Work: Is it All Toil And Turmoil?
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People dream of grand adventures and all of the fun they’ll have “one day.” Yet so often, that dreaded word “work” holds us back. Is your work drudgery that you are forced to do to “be a responsible adult”? Are you stressed and exhausted and wishing there were a better way?
Well I believe there IS a better way. Work does not have to be a burden we have to bear, but an opportunity for us to serve others, give back, and work in our passions as well.
3 Big Perception Shifts
There are three important things to consider when it comes to your perception of work:
#1 - Change Is Good!
Think about this. Seriously, how many of you, as children, thought you’d grow up to be a podcaster, a blogger, a YouTube star or an iPhone specialist? None of these existed when I was a kid! It’s funny that this is the question posed to me so often in podcast interviews about my children -
“How will you ensure your children know all the requirements for school?”
In all honesty, I know my children don’t know everything their public school counterparts do. And I guarantee there are experiences and insights they have that are way beyond what many of those same kids know. I don’t care for my child to know everything. I care that they know how to find the answers they are looking for.
If we’re looking at roughly 20 million new jobs in 2020, does it really matter if you don’t have a fifteen-year career path mapped out?
This goes more along the lines of functional education. When you are internally motivated to learn about something; when you are passionate about it — like Nathan and I sharing our insights on the Mama Says Namaste podcast — then you learn how to do it! It doesn’t necessitate a required college course. It took us diving in, researching online, and making it happen.
#2 - Shift Your Mindset
We explored on a previous podcast having an “Adventure Mindset” - and on this episode of our podcast, we dig into an “entrepreneurial mindset.” I’ll admit, I’ve grown up as an eternal optimist and I see potential everywhere.
Listen to this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, YouTube, iHeartRadio or your RSS Feed
As a firm believer in the Law of Attraction, it boils down to this:
Where your energy flows, your intention goes.
When you focus your energy on the “what ifs” and create an anxious wake of worry you’re trying to cross over constantly, you tend to veer off course and get stuck in the mud. You truly can speak your fears into reality, and I’ve seen this happen time and time again with people.
An entrepreneurial mindset is familiar with failure, struggles and setbacks. They know it’s all a part of the process, and each “failure” was a stepping stone for finding the path that worked.
As the famous Thomas Edison said,
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
Do you have a growth mindset that sees a setback as a time to ask, “what does this make possible?”
I grew up with my father always saying, “we don’t have a problem, we have an ‘opportunity for a solution’.”
Drop the victim mentality and instead, look at what you can learn from it. Check out "When Adventures Go Awry" on the podcast.
#3 - Think Beyond The Box
There are so many ways to look at work now beyond clocking in to one 8-5 job. Say you want to be a teacher.
Does that mean you will be a second grade teacher at the local public school? Or maybe you’re teaching about economics or marketing virtually to a group of business professionals in Australia.
Maybe you have a common theme of teaching, but see multiple ways to make that happen.
In my world, I’m a coach focused on intentional living. When I say I’m a coach, that doesn’t mean my only source of income is a 1-1 coaching client. I work in my father’s business coaching other coaches on understanding personality styles and building their business.
With Mama Says Namaste, my coaching comes out through blogs, podcasts, and video. We even create a homey haven in Nashville, TN with our house, and we rent it out to others where I have the opportunity to share my insights on how to navigate a new place and not get overwhelmed!
I created a Venn Diagram for my business with the common theme of intentional living, and my areas of focus that generate income:
Just like mutual funds, if you are generating income in multiple areas, it isn’t so scary when one has a bad month because you have other areas that are still bringing in that income.
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Don't throw It All In One Basket
One time a friend called me up, saying she was finally going to pursue her dream of singing and audition for one of those singing contest shows - after working a corporate job for years, this was her big break. I cheered her on and was eager to see what doors would open for her as she got serious about pursuing this.
However…she put all her eggs in one weak basket. My friend did not get past the second audition, and, in just one judge’s call, she hung up her singing dreams forever.
Her fear of the unknown and pushing herself out of her comfort zone was too much. She simply dipped a toe in and felt the coolness of the water. Who knows what a rush she may have gotten if she had chosen to really dive in!
