Sander Biehn is the author of the book “The Thirty Year Paycheck,” a novel which chronicles the tales of a fictional employee in corporate America. His book uses this character’s story as a back drop to helping people understand the problems corporate 9-5ers are facing and the possible solutions to ensure they come out on top. After nearly 20 years in a corporate sales job, Sander is now pursuing his passion in social media marketing and writing.
Favorite Success Quote“Fortunis Audaces Luvat” – Latin phrase meaning fortune favors the bold.
Key Points1. Do Not Allow Money to Be Your Main Motivation.
It is often all to easy to allow a very benign seeming greed to fill our heads and cause us to waste the best years of our lives in careers we hate. Although money is essential to life, it is but one small piece of the puzzle that makes up a passion filled and vibrant existence.
We must never fall into the trap of doing that which we hate for a steady pay check. As Pablo Picasso so eloquently said, “Never permit dichotomy to rule your life, a dichotomy in which you hate what you do so you can have pleasure in your spare time. Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time.”
2. You Must Take Care of Yourself First so You can Take Care of Others.
As men, we tend to be (as a whole) rather unselfish when it comes to providing for our families. We are often placed in a situation where the well being of our families results in the detriment of our own lives, and we endure believing it is the best course.
What we do not realize, however, is that when we do not take time to look after our own needs physically, mentally, and emotionally, we operate on a low level of existence, depriving our loved ones of a full and authentic relationship. We do not understand that what is best for us, is by extension best for our loved ones, because it is when we are operating at our highest levels that we are able to serve them in the most meaningful ways possible.
3. Someday Has Got to be Now.
The average U.S. citizen has less than 28,000 days of life to live. 28,000 precious days that once they have passed, are gone forever. And yet, as a society, we live as if we are immortal, living uninspired lives, putting off our dreams and passions for that ever elusive “someday.” If we want to live lives fulls of purpose and joy, we must erase the “someday” notion from our head and make it “today.”
We can no longer put off that which we love for retirement, when our prime years have long since passed. We must seize the day and live as if today were our last day. Our last day to love, our last day to explore, our last day to adventure, and our last day to make a damns worth of a difference on this planet. We must live like we are dying.
4. Start Creating a Runway for Your Dreams.
If you have obligations to family (especially children) then it is rarely the best course of action to hand in your resignation and then begin building your life on your passion. It is essential that you first begin to create a runway that will ensure you have the momentum for success in your endeavors before you give up the income that sustains your family.
If you wish to blog, begin writing in your free time, build a following, and when you start turning a profit, quit your day job and go full time. If you love fitness, get your certification and begin working on the weekends, and when you have developed enough skill and recognition, move into making it your main stream of income.
Do not simply quit because you dislike your current circumstances, rather use your current situation as a springboard into the future that you want for yourself.
5. Live Below Your Means.
Regardless of whether you wish to run a multi million dollar podcast, own a tech startup or continue in your 9-5, your life will be much easier if you make a conscious effort to live below your means. This will make you less dependent on any one stream of income, and allow for you to take a pay decrease when starting a new venture without severely altering your lifestyle.
Even though a smaller house and slower car aren’t sexier, they are a path to the life that you truly desire, the life of your dreams.
