Explore Beyond the Usual™
Book Review
The Work You Were Born to Do
By Nick Williams
Explore Beyond the Usual™
Plan B
Book Review
By R. Ann Rousseau
"Robin, can you meet for lunch? I need a Plan B and I want to
talk it out with you."
That was one of several calls I've received from friends over the
last 6 months as the economy moves at a snail's pace and the
unemployment rate squats at around 10%...or 9.7 to be exact. In the accounting world, we would round that to 10% but economists and the White House like fractions--they sound better. In reality, the number in the U.S. is probably more like 20% or 19.7%. You can tell it's 20% because one in five people you know are looking for work or are underemployed. Friends start to question the work they have done for most of their adult life while sitting on hold with the unemployment office to straighten out their benefit check-- a check they have never needed before but are grateful exists.
Since most of my friends are over 40 (I do have one around the age of 30 who is also looking for a Plan B), they are at the peak of their career and at the top of the earnings scale. They have received degrees in their field, worked nights and weekends for long stretches of time, and they have traveled around the world doing what they do. They are considered experts--mostly financial experts with former titles that include the words "Director or VP." Now, they are sitting at home in front of their computers every morning wondering, "How in the world did I get here from there?" And, "What's next?"
To which I reply, "Read Nick William's book, The Work We Were Born to Do." When I bring up the subject of the book (Finding the Work You Love, Loving the Work You Do), inevitably my friends start to talk about "winding down," or "planning a retirement business." Most can think of a small business they would like to start but wrestle with their own value in the market place. For example, one Plan B friend said she would like to teach but couldn't pay the mortgage on her $800K home with a teacher's salary. I have another Plan B friend who would like to start a bookkeeping business. When I told her that bookkeepers were getting $35-$40 per hour, she cringed--hard to wrap her brain around that number after making double that per hour.
I have several friends who have already started their Plan B career. There's nothing like a recession to bring out the entrepreneur in us. One Plan B start up friend has an IT recruiting business and puts his friends in India to work screening applicants--a win-win. At the same time, he is a business consultant who does free lance work. Another Plan B'r has her own radio show by nights and weekends and does financial consulting work by day. Another IT consultant I know has a family real estate business that he works on when he's not scheduled on projects.
As you can see, it's easy to be a Plan B entrepreneur when working as a consultant. Something to think about. If you did think about it, you would probably realize that we're all consultants who offer our time and talents to the Universe. Some of us are Accounting Consultants, IT Consultants, Receptionist Consultants, or Nursing Consultants. Some consultants have long term contracts 2-5 years or some have shorter contracts 2-5 months or weeks. Face it, you're a consultant.
Nick would probably say that Plan B is really, authentically Plan A that never got off the ground or evolved as a result of the work you have been doing over the years. In his book, The Work We Were Born to Do, he outlines 12 principles which he calls "intension's; lifegiving and inspirational, they are directions and the values by which we set our sails," or "How we create our work from the inside out."
To give you a taste of Nick's book, he asks, "What is the difference between a job and work? A job is mechanical, with a job description; we are measured to see how well we have performed this function, and rewarded accordingly. A job is a what, not a why. True work comes from within us, work is about us being engaged.; it is where we choose to channel our life's energy. Our work can link the everyday and the mundane to our heart an soul, connecting what we do with our craving for deeper meaning and purpose. We can be about consciousness--the big picture. Good work contains a why, not just the what. Work can be imbued with soul and the divine--work is an opportunity to find and express our genius and inspiration, as we participate with the divine, with spirit."
Did you ever notice that the longer you are in a particular career field, the longer the job description gets? Some of the job descriptions I've looked at for Controllers are a page long and say in small print, "Don't forget, you'll have to work nights and weekends to get the books closed and we won't be paying you anymore to get it done because we think a six figure salary should make you feel lucky." Ugh! How about those mind numbing performance reviews? Whomever thought those up had to have too much time on their hands.
If you're sick of working at a job or even looking for a job, why not create your own work in the world? Start by reading Nick William's book, The Work We Were Born to Do. As I told my friends, start by putting a baby toe in the water. Get some free business cards at Vistaprint.com--I think they cost around $7.00 for shipping. See your new idea on a card. That should start to get you inspired. Make a few calls to sell your services. You may be amazingly surprised how receptive the universe is to the authentic you. If it's meant to be, it will start flowing. The right people will show up to assist; customer's will show up and pay you. If it's too upstream, it will feel like you're beating your head against the wall which is sign to redirect. Be daring and open to the process of redefining the service you offer to the world. If you have a day job, keep it and offer your services nights and weekends. When your new business gets to be so busy that it interferes with your day job, then you'll know it's time to switch over. If you're not employed, then you have nothing to lose. Turn Plan B into Plan A now (www.vistaprint.com) and start doing the Work You Were Born to Do! The world is waiting for your gifts.
"When you follow your bliss...doors will open where you would not have thought there were doors...and the world will step in and help." Joseph Campbell
Copyright © 2010 R. Ann Rousseau. All Rights Reserved.
R. Ann Rousseau reviews books and writes about spiritual metaphysical topics on her website www.explorebeyondtheususal.com
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