February 23, 2012

When do you know it’s time to make a change?

February 21, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 8 Comments

If this isn’t the big question…then what is, eh? And the answer IS…nobody can say but you. But today Gary Barkalow and I unpacked quite a few of the primary issues surrounding the question. Such as:

  • When all your ducks are in a row. You have everything you need! So there is no need for faith and risk doesn’t exist.
  • When God moves and makes it all happen for you. Then you get absolute certainty and again, no faith or risk.
  • When you have no choice, such as getting fired. Then you can be reactive instead of proactive. There may be faith and risk but at least you aren’t liable for the decision to take them on, you’re just a victim…right?
  • When your friends and family give you the green light! Hey, it could happen. And…monkeys could fly out of my…

We’re in a culture that is very averse to risk, stepping out on faith and…making big decisions. So your only safe bet is to stay put. But….

Questions:

  1. Is where you are now sustainable? Will it be OK if it continues infinitely? If so, either submit to that, OR, look hard at why ‘bad’ and ‘mediocre’ is OK with you.
  2. Is it more risky to change, or stay where you are? Can you afford NOT to change? Most folks look at any ‘change’ or decision and contemplate the risk. But they don’t ascertain the cost and risk of staying where they are.

Reality:

We often want all the resources and strength and understanding BEFORE we embark on the journey. Yet as my wise wife pointed out recently…it’s usually only DURING the journey that we are strengthened and equipped. Which means…you start off lacking. Truth or fiction?!

Gary gave a killer analogy of tunnels. The journey to ‘change’ is like a tunnel. We must leave the normal, the safe, the light we know…and go forth into the dark. And at some point we’ll leave the light we know and there will be dark behind, and in front of us. We must persever. Ultimately we’ll see a faint glow. Then light again…and it will get brighter as we leave the dark behind, and get immersed in more light than we’ve ever know.

So what will you do? Remain in your current, dim light? Or risk the dark for a brighter light? Sounds trite, but it’s truth.

For you readers…give your thoughts below.

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Filed Under: Calling, Faith, Podcast

“What do you think is the main differentiating factor between being an employee, and being self-employed?”

February 20, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 4 Comments

I posted this on the Free Agent Academy Facebook discussion page and received some incredible replies. You can see them below. If you want to hear the live show, the audio is at the bottom. But do yourself a favor and read the replies.

My experience in dealing with scores of people every day who are in traditional employment and want out, is the main differentiating factor and obstacle…is this:

When you are traditionally employed, much the same as when you are in the traditional school system, you

  • Follow directions,
  • Fulfill requests,
  • Primarily do your part and aren’t liable for the end result
  • Do…what you’re told,
  • RESPOND to rules, requirements and expectations, if not downright demands and policy

Very conversly, when you are SELF-employed, you

Are fully responsible

THAT…is something most people have never encountered before. We go from school to j-o-b and just followed the directives. To think about waking up one morning and it’s all on us? THIS…is what most folks find overwhelming. It’s like having a baby at the hospital. They direct you for 24 or 48 hours and then send you home. You get in your car, strap the new baby in, and drive away. Then it hits you…”Oh crap…this kids is totally ours, totally in our care, we are 100% responsible! Isn’t there a manual or anything…?” And none of us are born as naturally perfect parents. We have to learn a ton.

On relevant thing to point out is before the Industrial Revolution the majority of the culture was primarily self-employed. They knew a trade that they offered to others. It was after the assembly line and big business that we became a primarily ‘employed’ society. Our grandparents or at least great-grandparents understood full responsibility for providing a product or service and being responsible for the primary decisions and responsibilities to the end user.

So…what do you do now? Transition. Find your viable idea and start it on the side and transition slowly. It’s like getting off life support so you can breath on your own. You were MADE to do it, it’s just gotta be relearned.

Here are the Facebook discussion page comments:

  • Eric Haselhorst Being an employee, I can say there is a bit of comfort (albeit misguided) in being told what to do.

