2023 options for a digital future are greater than ever …
The years of COVID-19 lockdowns across the world have proven for many to be a CAREER RESET opportunity. Despite the trials and tribulations, we got through it and the experience has proven that ‘mobile and remote working’ works. A digital lifestyle is now less an option and more likely, the future.
The Good Life – Northern Mozambique
When setting up this site some time ago I wanted to have a background photograph that represented the kind of life that one might aspire to. There were several stock photos that I liked but none quite resonated. So, I went through some of my own old photos and settled on the location, Pemba in Northern Mozambique. I was fortunate to have worked there on an oil and gas project for a number of years.
The location is a pretty, rough and ready, bush camp/bar built around a mangrove inlet on the edge of Pemba Bay. We gathered there, almost religiously, on Sunday afternoons, played some touch rugby or volleyball, swam and had a social beer or several.
Remember when people used to shake hands, hang out, mix with folk outside the family circle, and just be sociable?
One particular Sunday coincided with a high spring tide, but we battled on in any case! Determined as ever, we consumed several ice-cold beers before returning to the coalface, ready for another week of trading time for money in an industry that was unwittingly cruising to the scene of a major crash.
Well, it wasn’t exactly the coalface…
We worked in a temporary office complex on the edge of about several thousand square miles of bushland and, thankfully, also far from Corporate HQ. We were still subject to the corporate decision-making process and the winds of world economics – similar to many other offices in the world in fact.
With little warning, several months later, this was all gone – history, just like that!
And then the crash …
The bush camp was apparently sold for a new port development and then the ‘ass’ fell out of the oil market, for the third time in my career. Contracts were cancelled across the industry. Rig owners were compensated and the ‘orphaned’ staff at all levels were sent home to an uncertain future.
What would a secure retirement look like anyway?
Age-wise, retirement remains several years away financially, even if all the plans remain intact after 2020. In any case, if it is viable, retirement probably isn’t a sensible option from the health and general welfare point of view.
Longer term, spending time looking at alternatives and moaning about the current state of affairs rather than taking charge of our own circumstances, would only defer the inevitable, whatever that is, That time will slide by in the blink of an eye if you allow it!
The alternative is to take an active hand in managing your future, your savings and investments and deciding your role in the world and your business or your job, if you still have one.
The big question is what to do next.
So, how do you see your future, and that of your family, over the coming years? Do you take action, or just hurry up and wait?
The sad fact is that the government, your boss, and your financial advisor are too busy sorting their own mess, to sort yours! In short, it’s probably time to assess your current position and re-invent, re-tool and do what it takes to just get going again!
The simplest actions are often the best so just now face the facts and assess where you are now relative to where you thought you might be and then just decide where you want to be in one, five or perhaps, ten years.
DON’T LOOK AT WHERE YOU THINK YOU WILL BE – DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
- Review your income plan – has it served you well in recent years?
- Re-evaluate your needs vs your wants – if nothing changes are you on target?
- Look at your alternatives and consider your passions
- Consider what you really want to have and to become over the next several years.
During the initial years after my personal ‘reset’, I followed a conventional route of entrepreneurship and franchising. However, it quickly dawned on me that I was essentially purchasing a job for myself. What’s more disheartening is that my retirement savings continued to dwindle. Subsequently, the various lockdowns acted as a clarion call and, more importantly, provided another opportunity for introspection. And now, we find ourselves on the other side of it all.
Why not move to the Gig Economy?
Although I had been aware of the internet and its possibilities since the ’90s and had flirted with a couple of website startups, stock investments and so on, I never really considered a role for myself in the ‘gig economy’ much less a ‘digital lifestyle” during my initial ‘reset’.
I stumbled upon a job opportunity by venturing into a renewables franchise, while also indulging in photography as a hobby. I dabbled in stock photography, registering with a few stock sites, and managed to sell a handful of shots online for a meager sum. Surprisingly, over time, this became a source of passive income. Until recently, I hadn’t considered either path as a viable means to achieve a sustainable passive income.
… or directly to a Digital Lifestyle?
Following a recent review of my own situation, I started digging into the possibilities for a digital lifestyle. Surprisingly, I found a dizzying array of opportunities that are just sitting there for the taking.
The final part of my journey was based around a series of videos: it’s free to register and receive the training.
In conclusion, with a touch of creativity, the possibilities for expansion are boundless.
2020-21 really did prove to be a RESET opportunity. While the pandemic may not have completely disappeared and other emergencies have overtaken it, I would hate to come out the other side wondering where the time went, or, what was I thinking about to allow this time to whittle away.
The ‘new’ digital world is here and now
There are now possibilities and benefits beyond belief for growth-focused individuals and companies alike.
(Re-)Training for the Digital Economy
Digital technologies, proven over the years and accelerated in recent months are bringing about sweeping changes in the workplace ranging from meetings and staff management to business and consumer buying habits. As the trend continues employers will be keen to reduce high, centre city office costs, and coronavirus or virus-du-jour transmission risks. They will increasingly offer more work-from-home and consulting or freelance opportunities.
Opting for, or at least considering, a digital lifestyle allows you to take control of your situation and plan your next steps towards a brighter future. A sound plan will relieve the uncertainty and provide you with independence and flexibility to design the best future you can imagine for you and yours.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to join a FREE WEBINAR has empowered countless individuals – just like you – to embark on their entrepreneurial journey and transform their lives. Whether you’re looking to break free from the grind of your day job or reshape your destiny, this is your moment to seize control and craft a brighter future. Register now!
FREE TRAINING –
How to Start & Grow a Hyper-Profitable Online Business
Even If You Have Very Little Time and No Online Business Experience
More to follow … please comment below or Contact Me
Jim Houlihan