden Agenda of... Read More
Cover letters are an essential ingredient to your complete résumé... Read More
Ever hear the story of the two masons working side... Read More
Ohio has always been big on education and that means... Read More
Why is it a good idea to determine your worth?... Read More
Growing up on a Delaware farm was a wonderful and... Read More
A paperweight sits on my desk, etched in... Read More
In a recent survey of over 662 career seekers, some... Read More
Writing performance reviews can be an excellent way to earn... Read More
I know what you are thinking. You're thinking, "Wait a... Read More
Most of the time, competition stimulates us, gets our juices... Read More
Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today's market place nursing... Read More
Many people's idea of networking relates to the 'size of... Read More
She stretches in the break room for 30 minutes before... Read More
Do you have the courage to ignore the experts? Do... Read More
Well what is a good mechanic worth these days? You... Read More
Effective follow-up after a job interview is often a key... Read More
To begin, make a decision to discard any former knowledge... Read More
A problem most freelance translators are facing with is how... Read More
Deciding to leave a job isn't easy. In fact, quitting... Read More
Too often in life, we fail. We fail not because... Read More
Moving into a new job always involves some degree of... Read More
It's startling to discover how having kids changes the way... Read More
You're pretty comfortable using the phone. It's something you do... Read More
According to statistics one out of every five pregnant women... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |