Reply to comment

Dear I Am Not Tom Fisher,

Thanks for the comments! A few observations:

"Anybody can do work, getting people to pay for that work is the hard part." Agreed. Anybody can do work. However, not many people are willing to actually take the initiative. Many people are great at saying what needs to be done. Few people actually do it.

You know why it's "hard" to go from doing work to actually getting paid? It takes a little savvy. It takes using your brain. It takes fighting the fear of rejection. It takes turning off your television, reading a book (or three), and learning to do something that you haven't done before.

If you are truly curious about how to go from "finding work" to "getting paid for it", read "No More Mondays" by Dan Miller (found here: http://www.48days.com/products/noMoreMondays.php). It is a 230 page response to your question. And yes, I glossed over this issue, hoping someone would actually ask the magic question. I didn't want to write a 230 page blog post, so I will just refer the book.

"Irreplaceable works are already "placed"; they have a job and just need to keep it." The only way they are going to keep it is by doing work that matters and being creative, not by sitting around and waiting for someone to tell them what to do.

Finally, I would add that this post is not about those who are unemployed looking for a job, even though it is related. It is about securing your future by doing things that matter, as opposed to waiting around for somebody to tell you what to do and getting let go after 5 years of apathy.

Personally, I view doing work that matters as an investment. You do it because it needs to happen, not because you get paid. This builds trust, integrity, and an appreciation for your work. At any point, you can cash out and take your "earnings" to a bigger and higher paying job. Or you can just let it ride, allowing it to continue to build and increase the good you are able to do in a given community. I think my Dad is a testament to this. He continues working as an administrator at a Catholic high school, though he could make a lot more money as a CEO somewhere else. He continually "reinvests" his commitment, instead of seeking for a way to cash out. The value he provides (not his salary) continues to grow exponentially, and many people benefit. This is the truest and deepest reason for doing work instead of waiting for a job. I hope I can be like that some day.

What do you think?