HERE COMES THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK!

Few weeks ago, like any other new staff in a company I received this thick Employee Handbook from the HR to read through.

As I flipped through the pages, I became uncomfortable.

What the heck am I doing here? Repeating the cycle over and over again!

Thou shalt not…do this, do that…Thou must do this…do that. Penalty this…that…approval this…that…leave at this time…eat at this time…

How many of you hated that thick Employee Handbook? Now raise your hands.

Imagine working for yourself, the only handbook that you will see is the one that you tailor made just for yourself! You call the shots and you plan your life on a day to day basis. But why are we afraid to do it for ourselves?

It dawned to me that this is due to MINDSET and HABIT. We’re so used to assuming that ONLY Job offers us the security and stability that we need.

That’s when I made up my mind. Hence I started planning the escape now.

This is just madness! Allowing myself to be what I am not. Deep inside, I don’t enjoy this process at all. I dreaded it! I literally dragged myself to do this because of commitment. 

Right at that moment, I felt that I can’t breathe and going out to take a breather seemed wrong too. I need to get out. Leave. Disappear. Period.

I used to think that if you do your job well, you will climb the ladder, earn lots of money and be successful. I was so naïve and so wrong!

I realize there is more to life than just being chained to the desk and follow every single do’s and don’ts to a T.  I realize that you could be as successful as you wanted to be IF you take action much earlier and work hard for yourself. 

And even if you just realize that now, you can still do something about it!

CHANGE YOUR THINKING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Sorry for the long hiatus. I was bogged down at work (yes! I still have a day job) and just couldn’t find a suitable time to write. Upon reaching home, I have to do housework and take care of my daughter. And most of the time by the time I am done, I am all fours (flat!) on the bed. I know I know, it’s not a good excuse.

Truth is I am only planning to stay employed for at least a year or two so my CV looks good. It is a great way to do the final finale don’t you think? I feel that it’s a waste to give up too early after all these years burning the midnight oils for qualification certs.

As of now, while I am writing this, I am currently drafting my business plans. I just put down all my thoughts and start scribbling away.  I am also in the midst of writing the manuals and designing my new website. Yes! This blog will move to a new website soon and thank you to this one cool developer, Media Group Malaysia. They have been really helpful and they design cool, user friendly websites that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket. I highly recommend their service! You may quote my site for a good discount.

To date, I have 3 - 4 businesses in mind and right now, my plan is to do research (as much as I can!) and see if they are viable or otherwise, while still working on my day job of course!

In my case, this is a good head start. Months ago, right after I started my blog, I was down and have no idea what’s my future direction. It was bad since the department I am attached to is outsourced. And I wasn’t really sure even when I was offered a new job.

Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for the opportunity, however deep inside me I hate to be chained to the desk and adhere to the 9 to 6pm rules. Basically I have not broken the chains yet. I have 4 teams reporting to me, a tiny but cozy corner office and good pay too. The benefits weren’t that great, but I get to travel (domestically for now) from time to time.

The new company where I am now attached, some of the staff worked for more than 15 years now. One of them joined right after she had completed her form 5 studies. When asked, what are their plans for the next 5 years, most of them can’t think of anything but to stay. Clearly, they are not making any plans or even to look forward to come up with one. They are very comfortable at where they are right now although they dreaded the work.

Company wise, I felt that there are work processes that can be further improvised. But nobody (or rather the top management peeps) wants to do something about it out of being used to the way they do or deal with things for the last 20 years.

There are also other teams who complaints of not having enough manpower to take up some jobs that they ended making poor sales. Truth is I felt that this can be avoided IF they explore the creative part of their brains.

Now, there is no right or wrong being complacent. However, I feel bad for most of them because at the back of my mind, no one is dispensable.

Most people that I know of are afraid of making changes or welcoming changes into their lives. They are worried for so many reasons.

I have YET to join a company that encourages change (for the better!), open to suggestions (and exploring it without ASSUMING the outcome regardless who suggested it!) and challenging the status quo. When I mentioned YET, it makes me wonder further why all the companies I was attached to are so complacent and they seemed to be afraid of making changes, even small ones! How ironic.

To this day, I will always respect one individual (an ex CEO of a company I used to be attached to) who never sees me as a freak (for always suggesting going against status quo!). He encourages me to think out of the box, and even hoped for more ‘Change Agents’ like yours truly (Ahem!) to be part of the company.  The word keeps playing in my head over and over again as a self-reminder of who I really am.