    February 15 at 2:03pm · 

  • Thesa Bryant slavery and living out someone elses dream vs. free and living out your own dream. However, both have a variety of responsibilities that if you fail to be responsible as an employee; you are fired. If you fail in your responsibilities as an owner; your business potentially falls apart. Good choices reap success in both … typically you go farther in a self-employed situation (more sustainable).

    February 15 at 2:06pm · 

  • Dallon Christensen The biggest difference is having the freedom to choose the projects you want to do instead of having the projects-and related deadlines, no matter how unreasonable-thrust upon you.

    February 15 at 2:08pm · 

  • Peter Brissette Employees believe that they can just show up everyday and punch the clock and get a check. Someone who is self employed (whether that is full time on their own, or working for another company) recognizes that the opportunity to succeed or not is up to them. they realize that the “job” they have is there because they are the ones responsible to make it there. It is not given to them, they earn it, every single day. The only way to do that is to provide value to their customers (real customers, managers, fellow employees, etc.) But what most employee’s dont realize that they can most likely not realize their full potential until the leave the “protective and stable” environment of a job.

    February 15 at 2:19pm · 

  • Marta Goertzen Sometimes there isn’t much of a difference! I am self-employed but have ended up creating a business where I am my own employee (working on changing that!). The main differences for me are 1) Who I report to, 2) What I am responsible for now, and the biggie 3) I also have the freedom to make changes, change direction and even change my mind, couldn’t ever do that as an employee in the corporate world.

    The desire for self-employment has been a desire for freedom and the doors it can open up. As a corp employee I was trapped and that freedom was elusive.

    February 15 at 2:27pm ·  ·  1

  • Jack Lynady For better and for worse, there’s more skin in the game when you are self-employed. It’s the difference between living on the frontier verses living in the city.

    February 15 at 2:31pm ·  ·  1

  • Tom Labuzienski Self employed are risk takers and leaders. Employees are followers with often times a false sense of security.

    February 15 at 2:33pm · 

  • Free Agent Academy these are great…perfect…I’ll be reading them on the show in a moment

    February 15 at 2:48pm · 

  • Will Laohoo I think it depends on the company culture and feel, but generally I agree with people’s comments on employees. There are some companies, though, that I think do a great job of empowering their employees to live out their callings. I’ve never worked for Dave Ramsey, but I’d imagine it’d be pretty awesome to work for his company.

    February 15 at 3:09pm · 

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Filed Under: Podcast, Self-Employment

Marriage, self-employment and a free agent anniversary

February 15, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 2 Comments

Today we talked with Joshua & Sarah Gordon of The NonConformist Family. They have just celebrated their 1-year anniversary of full-time free agency.

How did they get there…from traditional employment and doing the grind, to self-employment and living out their convictions for their family?

How did their marriage fare along the way? I’ll give you 3 hints on the culmination of the show:

  • Invest in yourself
  • Make sure you and your spouse are on the same page
  • Commit…be ruthless on anything that is holding you back

Listen in as my bride Teri and I interview them on this splendid Valentines day.

 

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Filed Under: FreeAgent Spotlight, Marriage, Podcast, Self-Employment

Whose language do you speak fluently?

February 9, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 4 Comments

I’m not talking Swahili or Chinese. I mean a certain demographic of people who you know well. You know their lingo and the secret handshake and have understanding that only those who are kindred spirits would know.

I shared this on Facebook and got a lot of great comments. Some people shared areas of interest that really didn’t equate to our topic here, while some nailed it.

Examples: I have 7 kids, so I can speak the language of big families. I was a pro endurance athlete for over a decade, so I can speak their language. I built my house (general contracting and much of the actual labor) so I can talk shop with other homeowners who did so. Get the idea?

Example #2: I can’t connect well with folks in the big corporate world, I’ve never been in that. I can’t talk formal education, never spent a minute in it.

SO AGAIN: “Whose language can you speak fluently?”

The point…you may have a product or service that in an of itself is not dramatically unique or remarkable or new. But you can provide it to a target market whose language you speak, and THAT makes your offering remarkable.

