Would you like to work 5 years or 47 years to make the same amount?
The ultimate goal in making money is to be able to earn the maximum amount of money in the least amount of time. A person who makes $50,000/year earns a million dollars every 20 years. At $20,000/year it would take 50 years to earn a million, and at $100,000/year it would take 10 years. For the average person to work enough to make ends meet, that person either consciously or by default signs on to working 100,000 hours of work in a lifetime – that’s 47 hours/week, 47 weeks/year, for 47 years. If given a choice of spending 47 years or 5 years in which to make the same amount of money, the shorter time makes more sense, but in reality most people choose to spend most of their lives to earn that same amount.
Change is initially difficult because it takes people into the realm of the unknown, and fear of the unknown is a strong deterrent. Conquering the unknown is the key, and this can only be done by research and planning. When there is a plan a person can visualize the results and what is required to get there. With a goal comes motivation, and with motivation comes the desire to take that first step and get started. Getting started at something new is often slow and often perceived as difficult. However, once something is started it becomes easier as the inertia builds and it gains momentum. Things become easy and feel smooth once a pattern is established; things feel comfortable when they become routine. Setting up a system and forming new habits turns a hobby into a profession.
Even with all the tools and techniques, the one extra ingredient to make anything work is desire. It’s more than just wanting to do something. It’s the realization of importance: it has to be done. “If I don’t do this, the consequences will be bad,” or “If I actually do this, I’ll get what I really want.” “This is something I have to do.” For example, most Americans spend their money as soon as they make it. In fact, most Americans spend more than they earn. Consequently, most Americans are in debt. Things only get worse unless something changes. If an opportunity of relief comes along, the vision of becoming debt-free becomes a reality. The more focus that is put on this goal, the more essential it becomes. A sense of urgency wells up when a time deadline is imminent. There are two kinds of time deadlines: external and self-imposed. External deadlines loom usually due to procrastination or disorganization. Self-imposed deadlines are created by planned goal setting and scheduling. The former produces feelings of tension and anxiety, whereas the latter produces self-confidence with the achievement of each small step, plus positive excitement that the goal is that much closer.
To summarize, given the choice of making money slowly while staying in the comfort zone or making money more quickly by spending intense time learning new skills, it seems worth it to change to the latter. If the vehicle works, the plan is solid, and the vision of success is solid, then trust can be established to make it happen. Although it takes effort to start something new, if the drive, the sense of urgency, and the attitude that this is something that has to be done are all present, then the money is sure to follow.
If you would like some ideas of things you could
do to make more money in less time, feel free to contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.