Choose Yourself!
I’m reading this book that got recommended to me by Eric Vance Walton. The title is Choose Yourself. It’s a great little gem and it’s exactly what I need at this point of my life. If you feel like you could use a change in your life I recommend you pick it up somewhere second hand (that’s what I did) and give it a read.
Blessed by a girl that always takes nice pictures of me when I'm doing normal things and I can use for my stories. Te amo.
I’m working a lot lately. This year started off with a big bang and I’m flying. I’m very grateful for all the work. We got the potential to reel in another big client and it is only the third of January.
Working for free
Before I started my business, I was the family go to computer guy. Not only my mom, dad, brother and sister. But also, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends of them and more. You name it! I was THAT guy.
Helping them out you would sometimes get a little something like 5 bucks and some cola and sometimes nothing (even if you spend the whole day there!). I was a nice guy! I would go there anyway and help them all. When I went into business I no longer worked for free. I started to charge by the hour. 95% of my family and their friends stopped calling me. I learned a valuable lesson.
A new era of Choose Yourself
The book advocates that the middle class is going away. The time of big businesses taking care of their employees is over. We have entered a new era of Choose Yourself. By which he basically means that you need to take care of yourself because nobody will do it for you anymore. And he’s right.
For example: The local bank here in my town decided to ‘phase out’ about 65% of their workforce. Some of them are clients of mine. They are in despair.
These jobs will never ever come back ever again in the future! Let that sink in.
A big business doesn’t give a shit about you.
I’m realizing I’m worth it
The book made me change my prices even more than I decided 10 days ago. Why? Because I’m realizing I’m worth it plus I want to improve my life.
The problem is if you work with an hourly rate that the better you get at your job the shorter it takes to fix things. In the end you earn less money. That’s crooked. And I have gotten a lot better at my work. Working with other colleagues from my field made me realize how undervalued I valued myself. I need to set this straight. I need to choose myself.
I called the first client today and explained to them I’m going to increase my rate by 50%. WHAT! Yes, that’s what I thought too. And my god was I scared calling. I just explained the situation to the guy and told him that he knows what I can do, he knows my work ethics and skills. I said to him: I know I have been under-valuating myself and I want to move towards a rate that’s normal for the market I work in.
He’s going to get back to me. Fingers crossed I guess.
It feels good to stand up for myself. I feel confident. I feel valued. I feel mature. The book is just another little nudge forward, toward a better and more fulfilling life that I have total control off.
2017 is going to be the best year to date. A happy new year to you all!
Follow Me @exyle
Hey, my bro! Really uplifting post, man!
Sometimes you just need to take the bull by the horns and do what needs to be done. Don't worry, that client should get back to you. Money is one thing, but customer service is another and I reckon yours must be first rate! :)
That book sounds like an awesome recommendation from the great @ericvancewalton. Will also check that out too.
Very nice job, brother! :)
Thanks for the nice comment man! I do try to be uplifting in everything I do nowadays. The book is a great and fun read! I can send it to you (after Bianca reads it) if you want.
I'm so glad you're liking the book! Choose Yourself really opened my eyes and made me begin to invest my time and money in things that mattered. James has been a huge mentor to me.
I'm not sure if you're on Facebook but, if so, he has a closed group that he interacts with. Let me know if you'd like to be added to that (you too @ezzy). Also, his podcast on iTunes is very motivational as well...Neil Strauss has been on a few times. Cheers @exyle!
Thanks for the invite! Like @exyle, I have a Facebook account but literally have never posted on it. The closed group sounds very interesting indeed. I'll dig out my username and pass it on. :)
Awesome, man! Just feel free to reach out when you find it and I'll get you connected.
The book is great! It really focuses on the core issues and makes you look at the world with new eyes! Thank you so much for sharing the title. I am on facebook but I don't use it much (read: almost never) but I would like to check the group out. I'll send you a text on FB with my username so you know it's me. Thank again!
An interesting read, thank you for sharing. A lot of food for thought!
Thank you for reading!
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50% is a lot, I hope your clients will go for it.
Yesterday I saw a program on Dutch television (the first episode) why the middle class is declining and doesn't profit like rich people do. We all want cheap products (that's why stores who sell cheap products are booming!). BUT, these products are produced in cheap labour countries, and that means that industries in countries with more expensive labour are going bankrupt. That's wby people woriking in those industries are without labour. That also is the case with banks. Helpdesks are moved to countries like India, who have cheap labour and people working in banks in countries like Holland are sacked. It's because of globalisation and we have to deal with it, because globalisation is not going away.
We have to invent ourselves again, because that kind of jobs are not coming back.