Listen in for a lively show that involved nearly 50 people between the live audience and Facebook postings:

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Filed Under: Branding, Podcast, Self-Employment, Selling

Building a following from scratch for a new business

February 9, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 2 Comments

So you have a great idea that you are passionate about, discovered how it’s valid in the marketplace and built a storefront to provide it to the world.

You’re ready for business!

But wait…where does that business come from? It comes from people who are listening to you. Who care about what you have to offer. Your ‘following’.

How do you get…a following?

My friend, professor at Free Agent Academy and founder of CoachRadio.tv, Justin Lukasavige and I tackled this topic with what we’ve found to be the most viable and efficient methods.

I’ll give you a big hint though…

If you’re looking for ‘list building’, this is not the show for you. That verbiage never crossed our lips. If you are comfortable with ‘relationship building’ however, listen on!

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Filed Under: Branding, Podcast, Self-Employment, Social Media

My boldest claim yet: This…is the biggest cause of failure (Show recording)

February 1, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 6 Comments

This is the show recording from this blog “My boldest claim yet: This…is the biggest cause of failure”

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Filed Under: Podcast, Self-Employment

My boldest claim yet: This…is the biggest cause of failure

February 1, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 45 Comments

This may be my boldest claim to date, I’m either on to something, or I’m a fool. You judge.

Folks, if you are a washer and dryer repairman, then you probably have a good handle on the #1 reason for what causes failure in those machines.

I can’t claim much, but I do get to experience and participate in a LOT of people’s stories. Stories where they are trying to achieve something better, greater and of more worth. So in that…this is my observance of the #1 reason for failure. The #1 obstacle. The #1 hurdle and far too often, the #1 cause of abandonment.

I’m being so bold here with my claim, that I’m risking being a fool. That someone else will come along with a differing claim and prove me wrong. But you know, at worst, I still believe this vies for the top position, and has to be top 3.

This was hard, as I presented it to the attendees at the Free Agent Academy ‘Accelerator’ event this past weekend. To state a number one reason…was daunting. My first gut reaction was to say ‘faith’. That people didn’t have enough faith in themselves. True…but is that really it? I’ve seen lots of folks full of faith who never act on it. I finally bubbled up to…this.

So here goes…ready? First, watch this video. It was made to be funny…but it’s not:

Without further ado…my experience with people quitting and abandoning the pursuit of…well…anything counter-cultural, is:
PEER PRESSURE

That’s it, in my experience. The number one reason people to not follow through on their beliefs, values, convictions, desires, pains, faith…is peer pressure.

Over and over, even as people have stark revelations on themselves and what they really believe to be true and best and what should really be priority for their lives and even for their families, they most often abandon the effort due to the intense pressure they feel from a society that has accepted safety, security, comfort, comformity and convenience as the norm and the expected, responsible pursuit of life.

The flow of culture, the norm and accepted, is overpowering. I think it’s lost…it will never be corrected overall. Fast and processed food is here to stay. Obesity, illness and disease won’t curb it. Mass consumerism is here to stay, debt and enslavement to work to pay the bills won’t stop it. Lack of community is probably here to stay. Ultra-connectedness lacking intimacy, loneliness and isolation are here to stay.

Overall. Any individual can reject such things and lay claim to an alternative reality.

But few will. Why? Peer pressure. Two primary reasons make up the pull of peer pressure I believe:

  1. We subconsciously believe in fellow man. We want to! I do to. But our ‘fellow man’  which establishes and comprises the ‘norm’. And what most people accept, we inherently will also. We want to trust. We want to follow. We want to do what’s easiest. We want to have faith in our leaders. We desperately desire to believe our personal care and wellness is a priority to others. I don’t want to be a downer, but I’m afraid the reality is…and your experience is…this isn’t the case.
  2. We want to be accepted. Going against the flow is hard. It’s unpopular. We can find kindred spirits to bond together with, but we’ll still have a majority of people around us that are going and believing in a different direction. In most social gatherings where someone has made a feast and joyfully offers it, I end up saying, “OH…I’m so sorry. I’m one of those weird vegetarians.” I feel bad, and they often feel bad. That just…isn’t fun. It doesn’t make me feel proud or righteous, it feels like a pain in the butt. But…it’s my personal conviction (aside from the fact that though everyone else in my country seems to love meat, I didn’t even like it when I was a kid!).

