You Always Work For Yourself #

“You can only make it if you work for yourself” seems to be a popular way of thinking nowadays. Fuelled by internet influencers that sell access to groups, courses and coaching, this trend is growing bigger and bigger.

It’s quite interesting how the same people who are selling the message of people being full of potential are also the only who can help unlock it. As if someone who becomes very good at what they do is also so clueless to how others are taking advantage of them.

If people are so clueless, how did they manage to get the job? How did they manage to learn the knowledge they have, sale their skills, negotiate a salary, market a positive image, keep their promises, deliver their commitments, manage their relations with peers and managers, retrospect and take feedback.

All these skills are required when “working for yourself”, a.k.a. being an entrepreneur. Having knowledge that can be monetized, making sales, negotiating with clients, product and services marketing, meeting expectations and building a good relationship with clients.

If the skills and capabilities are there, what is that which is missing? Can’t be motivation because it is needed to accomplish all these achievements which means that after all people are working for themselves but they just aren’t the top figure in the company.

There is also a first part to the statement, “you can only make it” which means to earn lot of money in order to have financial freedom and the ability to do whatever you want. But if we are already working for ourselves, how can that course, workshop, coaching session make us tons of money?

Well, they won’t. Most of the time, making more money has nothing to do with some business tactics or tips and everything to do with how irreplaceable you are in the market and how much risk are you willing to take on. This applies to both individuals executing a role and companies selling good and services.

There are few arbitrage exceptions in which the reward is hugely disproportionate to the risk and amount of work required and it has a short lifespan. Going from arbitrage to arbitrage is like batting a in the dark hoping a ball will come your way and you will it out of the park, every time.

Unfortunately, the influencer’s messaging is not directed to capable who are already working their asses off but to the lazy ambitious people who want to take shortcuts for everything. The same people who don’t get new opportunities where they are because their toxic behaviour of wanting things but not working for them. In all fairness, it is also the easiest group to milk their money from because they always expect to be one shortcut away from success which makes them buy any new material that comes out not matter the quality.

My take from all of this is that anyone, anywhere is already working for themselves. The only thing the have to do to make more money is to behave with more agency, take initiative and make some risky moves. Soon enough they will reap the rewards.