If she was living in that entrepreneurial mindset, she might have spread her options a bit. Maybe she would sing at some of the local venues - being from Nashville, TN makes for plenty of music opportunities - not just at bars, but conventions and events, community centers and more.
Or maybe she would do a song and release it to friends as her first “single” to spread the word. She could have connected with wedding planners to be a wedding singer, or explored the local theaters about being in a musical.
There are so many other ways she could have pursued her passion beyond simply one audition, and she could have looked at multiple venues to get the opportunity to sing.
How To Find Work You Love
Are you sitting on a nail? What is going to take you further? In my father’s business, we talk about how “85% of the process of finding work you love is by looking inward first.”
It’s not just about finding what pays the most. It’s looking at:
- Your skills and abilities
- Your values, dreams and passions
- Your unique personality style
Yes, you can find something that can help you align all these components. And you want to!
You want to ensure that the work fits with your skillset, and that there is something that drives you. It doesn’t mean you have to invent your own business and only speak on this crazy unique passion.
You could very well find your niche in serving coffee at Starbucks - it may not be your lifeblood, but it feeds your passion for talking with people, you happen to love making good coffee, and it allows you the interaction with others and the ability to leave work at work.
"Out of the Box" Work Ideas
#1 - Go To Your Existing Employer
It may be this could be a huge asset. If you work remotely, your company isn’t paying the overhead of office space to furnish it and buy supplies, even like coffee and toilet paper.
You can do marketing or research and development by being the person willing to get out there and spread the word.
If your work already requires some travel, you could open the door to even more, covering a region or even more, and just bringing your family along with you.
Some examples we’ve seen of this are a videographer for DoTerra who takes his family along as he travels around to different reps and shoots video, or a regional manager for a restaurant who hops around the southeast checking on the different chains while incorporating family travel with it.
Many software and tech companies are very open to virtual work, as it makes no sense to pay the overhead of a “sticks and bricks” when 90% of their business is virtual anyway.
#2 - Leverage What You Already Have
This may not be a job per se, but then again, promoting and marketing it may be a big part! You could rent your house out, post it on AirBnB or VRBO, or leverage that land you may have to rent to a farmer or set up a campground.
*NOTE: Don’t leverage what you have just based on the spreads. Make sure this really lines up with your family vision and it fits who you are. If you’re willing to play with this, it may fuel a lifestyle you want by leveraging what you already have.
#3 - Network Marketing
"Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called pyramid selling, network marketing, and referral marketing, is a marketing strategy for the sale of products or services where the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling the company's products/services, while the earnings of the participants are derived from a pyramid-shaped or binary compensation commission system."
Now, this is NOT for everyone, and MLMs can get a horrible reputation for leaving people high and dry with a lot of inventory and no sales. Not everyone enjoys this model of work, so make sure it's a fit for your personality style and you really believe in the model.
Some examples our friends are doing that is completely paying for their full-time RVing lifestyle are: Pampered Chef, Norwex, Usborne Books, DoTerra, Young Living and LulaRoe.
This isn’t just about selling the actual product - it’s about building the teams in their downline. So oftentimes they are making 6+ figures not just from selling product, but coaching their team and helping them grow their businesses.
#4 - Be A Coach
Especially in coaching or counseling, it used to be that if you needed help and support, you were confined just to your local area. Now, due to the online world, we have the opportunity to find the best fit for what we need from all over the world. We can talk by phone or, like in my coaching, video conferencing - so we can see each other and connect while never even leaving our homes.
Not only does this help because they are able to get an audio and video replay of our sessions, they don’t have to find a sitter, get dressed up, use the gas to get there, etc. As we travel around, I get the opportunity to go to where my clients are and meet them in person to grab a bite to eat, do a session face to face, and more.
If coaching is something that interests you, I’ve developed a whole Coaching Mastery Program with my father to walk coaches through not only how to coach, but how to build it as a sustainable business.