These are not bad reasons, and they are human nature. But they just aren’t working. We have a culture run by big government and big corporations and big media that we have given over power too. It’s lost. It’s not a conspiracy I don’t believe (don’t want to believe!), just again, human nature to want, and want more. So profits and bottom lines have the power. We ALL complain and shake our fist at these big bullies, but we end up trusting the norm that they create and don’t put two and two together. The culture is and will continue to be in the grip of government, corporations and media.

But you are still free NOT to be in that grip. Most all those you know however, will be. And that…is what is hard.

So, what’s my point then? What do you do about it?

Just realize it. Don’t be upset by it. But don’t be ruled by it.

Want to be debt free? Then do as Ramsey says and “Live like nobody else, so you can live like nobody else”, which in his focus means “Don’t spend like everybody else, don’t be a consumer like everybody else, limit your spending like nobody else.”

Want to be fit and trim and vibrant? “Then eat and exercise like nobody else do you look and feel better than everybody else.”

Want to be free to live out your calling and be free to live out the priorities and values that you believe are best and true? “Then you must make some peace with being a freak. You must accept that you are choosing a different path than 99% of anyone you do, or ever will…know.”

Sounds harsh. And it may be exaggerated…I just don’t want to paint a rosy picture. The reality for me is that the majority of my relationships ARE with kindred freaks, but maybe I’m lucky. We enjoy a very alternative lifestyle together. But we work hard for it. We invest and sacrifice a lot. And we’ve made some peace with being out of place in this world. Much of it is glorious. Much of it is laborious.

But for you faith based folks, the concept of “Being in this world, but not of it.” Wouldn’t that relate to such things?

So, what do you think? Does this ring true for you?

Filed Under: Calling, Faith, Free Agent Academy, Personal Development

Free Agent Q&A with Kevin & Teri

January 31, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 2 Comments

Today I posted an offer on the Facebook discussion page to answer a few free agent questions. My bride Teri joined me and 40 folks in the live chatroom and video and we covered a lot of ground. Here are some of the questions:

“We are essentially running two businesses in one. A consignment clothing store and a silk-screening and embroidery shop all in one. I need to find a way to get some help with out hiring a full time person. Mainly because I can’t afford to hire a full time person. Any thoughts there? In all reality, if I had someone that I could send out artwork to, to be processed into silhouettes for making the silk screens, that would free up a lot of my time. I’m not that good of a graphic artist and doing any kind of editing/layering takes me forever. I enjoy it, I’m just not that good at it yet.”
- Chris Puckett

“How do you stand out amid all the clutter on the internet? And, along those same lines, how do you differentiate yourself from your influences? With my budding business (www.TheCallofMen.com), I am so passionate about those who have influenced me but I don’t want to just parrot them. How do I stand out?”
- Scott Moore

“I have an idea for a DVD to create. Others have products out there. I think that mine can be different, and I believe that I would bring community and a connection with the audience. Should I still move forward? (training / educational DVD on small business for children aged ~10 to 16)”
- Jason Vandehey

“Question for the show- didn’t want to post it on FB. How do you maintain hope for a future free agent life as you slosh through the present trying to get all the mundane things done? Would you leave my last name out of the show?”
-EG

Listen to the answers here!

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Filed Under: Podcast, Self-Employment

Self-employment is NOT the holy grail

January 25, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 2 Comments

Some people get the perspective that I think the reality of self-employment is some kind of spiritual mecca. Those that are self-employed are ‘better’ or more worthy and righteous, or get closer to the right-hand of God himself!

