Views from The Crackhouse

 

This is my cubicle today, right now as I type this blog post. It's a well known coffee shop. I affectionately refer to it as The Crackhouse.

Why? Internet service at Headquarters has been disconnected. No, not due to technical difficulties, but financial difficulties. They send a technician out for one. Not the other.

Someone is going to read this and relate to it. They'll appreciate my honesty and see themselves having been in a similar situation. Someone else will read this and be judgmental. They'll determine what they think about me as a person based solely on this. They'll have all kinds of unsolicited advice. Much of which will equate to, "Get a job!".

Let me share a little secret with you: I know people with TWO jobs who can't pay their bills!

DOWNWARD SPIRAL

There are over 14 million unemployed Americans. There were 18,000 jobs created in June. The math is simple. Sad, yet simple.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not trying to get folks to abandon their job search. I want people to realize job creation isn't the answer. And it never will be.  The individuals who survive this "new economy" will be those who create their own opportunities. They need information, resources, and support in order to do so. 

Not everyone is cut out to be their own boss. We need worker bees to make the world go 'round. The problem is that companies are phasing out humans and using technology in their places. End result: lower paying positions which leads to under-employment and survival jobs just so they can eat. Not to get by or get ahead. But to provide basic necessities.

STOP SAYING YOU'RE FINE

Mel Robbins wrote the book. Seriously. It's the name of her book. In other words, stop lying about what's going on in your life. I can't tell you the number of times I've been at a networking event with women and everyone is doing fine...business is booming...more clients than they can handle...ready to bring on employees.

When they corner me alone, I get the real low down. They're struggling. Going back and forth with going back to work or forging ahead on their entrepreneurial journey.

If Katy Perry's car was repossessed before she was 'Katy Perry' why the hell should I walk around with my head hanging down because my internet was cut off? Tyler Perry slept in his car. He was homeless. We all know how that story ended. 

When I watched Pursuit of Happyness yesterday, I reflected on a statement Chris Gardner made. He summed up his internship as, "no salary...not even a reasonable promise of a job." I guess I'm sort of interning for myself right now. Despite the overwhelming obstacles he faced, he kept going. Doing whatever he had to do along the way. This movie has to be the best portrayal of real life I've ever seen. Mr. Gardner's success didn't come as a result of him buying a high-priced info product or by going on an exclusive member only six figure retreat. It came the way it should. By staying the course. Even when it didn't make sense to anyone else. He kept going.

PLAN B

For the average person, it might be to start a business - maybe. My Plan B is going to work for someone else - on a part time basis. As long as I'm not asking you to pay my bills, don't question why.

Several times a week I come across an article written by an expert telling people to close up shop if they aren't making any money. Trying to convince them that their business isn't a real business - it's a money sucking hobby. 

What. The Hell. Ever!

Didn't we learn a thing or two about armchair quarterbacking from the Casey Anthony trial?!

Work your plan until you can't work it anymore. Explore every possible option in the book. Do not allow yourself or anyone else to define you by your circumstances - past or present. 

If all else fails, feel free to invite the critics to kiss your ass.