Even beyond coaching, think about this - while in Oregon I went to Stanton Optical and had a virtual eye exam done where an ophthalmologist connected through video and was able to run the machines virtually to do my appointment. It resulted in a much cheaper exam, and my doctor was hanging out in India where he lived. What all can you do as a service that may not require being face-to-face?
#5 - Amazon
This is a biggie - there are many different avenues to make this work. My friends have created an incredible program that will walk you through the different approaches in the Proven Amazon Course . There is fulfillment by Amazon, private labels, Amazon Merch, and even working seasonally at a fulfillment center.
#6 - Seasonal Work
It may be that you go for a certain stretch in an area and then move on. Traveling nurses will stay in an area for 13 weeks.
One friend was an electrician that would move around for projects. Working construction, landscaping or hail damage repair can be seasonal options.
And, get creative - if you love theme parks, maybe you spend a summer working at one! Work at a camp, a ski resort or all inclusive getaway.
Look for what you’d love to be doing, and see if you can work there for a season. Often these jobs have high turnover, so a short stretch is completely doable.
#7 - Become a Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is such a great way to help out a business you believe in by doing some of the tedious tasks that may be weighing them down. As an independent contractor, you can freelance and contract out when and what you work on.
You could do marketing, social media (even honing in just in one area, like being a Pinterest Expert), graphic design, web development, customer service, scheduling, event planning, and more.
Depending on your area of expertise, you can charge anywhere from $20-90/hr in the US for Virtual Assistant projects or retainers.
If you want to learn more about becoming a virtual assistant, check out this course:
Look at what you want to do in your life, and then start to create a lifestyle that accommodates that.
#8 - Manual Labor/Location Specific Temp Jobs
Working Trade Shows - our friends at Rolling Recess are distributors for Dometic and also huge triathlete enthusiasts. They go to off-road trade shows and sell out every time. They get product drop-shipped to a location, and they pick the trade shows close to the triathlons they want to run!
Other friends will run the Chevrolet booths at car races, and they get to take in a race as well as make some cash.
Campground Host - manage or run a campground for a free place to stay and sometimes salary as well.
#9 - Lower your Expenses
Sometimes it’s not just about making money, but saving money. It may be that you’re getting free lodging or food as a perk, and that lowers your expenses.
These two models may not bring home paydirt, but are awesome ways to get some experience in an area and/or cut back on the cost of living and food. These descriptions are taken directly off their websites:
Workamping - Adventuresome individuals, couples and families who have chosen a wonderful lifestyle that combines ANY kind of part-time or full-time work with RV camping. OR Person working as an employee, operating a business, or donating their time as a volunteer - while sleeping in an RV or on-site housing.
WWOOFing - Visitors, or ‘WWOOFers’, spend about half of each day helping out on a host farm, learn about organic farming and sustainable agriculture, and receive room and board during their visit – with no money exchanged between hosts and WWOOFers. WWOOF is an educational and cultural exchange program. WWOOFing is a way to learn practical farming skills, be part of the organic agriculture movement, and experience the heart of American agrarian culture.
But wait. I want To Do What You're Doing!
If you are dreaming of hitting the road like we do, we have options for you. One of those streams of income that I have is with my course, 90 Day Family Road Trip. This walks you through the acronym “RECESS”, helping you navigate which RV is best for you, family expectations, choosing your adventure, how you’ll pay for the party, setup, and more.
If you aren't the type for online courses, or your questions are too complex, here is your opportunity to meet us face to face and pick our brains on your unique situation. We’re hosting the first ever RV Family Conference on February 7-9, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. We’d love to meet you there!
Where are you in the process?
What do you think about this? Are you already in a location - independent career, or are your wheels turning with these "out of the box" income generation ideas?
Share what you're planning for your family to really allow for enjoying the moment and not waiting for "one day!"
Keep the conversation going!
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The more we recognize those personality styles and those strengths and what triggers us, the more we can come back to how the uniqueness in each of us strengthens all of us.
Namaste
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Questions or comments?
Personality styles, marriage/intimacy, parenting, education, minimalism or travel - what is pressing on your mind?
Or, hop on over to the Mama Says Namaste or Unschooling Families FB groups and ask your question there!