And that those who are working jobs and traditionally employed are lessor.

That would be similar to saying a man is better because he has a pair of hiking boots and that the guy with flip-flops is inferior. That’s stupid. It really has little to do with the person.

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One shoe just enables you to get where the other won’t, and to more places. It’s that simple. Want to hike the Barr Trail to the top of Pikes Peak? 12 miles and 7,000 up with chance of snow any time of the year? Someone might be able to do it in flip flops. It will be slower, you might get frostbite, and you’ll definitely get some bloody toes.

The truth however is this – if all you have is flip flops, you’ll likely never even attempt the climb.

Self-employment is merely a vehicle, and in my opinion and experience, it’s the best vehicle to walk out your calling fully. It gives the necessary freedoms and flexibilities that enable you to live out your values and God-given desires of your heart. your convictions.

In this culture we live in today, the biggest circumstantial limiter I see is the J-O-B. It’s not marriage, kids, money or even health (thought that’s a close runner up).

The J-O-B takes up the most time, has the least flexibility and the most demands. Ultimately it just commands your primary time and attention. People’s main complaints seem to include limitations and infringements around:

  • Time availability
  • Creativity
  • Responsibility
  • Giftings and Talents
  • Self-worth (either they feel squashed or they feel important due to the job. Both are limiting)
  • Wealth
  • Inspiration
  • Priorities

Not every job, there are always exceptions. But most.

When you unpack the giftings/talents/skills/abilities/passions/values/beliefs that God created you with and that make up your personal calling, people generally testify that they must limit much of them due to their J-O-B.

I was fortunate to grow up in a free agent home where I got to see these things lived out fully. Unrestrained. The question is whether you believe that to be a luxury or a necessity.

After Teri and I had our first kids we did the 10 million dollar question (what would we do/how would we live/what would we live for, if money were not an issue), what did we believe in, how should life be, what and who did we want to be and for our kids…and saw, even in financial stress, that a job of any type would limit what we believed in, just as eating the average american diet limited our wellness and performance and ability. Just as living in an area that wasn’t big on our lifestyle limited us. Could have still done it, but not as fully.

Why do we readily limit ourselves? Why do we pawn off our core beliefs and convictions as narcissism and so easily accept a life of going through the motions? I think it’s a tool of the enemy to keep us down.

What do you think? Can you accept it or do you think it’s just an attempt to justify doing what we want?

Filed Under: Calling, Faith, Podcast, Self-Employment

Pursuing self-employment is completely unreasonable

January 24, 2012 By Agent Kevin Miller 3 Comments

That’s it, no punchline. Though I’ll say that pretty much anything of great value that you commit to will require you to be culturally unreasonable. Even…gasp…irresponsible (by society’s standards).

So my primary point is that you just accept this reality. Your charge is to find what you feel is right and true and best for your life. To seek God for your calling. And He won’t call you to anything reasonable that you can do alone. It won’t make sense to others.

Accept that. When you share what you are convicted in and committing to and you get disapproval and comments that you are being unreasonable and irresponsible and dreaming and a loon, just say…”Yeah, you’re right” And bid them adiu as they leave to go home to their conformist, mediocre and ‘reasonable’ lives hell-bent on safety, security and comfort. While you’re being unreasonable, they will be on their couches or in theater seats watching with rapt interest and emotion…people on a screen doing amazingly unreasonable things.

You can do the unreasonable, or spectate the unreasonable. Either way, our very souls can’t stomach a life of reason.

I’m preparing for this weekend’s Free Agent Academy ‘Accelerator’ event where we’ll have 30 very unreasonable people, making plans, creating strategies and next steps to achieve unreasonable lives of purpose and meaning and conviction.

I’m secretly hoping that one more person out there will have a fit of gigantic unreasonability and register in the next day or two. That person…will be my kind of person who I want to commune with (details by clicking the graphic on the right).

Teri and I unpacked this topic in today’s show, listen in here:

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Filed Under: Calling, Faith, Personal Development, Podcast, Self-Employment
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