If you are like me, who constantly thinking doing things opposite, that could improve the way we work or deliver, never be afraid to explore that further. Always welcome changes and make that change even if you have no idea how it will turn out to be.  Life is indeed a mystery and nobody knows how we live our lives 20 years from now.

Change is inevitable, instead of avoiding it like a plague, explore it! And with proper plans made ahead before making a certain change, it will definitely amaze you if you allow it to happen. 

SUCCESSFUL ICON#7: TIM APPLE from QUIT JOB.COM

I stumbled upon Tim Apple’s site while I was browsing the internet. I found this funny but interesting video and thought it would be really good to share this on this blog.

Tim Apple is the author of QUIT JOB book, where he shared how he actually quit his job and eventually made a living without having to work for other people. To learn more about this, do order a copy of his e-book and you’ll definitely pick up lots of tips in it!

Me: Hi Tim, it’s a pleasure to chat with you. Could you please introduce yourself and what business do you currently run?

Tim: Hi Angie, my pleasure too. I am an American young millionaire, author, angel investor and a public speaker. I was a Wall Street’s Trader and left my work to reinvent my life in order to have more time and more money. The first goal that I kept in my mind was to define a real and simple path that each person can use to find the way to make more money, quit its job, travel and discover the real dimension of the world and finally have more time to live the life.

Me: Ok, so what exactly does your business do?

Tim: Well, Quit Job is a global project to help each person to make money and have more time to live their life. In few words, I want to share the principles of millionaires that let them to accumulate their fortunes. In fact Quit Job will be a manual for success.

Me: How did you first start your business?

Tim: I was for a long time in contact with famous people in Wall Street and Silicon Valley, I understood in deep how to design the perfect business idea and method to make money without risk and without a time-consuming job.

Me: How did you first discover your passion and how do you know that you wanted to do it as a business?

Tim: Once, I had a stupid boss and I was wasting my time in a dark office. I thought that Life is out of the office and there I started to learn the right way to be independent firstly with the mind and later with personal finance. The advantage of Quit Job is that you will learn how to change your mind, how to acquire the right mindset to transform you from an employee to a millionaire, building the right machine to make money fast and without problems.

Me: Interesting, but how do you know that this business will make money?

Tim: Quit Job is the definitive and updated guide to design your perfect life. Everything starts from your desire and with Quit Job, it will drive practically with the right approach, transforming this desire in an empire.  

Me: When did you realize that you rather work for yourself than having a job and work for others?

Tom: When I discuss about the simple idea of entrepreneurial activity, what do you think? None of those authors know an operative answer. It is like asking how to play tennis, and would you rather ask a tennis player or to a journalist? You have to keep in mind this concept. It’s a fundamental thing. Quit job is path that I want that each person could read, it isn't' a real business. Business and money will not arrive writing books and e-books but creating something that has a huge intrinsic value.

Me: What is the advantage of working for yourself?

Tim: Working for yourself to me is everyone’s dream. Most employees have dreamed of being their own boss, and it has many benefits, but there are a few disadvantages to it as well. Advantages of working for yourself are that you are responsible to yourself. Your destiny is in your own hands, as well as your financial future. You determine how much work you do, when you go to work, when you quit for the day, when you take a vacation, how long the lunch break will be, and if you really want to put up with a grouchy customer. The business is in your hands and you decide. Instead of griping about the bad advertising campaign that corporate came up with, you decide on an advertising campaign yourself.

Me: What is your advice to those who wants to quit their job & pursue their dream?

Tim: One thing for sure, I’m currently a millionaire because every day I try to create services that will change the world. Remember that only those people that are so mad to believe to change the world will be those that will change it.

Me: What is your advice to those who are afraid to face their fear (afraid to step out of their comfort zone) and quit their job to start a business?

Tim: Allow me to use Steve Jobs’ phrase. It has driven me to change my life and I want to repeat it also in this interview:

“…Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve Jobs

Me: Thanks so much for your time Tim!

Tim: You're very welcome!

For a glimpse on the first chapter of his book Quit Job, get it HERE for FREE.

To follow Tim Apple, join him on his Facebook Group HERE.

WHY ARE YOU STILL NOT SUCCESSFUL?

