Basque...el camino por santiago

RE: [spiers] Self employment is a lifestyle

Olivia,

One of the questions I am often asked at classes, or by people considering the
class, is: "How
much can you make in international trade?' The question always struck me as
strange, and I
was not sure why. Over time I came up with the answer, "it pays $250 an hour."
Which,
doing some calculations on what I made and what people I worked for made, seemed
about
right.

Then of course I had to qualify that with "when you are working." There are
plenty of people
in my biz making far more than me, but they work far more. This last trip to
Hong Kong I
worked maybe 20 hours in those two weeks, the rest of the time I was in museums,
checking
out the bird market, argued politics with professors, swimming in Repulse Bay
(won't do that
again...), observing the jaguar in the zoo, overworking my tailor, joined in on
a sports club
for a game, and dined, dined, dined. And wandered all over the place.

The reason I can do this is I am self-employed. Since there are so many
problems not
attended to, there is no limit to self-employment. The best place to start in
self-employment
is in a field you love, and spot a problem to solve there. Then, you are doing
what you love,
living your work, and the "work" part is rather unnoticeable, since you enjoy
everything you
do.

Employees give up part of their lives to earn money to pay for a given
lifestyle. Employers
will not and cannot give one enough to pay for an entire desired lifestyle, and
they certainly
cannot give you back the time they take from you.

I enjoy discussing in Guangzhou the properties of yak hair in handknotted rugs
with someone
I just met from Qinghai, and working with a designer to turn that into carpets
no one else is
doing. Or whatever else I am doing.

And ones lifestyle can change over time. When I was young I spent all my money
on booze
and broads, and the rest I just squandered. Now it's private schools for my
white-gloved
Christian daughters and Salvation Army donations.

It's never about the money, it's about the work. And my lifestyle is if I want
to see a jaguar, I
do that today. This isn't just me, it seems to be the ethic of everyone I meet
self-employed.
Thus, when someone asks "how much can I make?" I am perplexed. Why do you care
about
money? Get to work!

Now the irony is, as we work doing what we love, and not caring about the money,
where we
invest our money does very well... does very well not because we are so clever,
but we, being
in business, are in conversation with so many others that collectively, we make
good
decisions.

Now, don't get me wrong, I would not wish my life on a dog. The ups, the downs,
the
struggles, the real world just sucks! In the lyrics of that great Negro
Spiritual: "Nobody knows
the trouble I've seen..." But I authored all my problems. (Perhaps the lyrics
ought to be
changed for me: "Nodody knows the trouble I've been...") On the other hand,
there is NO ONE
I would trade places with. I am embarrassed for the people who wet themselves
or go green
with envy when they see Bill Gates around Seattle. Paul Allen's primary
residence is on the
same Island I live on, and he sure does not eat any better than I do.

So when I say it is about lifestyle, I am just recognising what seems to be true
of the self-
employed.

As to Rich dad, poor dad, I am not familiar with that phenom, but by your
description he
seems to be offering separate definitions for self employed, a business owner
and an
entrepreuneur. I am not sure what the distinctions would be, I hope I am all
three. And,
contrary to him I wish to be self employed forever, and I assume I start and an
entrepeuneur,
not end up there. I have seen him briefly on TV, and my sense he was about
money, not
about lifestyle.

My working definition of success is "when you worry more about time than money."
Happily
I've been "successful" for a few years now, it rather snuck up on me. On the
other hand, that
could change before this email leaves me and reaches you. But it would not
matter, I would
still have my work, which I enjoy.

My wife remonstrates with me " Oh, you'd be happy on a raspberry farm!" To
which I reply,
"Yes, I'd be happy there... too."

John

On Wed, 24 May 2006 15:21:59 -0700 (PDT), olivia fisher
wrote :

> John,
>
> Can you expound on this point you stated many times: Self Employment is a
lifestyle.
>
> Once I maket my product, am I self employed? Rich-Dad, Poor-Dad book I am
reading
(for another point of view) states that one doesnt want to be self employed
forever, but
rather, be a business owner and ultimately an entrepeuneur.
>
> Olivia

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