By Scott Bianchi
One of the easiest ways to retire early is to make more money. Easier said than done, right? Wrong. Most people do not use their biggest resource to its fullest advantage when it comes to making more money. What is that resource? The simple answer is, themselves.
The fact is, most people do not like their jobs or their "careers". They go to work because they have to, not because they want to. As a result of not wanting to go to work they do not put in the effort to help them make more money, which is understandable. I was one of those people for the first nine years of my career. I always talked about doing something I enjoyed but never did anything about it. I would come home from work mentally drained, after having spent ten hours committing to a job I hated. The last thing I wanted to think about once I got home was work. I understand the cycle most people go through.
How do you change it? The first thing you need to do is want to change it bad enough you are willing to take action. I talked about it for years and did nothing until I finally couldn't deal with my situation anymore. Now I am making three times more money than I made at my previous job. And, it isn't even all about the money, I am just happy to be doing something I love doing. It is not work for me to put in a few extra hours, like it was before. I no longer sit behind a gray cubicle wall. I no longer have to do things I do not believe in just because my boss told me I had to do it. I am no longer being accused of not being a team player because I didn't attend an after-hours work event.
Let me give you an analogy. Let's say a carpenter is starting to frame a house and he only has a screwdriver for tools. Sure, he will be able to bang in the nails with a screwdriver. It will take a lot more effort and be much less efficient but it will get done eventually. Once he picks up the hammer, or even better, an air hammer he will much more productive and happy. If you show up to your job (screwdriver) because that is all you have you may make a nice living, you may be able to pay your bills, and you may get to retire in the future but if you find your perfect job (hammer) you will be much happier in life, be more productive, and get much more out of life than if you stay where you are now.
What most people don't realize is the biggest roadblock to their success in most cases is their own mind. Many people have either grown-up with a lack of support from parents or they get mentally beaten up by bad managers at work, or whatever. Poor self-image is one of the major reasons people fail in life. They have been lead to believe they can't do something so they don't even try it. They just continue on with the "status quo" and hope for a 3% raise each year, and are happy when they get it.
If you are serious about improving your life I would recommend reading "Think and Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill, and "See You at the Top" by Zig Ziglar. These two books help show you reasons people fail and what you need to do to succeed. The best news is you have hope. You are a couple weeks away, if you read at least one of those books, to improving your life and your earning potential. Is it time for you to make a change yet?
About the Author: Scott Bianchi is an independent insurance agent. He focuses on protecting families present financial situation while focusing on long-term stability as well. He runs a web site about personal finance and can be reached at sbianchi@charter.net.
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