Photo credit Made In England

Have you ever felt like you’re still running at the same place and still reach nowhere? 

Well, here you go – seven common reasons on why you are still here and not where you wanted to be.

YOU THINK WAY TOO MUCH AND TOO LONG.

Too often we think without acting and then do nothing with our ideas.  I’m sure you can relate to this. 

The only way to conquer your dreams and doubts is with action.  Wondering about them will never get anything done.  Avoiding challenges will only make them snowballed.  If you wait until all conditions are perfect, you will spend the rest of your life waiting and wondering.

Great achievements are made by starting from exactly where you are right now with exactly what you have right now.  Stop wondering and start doing.  Once you have made a little progress, keep going and believe that you can make even more progress as time goes by. 

YOU ARE NOT FOCUSED.

There are just too many interruptions in your mind. Too many mind blocks.

Often, self-imposed constraints, or boundaries, force you to think and view differently about challenges, hoping to be led towards a more practical ideas and innovations.

So instead of thinking ‘outside the box’ and looking in every possible direction, work on issues that needs a resolution, start at a smaller pace where big changes can be made and work your way through it.

YOU FOCUS TOO MUCH ON FEARS AND OF FAILING.

Your problems are really your blessings if you use them to grow stronger.  Never quit just because you feel defeated. 

You have not been beaten yet and this is not a competition.  Keep working to be the best that you can be.  It doesn’t matter how slow you go so as long as you don’t give up easily on yourself. Focus your conscious mind on things that you desire, not your fears and defeats.

YOU OVER EXPECT.

Not everything will work out exactly the way you want it to be. You may hope for the best while working on it but at the same time it’s better to expect less.  Appreciate reality and don’t fight it. Even if it doesn’t work out at all, it’s still worth it. It’s an experience that calls out to improve your approach.

YOU (EASILY) GET DISTRACTED FROM YOUR GOAL.

People might tell you that your dream is impossible, perhaps it’s not. It’s not up to them to make it work but yourself. Though the challenges may be great, you can still make things happen.  The odds may not seem to be in your favor right now, but you definitely can change the odds over time. When you are driven, committed and persistent, you will get yourself there someday.

YOU WANT TO PLAY SAFE

Pain is a pesky part of being human but it’s vitally important. You need real life experiences, and nothing ever becomes real until you experience it firsthand.

So get real, experience life and let it teach you what you need to know to conquer your wildest dreams.

LEARN TO BE GRATEFUL

The key is to be thankful for every experience, be it positive or negative.  It’s taking a step back and say, “Thank you for this lessons.”

WHAT TO DO WHEN PEOPLE DISCOURAGE YOU?

You can identify these people in your lives. Right here, right now. 

And you have heard their remarks and experience their expressions one too many times before. They sap your energy making you feel useless, hopeless.

Allow me to refresh your memory.

“You will never make it…”

“You need lots of money to start a business and with your income I don’t think you can afford it…”

“You quit your job? Do you know how difficult life is without a fixed paycheck?...”

“What’s wrong with having a job? At least it pays you monthly even when you are slacking at work…”

“You must treat your bosses like Gods, they are the reason why you have a job and they are paying you salary to survive…”

“I am afraid to think that you will fail…”

“You are not cut out to be your own boss…not now or ever…”

“You know what? Your dreams suck…I don’t think anyone would buy your stuff / hire you to do the job…”

“This is how it should be, get a job and earn salary…our great grandparents have been doing this for years, so why change?...”

“What if you flop in this business? What if nobody will hire you to work again?...”

“Don’t compare yourself to your successful cousin Joe, he’s successful because his parents can afford it, and you’re not…”

“You are not clever enough, so I don’t think you can excel on this business venture…”

“Leaving your job is like digging your own grave…thing is you die slowly in it…”

These remarks, feedback, comments can continue on and on. Some have subtle message in it. Some is downright cruel.

Whatever it is, you can DO something about it.

Here are some tips on how to duck down whenever you are hit with those words. Please note that some can be pretty crude but hey! It helps to keep these pesky pests away! You will get used to it.

You will notice that there is a lot of “Walking Away” to do here, trust me it’s one of the best way to ignore these people. It’s a straightforward body language that tells these people to just leave you alone. TRY IT! It works for me.

IGNORE AND WALK AWAY

Let them talk, and talk some more. And then when they stop, ask them if they are done. If yes, walk away and don’t say a word.

