True Freedom Awaits

Today is Freedom Day in South Africa. On 27 April 1994 we stood in long queues to vote for a new government. It was sensational - calm and peaceful, people of all creeds standing together with (mostly) common purpose! A new beginning.

Fast forward to 27 April 2018. Three years ago I ended up "without work". I was 57 years old. I didn't want to be employed. I was at the time not employed but an hourly paid Independent Consultant. That was partial freedom: I was free to do as I wished with my time, all I needed to do was produce on the job, and I got paid for the time I was producing on the job. My contract came to a somewhat unexpected end. My dilemma was - backwards to employment, or forwards to self-employment. I chose the latter. I have made my way for three years now, and by hook and by crook I am still here! There have been some ups and downs, but by diligent application of the efforts of my wife Cristina and I, we have made it. And we are now much better off for it.

My only regret is that I didn't do this twenty or thirty years earlier! And why didn't I? Because I was scared. I did not know if I could make it. Not knowing what was on the other side of a "job" was terrifying! Now I know better, and realise that the fears I had are somewhat unfounded. Yes! Life is good this side of the slavery divide!

Twenty or thirty years ago it was difficult to form support groups on social media, marketing and self-help books were not readily available for download, cell phones didn't connect to the Internet. This article you are reading could not be easily found then. It is very different today.

Here it is. I needed employment as a junior to senior engineer. I learn't most of what I know and do on the job and also from my mentors. But I grew out of the need to have a a"steady" job at about 30 years old. I continued working after that for others who took the business risk. Good on them, and thank you. I didn't feel capable of consistently pulling it off on my own. If only I knew then what I know now....

So, what do I now know? I know that it can be very very tough out there. I have learnt a lot about business administration. I know how to get debtors to pay. I know how to procure orders and how to get the work done. I know how to get others to get the work done. I know how valuable employees are, and how valuable their production is. I know the abysmal despair of having nothing, and how to keep going in spite of this. This last thing is probably the biggest thing I ever learned!

So, to all the young people out there: Good luck in finding a good, solid mentor and a place to get experience. Do a good and diligent job, always add value, be bright, don't ever criticize, don't talk bad about people, be honest, learn, learn, learn, learn and apply yourself. Don't put all your money in crypto-currencies. Be professional - always - in everything you do. Always work towards eventually being self employed - it is the only way to real financial freedom!

To all the middle aged and older (like me) people: Be self employed. Be nothing else. Create work for yourself. There are hundreds of books out there available to you to help you start. There are many business expansion clubs out there. Start with Grant Cardone's two books: THE 10X RULE and IF YOU'RE NOT FIRST YOU'RE LAST. Get going now man! There is no time to waste!

True economic freedom beckons for all of us. And only by creating our own personal economies will we be able to get our beautiful nation to flourish with hope and knowledge that things are better!

FLOURISH AND PROSPER!

Ian

PS: Let me know by private message if you want to join a strong business support group. I will refer you to one of the most powerful groups on the planet! Just let me know where you live.....