I often use the analogy of “The Great Escape” as the film is seared on my formative memory. It has aged somewhat badly but I do like it and its teachings for business.
I know not all people see employment as a cage. Some actively enjoy working for others, as I did for long parts of my teaching career. Some people don’t like taking risks and feel nervous, and rightly so, about abandoning employment and going alone. I did.
But.
If you see work as a prison, a cage, you need to adopt the mentality of the characters in “The Great Escape.” Start plotting, start thinking, start planning an escape.
But.
Do it covertly. Don’t tell your company of your plans. Start an escape tunnel in your own time. Drop the soil secretly in the company car park, so to speak.
I had this epiphany, this allegorical connection in September 2015, when I realised I was caged. I was finished with teaching, but a prisoner to it.
I picked up a spade, and instead of smacking various people (who had colluded) with it, I started digging and created a business that generated just £6900 in income that year. I didn’t want to return to the cell block of employment, so stuck at it and dug new tunnels, new income streams.
2021 has been my best year financially and exceeded revenue in 2020, which was outstanding too.
Tunnelling out is not for everyone. It’s taken me 6 years to earn 4 times what I did as a teacher. I’ve worked relentlessly at this business and have created something I’m proud of.
If you have the desire and motivation to leave your personal work prison in 2022, pick up a spade now and start making small holes for a tunnel.
You get one life. Live it doing what you want to do.
I wanted to write from the age of four.
46 years later, I achieved that ambition. It’s not been easy. It’s had many challenges. But would I change it? No.
I like living and working outside a cage.
If you want to do it next year, let me guide you, if that doesn’t sound too pseudo coachy.
But you’ve got to want to pick up that spade.
When held, get in touch with me and I’ll show how to dig and escape.