YOUR PASSION IS YOURS TO KEEP

A lot of people go through the motions in life, not doing what they love. They ended up constantly looking back, asking themselves, “What if I have done that?”

Whether people support you or not, do you really want to look back in regret someday?

Follow your heart instead, and not the words of others just to live up to their expectations and make them happy but yourself.

MAKE A JOKE OUT OF IT

The next time they pass another comment, just look at them and mock them for saying it. And then walk away.

LAUGH AT THEM

Right after they made that annoying comment, laugh at them and then walk away. This action may leave them bewildered.

PROVE TO THEM

Another positive way of dealing with negative comments is to take it in and use it to fuel your spirit. Every time you feel like giving up, replay their comments over & over again and use that to push you to work harder on your dreams. Once you achieve your dream, it’s time for you to sit back and observe the look from their faces.

FEEL NOTHING

Oh yes. Let them talk, talk and talk. And then give them this look like “Duh, what do you mean?...”. Go on, act like an innocent I-Don’t-Know-A-Word-You-Are-Saying. Just don’t let them get to you. 

Don’t let their mean comments belittle you or push you down. Don’t ever allow that to happen. Use a mental visualization that every time they passed comment, squashed them or shoot them over & over again. Note that these people are zombies, they don’t die easily.

So you have a dream, go get it! Your job is not to please these people but to prove to yourself (and them) what you can do!

At times, it can be really hard to swallow all that noise around you.

But life is short.

It may be a little disheartening to have people around you discourage you, but remember that life is short.

Do you really want to spend your time feeling down over others’ words when they’re completely unwarranted, baseless, and probably not making any kind of sense?

Do you really want to pull back on your dream or doing what you want because of others, and start living a life that probably doesn’t fulfill your potential?

People who don’t support you and discourage you may not actually be bad people who intentionally want to destroy your dreams. Sometimes, they just don’t understand why you do what you want to do, so they voice out their concerns, which may make them seem dissenting and annoying.

If anything, since they don’t fully understand, I don’t see why it’s something to be upset over. Sometimes others are just insecure. So when people don’t support what you’re doing, probably it’s about them than it is about you.

It could be plain ignorance or even jealousy, but some people tend to attack things that are new to them. So again, don’t take their words to heart. If their criticism isn’t constructive in any way, they may be discouraging you because of their own fears and insecurities.

NOTE THAT NOBODY CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE.

People who doesn’t support you might paint a gloomy picture of what’s to come if you do proceed to do what you want to do.

You don’t know the future either and nobody does, but do you still want to listen to others instead of believing in yourself? Don’t let objections from others become your truth and limit you from creating what you want in life.

YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT THEM.

It’s natural to want support and encouragement from the people around you, especially your loved ones. But it is possible to do what you want to do without their blessings & support.

Just think of how many successful, inspiring people took the road less traveled.

Last but not least, have you been surrounded by naysayers before? People who pass negative comment each time you excitedly share your dreams or plans with them? And how did you deal with them?

Share your experience with me at quitjoblivelife@gmail.com

HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT CHANGE?

Lately, I have been receiving emails from readers asking me how I can actually HELP them.

Questions like, is there a gizmo or solutions that can change their fate from no job to filthy rich? How about sure fire tips that can help one to stay at home forever and don’t work for a day - ever?

Perhaps it is due to desperation that they probably thought I am this fairy godmother that can grant them a miracle solution. Hence, I am sorry to disappoint you that I am as real as you are and I have walked the path that you’re walking now.

Frankly, I don’t offer any miracle works or provide express solutions to anyone who desperately wanted change in their lives. I would have done it for myself first if it works that way right?

What I do know is that, my method has turned me to what I am today. I have allowed myself to be more open and creative. I let myself went through the self-discovery journey and equipped myself with knowledge enough to guide those who really wants to help themselves.

There is really no such thing as fly by night solutions folks.

If you really want CHANGE, then you must help ME to help YOU.

And how can you do that? 

By following my guide and respond to me on timely basis (everyone communicates online these days, how hard can it be?). I want your cooperation and not wait for me to nudge or cheer you. Only with the right attitude and mindset can set you free from whatever issues you are having now.

Each of us are unique, our life story, how we get here from there, our upbringing, etc. While a manual guide can be designed to be universal, the coaching part is different. It is unique. No two persons produce the same result almost instantly. Hence the reason why we (YOU + ME) need to work together to make it work for YOU.

