Sources Galore to Explore
There are many ways to learn. Just as there are many ways to earn money. My hope is that you will make the effort to focus on learning a way to earn a living that you can enjoy.
Regardless of what you do now to survive, my goal is to help you build a better mindset for money. And a big step in that direction is learning what to learn.
Although surfing the internet can be fun, without a purpose it can be a waste of time. Why? Trying to take in the sea of information can become overwhelming and you can choke trying to chew on the wrong information.
Will You Depend on TV?
Before the internet, the primary influencers were on television. There were many who believed that if it was on TV, it must be true. We still have TV and there are still those who feel that way, plus with the same view about the internet.
So, where is your truth going to come from? How will you source what is good for you to know? Will you play roulette, hoping the right site will come up as you search the world wide web?
I suggest you look at the Dewey Decimal System. Hopefully, you will live near a public library. They offer sources for you to narrow down your options for ways to earn a living that can satisfy your needs. They have books that spell out hundreds of career opportunities, along with the skills required.
Just reading about career opportunities will cause you to reflect on and open your mind up for further research and reading. Then, you can make better use of the internet and social media sites, though you may have to watch less TV.
What Is Your Time Worth?
I am sure you value your time for recreation, as in time you have with your hobbies and time with family and friends.
However, you enjoy those times because they are a break from the demands of making a living. And they are enjoyable if you feel that you can afford to take a break from your responsibilities.
You can always make more money, but you can never make more time. That is a simple truth that I have read many times by other authors writing about the value of time and how you manage it.
How well you manage your time will depend on how you decide to manage it. It is up to you to give value to time management.
Will you decide to invest in your future by reading that can open your mind up for future options for making a living or building a career?
Will you decide to build a better mindset for money that will give you the courage to build financial freedom in place of accepting what you can find to get by?
I cannot encourage you enough about the benefits of purposeful reading. Reading can be based on interest or research or entertainment. Just be conscious of the fact that a fun distraction, entertainment, can be helpful for relaxation; but your future financial success will be based on what you know and can apply.
You can give your time more value by planning what to read that will give you more value at home and in the workplace, over time. This is a long game. Allow time for you to grow your skills and understanding.
Money for Needs and Wants
I sometimes feel that we often deal with finding employment with the wrong frame of reference.
We often start with the assumption that a job should pay enough to cover how we want to live. When the reality is that a job pays what it pays without regard to how you want to live.
Be prepared to adjust your budget to live on your income. Some say live on 70% of your take-home pay and save 30%. Although starting with living on 90% of take-home pay will allow you to save 10%. That would be more than most do. Then, as you get raises in income, you can add to your savings percentage.
And, yes, with low-paying jobs, you may feel you are sacrificing a lot. However, for many, the lure of using a credit card to make up the difference to be able to live like you want is just too much. Then, the crisis begins.
If you want to earn more, you must try to learn more and find ways to give yourself value as an employee.
Can you organize a storeroom? There are books about that. Can you frame a house? There are books about that. Can you cook on a flat top grill? There are books about that. Can you plan your workday? There are books about that.
The Age of Instant
There ought to be an instant answer. Why does life have to be so hard?
Until you know, you don’t know. And ignorance can be very expensive. There is no reason not to know!
Perhaps your reading will need to be supplemented with course work, classes toward a degree or certification. Unlike most people, try to fund most of the related costs from your earnings or savings and not money borrowed.
Finding work that will pay for your needs will be hard enough without adding debt payments.
A Tour of the Library
In the library, the books are put in order using the Dewey Decimal System. The numbering system is set up as main class, division, and section followed by numbers to the right of the decimal as classification within the section.
For instance, I found books about careers under 331.702. The first number 3 is for Social Sciences. The second number 3 is for Economics. The number 1 is for careers. The .702 is for the classification under careers. Dewey was very organized!
You can add words to refine your search on the library catalog computer.
Look at Yourself and Your Goals
There are many stories to support the fact that being discouraged and hopeless with few job options and low pay is not your end game. There is a way to encourage yourself and build hope back into your future.
This is no instant game plan. However, spending a little time noting your hopes and dreams can give you a base for setting worthwhile goals.
Others can try to influence you to help meet their goals. However, once you have your own set of goals, you are better equipped to judge the value of those attempts to influence you.
Your own set of goals will help point the way for decisions about your future.
Make Your Way
Once you have defined what you like and want, referred to as your goals, you can define steps in your daily planning to achieve them. By reading and researching (starting in the library), you can begin to build your value and self-confidence by reading for useful knowledge and developing the skills you need to succeed with whatever you choose!
You can design your future. Replace bad habits with good habits. Reading will help you with that process.
Make the effort. Take the time to read. Point yourself in a direction that feels good to you. Make it your way!