Zombies never become rich. And zombies are unhappy.
There are so many people stuck in jobs that make them feel like they are on a treadmill. Every day is the same. The same routines, same tasks, same people to report to and collaborate with, same issues, same problems, same environment.
When you are stuck in a job doing the same thing with the same people, you become a zombie.
Perhaps the worst Zombie Jobs are the ones in which you are required to account for every minute of your time, every day. Accountants, attorneys, construction contractors, programmers and many independent contractors must account for their time every day.
If you study millionaires, as I have, the one common denominator is that they are not zombies.
Sixty-one percent were entrepreneurs who left their full time jobs and transformed their lives. Their days are all different. Their time is owned by no one. They engage in different activities every day with different people. They are not stuck in the same environment. They often travel to different places, meeting with different people.
Why is this so?
They are not zombies because they invested in themselves over many years. That investment enabled them to grow as individuals. This growth gave them superpowers – unique skills, knowledge and expertise, valued by society.
Their investment in themselves set them free.
Those stuck in zombie jobs lack unique skills, knowledge or expertise and are always employed by someone or some company. If you’re one, the solution is to isolate an hour or more every day developing unique skills, knowledge and expertise that will, over time, make you more valuable. Those who develop their own superpowers are valued by society more than others. This translates into freedom. With your new superpowers you’ll be able to escape your full-time zombie existence and become your own boss; free from the monotony of doing the same thing every day at the same place with the same people.
Take a stand today. Start pursuing things on the side that you are passionate about and that you can monetize. Over time you will develop new skills, knowledge and expertise that will give you the superpowers you need to end your zombie existence. It takes many years of dedicated investment, but what awaits you at the end is freedom. Freedom from being a zombie.
Tom Corley is an accountant, financial planner and author of “Rich Kids: How to Raise Our Children to Be Happy and Successful in Life”, Effort-Less Wealth, Change Your Habits Change Your Life, Rich Habits Poor Habits and “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.”
This is an excellent article. Learning new skills is one of the best investments we can make in our career and life. “Embracing Opportunity” is seven characteristics of successful people highlighted in our book, “Career Aspirations – Finding True Success in Your Career” available at Amazon.com. Opportunities are often hard to see because they are outside our comfort zone. Yet, within them lie new insights that create passion as highlighted in this article.
Love this phrase: If you’re one, the solution is to isolate an hour or more every day developing unique skills, knowledge and expertise that will, over time, make you more valuable. Taking the time to learn new skills is key to changing the things you do not like about your circumstances.