Some are so determined that within a week, they already know what they wanted and how to pursue it without further guidance. Some clueless ones who have no idea where to start and expect external force to push them (while they don’t do much) will see result (or no result at all) much later despite the coaching and guide.

Don’t waste your time or money if you are not ready to help yourself to change. 

I know that some of you have this aching desire to change for a long time. I want you to feel it and allow it to take over your mind completely. Let it fire your spirit. Imagine what would your life be after the change.

So at the end of the day, it’s really up to you. How badly do you want change?

WHY IT'S BETTER TO WORK FOR YOURSELF

I knew that I must plan to quit someday when I couldn’t stand the thought of going to work for another day. 

The crazy traffic jam, unpredictable workload, feeling under appreciated, underpaid, etc.

And when that day comes, I didn’t feel that I would regret quitting, and nothing, not even the idea of promotion or a higher salary could change my mind. 

To me, when the time is right, just quit, and when you do, don’t look back.

So, why is it better working for yourself?

Here are the reasons that I have gathered along the way on why it’s better working for yourself than working for others. 

And I’d love to receive your comments on what is your favourite aspect of working for yourself.

#1. You have no one to blame but yourself. Yes, this is a good thing. Looking for other people to blame is a waste of time. You only have your own self to argue with.

#2. You measure your own progress. You control how far you want to go. Only you know what you need to improve on without having to face harsh and impartial appraisal.

#3. You don’t have to worry about getting a bad boss or back stabbing / political colleagues. That is right! You work at the comfort of your home or in a café reporting to yourself.

#4. Vacation time is unlimited. You can still work during your vacation if you need to, but at the same time you chill out too. In corporate, you’ll need to apply your leave in advance and you are assigned to limited days to take every year. And if you don’t utilize it for a certain period of time, your leave will be burnt (for no carry forward policy company). Plus, you’ll need to ensure if your planned leave doesn’t clash with important projects or your boss’s. How many corporate jobs allow you to take three weeks or more off in a row? Heck, you can even continue to be on leave without justifying why.

#5. You decide when you want to work and when you don’t want to. Period.

#6. You choose which projects to work on first. You don’t have to pursue things you aren’t interested in because you know that following your passions is a better way to succeed.

#7. Anywhere is your office. With internet access, power connection and a phone line, you are good to go. No need to beat the jam just to go to office on time.  

#8. Every day is a casual Friday. Or you can even dress in your old tee and Bermuda while you do your work - in bed.

#9. You can actually be yourself. Hence, there is no need to impress anyone in the office just to get along. Flush office politics down in the loo.

#10. Every bit of effort that you put into your business benefits you directly.  It’s your business, you make more, it is yours to keep.

#11. Schedule & Time Flexibility. No more racing through traffic jams tearing your hair out getting worked up, standing up in a long queue at the train station or setting alarm clock and waking up at ungodly hours in the morning.

#12. Getting fired or laid off will never happen. However, running out of business or clients is possible, but at least you won’t lose your job when you least expect it.  

#13. You don’t have to endure endless, pointless meetings. It is a wonder how anyone can get anything done in companies where you spend few hours a day in meetings upon meetings. Imagine what you can do with all that extra time?

#14. If you get tired of your work surroundings, you can change your scenery any time. Go to a coffee shop, book café or anywhere you want.  A change in scenery can do wonders for your creativity.

#15. You don’t have to feel guilty about doing personal things. Want to leave early to fetch your kids? Want to go shopping and run personal errands? How about working out when you never seems to have time when you are working for others? You work for yourself, so there is no guilt!

#16. With whom you want to work with is up to you. You’re in charge of hiring; you get to select the clients; you get to choose the freelancers and consultants. You can choose people who inspire and motivate you or leave out the jerks or boring people.

#17. Your income is limited only by your creativity and willingness to work.

Working for a company (or for someone else) cannot be compared to the satisfaction and fulfilment that you will experience out of being completely self-sufficient.

Knowing that you are completely and solely responsible for contributing enough value to the world and to earn your keep is one of life’s great rewards.

This is something that you have to experience yourself in order to fully understand.

So what else do you like (or look forward to) about working for yourself? Please share your comment.

If you like this post, I would appreciate it if you can share it with someone who might care or link to it from your own site.