the game.
November 8, 2008
Things can be a lot more fun if we approach them with the intent to enjoy them.
Such is the game of life.
Today, I will begin such a game, to be played out over 6 weeks.
In a virtual sense, Tyler Durden is holding a gun to my head. He has just told me that he will be watching me, and if I’m not on my way to becoming what I want to be within 6 weeks, he will kill me.
Now of course, I don’t really have a gun to my head, but I cannot predict the future. If I could, I’d have won the lottery already and all of you would be enjoying dinner with me in a warmer place!
As I cannot predict the future, at any time I could be gone, or my current source of income could be gone.
So today, the game I will play is one to see how many ways I can generate alternative sources of income, other than my current day job.
I will be looking for work that is meaningful to me and creates value somehow – rather than just pushing papers that will likely end up in a box in a basement in a dusty old building.
I actually have some of these underway already.
In the near future, I will be writing articles for an online magazine (I will announce the location shortly), and I have signed the required contracts.
I have approached someone with an offer to sell a product I make (shoes) and donate part of the profits to a charity on their behalf, to support their cause. I will provide updates here as it unfolds – wish me luck.
I will also be adding a page here shortly called “Stuff I Do” or “Hire Me”, because there are a few things I can do that don’t really fit into the theme of my blog, but I need a landing spot before I consider branching off to other blogs or web sites. There will be a lot of stuff there eventually, because my mind is a fusion-powered idea generator and on a normal day is totally out of control. This page will contain some of the things I have already talked about previously at this space, but it is important to pull it all together. My writing, for instance, and the various technical services I can perform.
And finally, I will see if I can find full time employment somewhere else in my current field. Because, you just never know when the good old Factory might put up a big “For Sale” sign on the front lawn. You just can’t trust those zombies. If they aren’t trying to eat your brains, they’re off brainwashing the world.
The game is to see how much of a difference I can make to my current situation – obviously, to see how much of an impact it can make on my potential for income – but more importantly, my outlook towards “what I do”. If I really focus on the truly important for a while, I just might be able to make some significant progress towards my goals. And if I really work at this, my “current line of work” may become less important in the overall scheme.
I will report back here each week on the progress. So, look for updates on a search for traditional employment, as well as some paid writing work I’ll be doing, a shoe making business, and a page that will list other things I can do.
For while it is true that your life isn’t your work – if we are going to spend a good chunk of our lives doing work, I believe that it should count for something, and that we should enjoy doing that work.
PS – if the picture doesn’t make sense, go back and click on the first link at the top (“game of life”) – it’s geek stuff but it is pretty cool, I think.
Brett,
I got completely lost in the geek stuff and almost forgot to come back! Mesmerizing!
Yay for you. This sounds like a great way to get unstuck and put out feelers without jeopardizing your day-to-day life too much. Now, if you can tell me where you’re getting the extra hours to put into your day, I could really use some….
Best of luck, and I will of course be watching your progress to cheer you on. Keep a step (or 6) ahead of those zombies!
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Deliver the Essential *Boom*
Kelly,
Happy that you liked it – one of the “lifeforms”, the glider, is a sort of unofficial symbol for the hacker culture.
http://catb.org/hacker-emblem/
I’ll be tweaking this plan to jive with one that was done at the beginning of this past week to make sure that it is “doable” and doable without the use of combat drugs…
Extra hours – works like this – just keep turning your watch back whenever you need an extra hour. Then, when you’re late for that first meeting the next day, blame it on your watch battery!
And thank you – I have several cool friends (including you, of course) to cheer me on or kick me in the posterior as needed – we’ll all get there together.
-Brett
Super Duper Double Awesome!
“There will be a lot of stuff there eventually, because my mind is a fusion-powered idea generator and on a normal day is totally out of control.”
I couldn’t have felt that sentence any more.
Thinking good thoughts for you, Brett.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Bright Ideas
Yay for you! It’ll be fun to see what happens…
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Happiness or Money: What I Did in an Either/Or Situation
@Brett
Hey, good for you about getting that writing contract. I know you had mentionned you had been planning this, but I didn’t know it’s been finalized.
God knows, you deserve it..you’ve spent so much time networking and doing your research.
(While people like me have just spent way too much time farting around on our blogs).
Now if you’ll excuse me, I should work on my own projects.
…Lest Tyler Durden and get me!
Friar’s last blog post..Moon Sketches
Brett: I can hear your determination in this post! Congratulations!!
All of us here, I’m sure, will encourage you and help make sure you get where you want to be!
steph’s last blog post..A Little Bit of Nothing Much
I forgot to add that I too am doing the accountability thing – Crista (one of wonderful Lab Rats) has decided that I need to expand what I do with the Lab Rat series, so is meeting with me via Skype once a week to do some ass kicking.
Funny how I can gently kick so many other people’s asses but my own? My foot just doesn’t seem to reach…
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Happiness or Money: What I Did in an Either/Or Situation
@Writer Dad,
Thanks very much my friend – I’m taking a page out of your book by doing this, cheering you on as we go forward together.
@Alex,
Thanks! I agree, this is going to be fun – and to your second comment, I totally understand that (Steph and I chatted about this by email).
It is easy for me also to cheer on other folks and give encouragement – I seem to know what to do but then don’t always do it myself.
Easy to talk the talk, not always easy to walk the walk.
So having folks like you and everyone else out here to “keep me honest”, well, I have to succeed!
@Friar,
Thanks bro – yes, it just got finalized the other day. Hey, don’t sell yourself short either, you’re doing much the same (did you know that The Deep Friar blog has a Google PR of 4? That’s kick ass, Friar!)
You’re doing what you’re doing with Basil and you’ve done more on the Viking book than I have, so together we will get there.
@steph,
Thank you so much my friend – this one is actually for you. It was very fortunate that we met out here, as we are able to give each other so much encouragement – though I’m not where you are right now, I have been there, and I see how many things you have on the go in spite of it. I couldn’t help but to take inspiration from your own determination. So thank you.
@Brett
Uhh….what’s a Google PR?
Davina had also emailed me about my PR level. I’ll take both your word for it…that a “4″ is “good”.
But I have no idea what it’s all about!
Friar’s last blog post..Moon Sketches
Friar,
It is Google Page Rank.
Basically:
“Google assigns a numeric weighting from 0-10 for each webpage on the Internet; this PageRank denotes a site’s importance in the eyes of Google.”
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageRank
So in Google’s eyes, a PR4 means they think pretty highly of you – that is good when people are searching for stuff.
Someday Syndrome only has a PR of 3, so you’re doing better than I am, Friar.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Happiness or Money: What I Did in an Either/Or Situation
Alex,
It’s all relative. Steve Pavlina only has a PR of 3 and he’s making $40k+ per month from his blog – so I suppose our potential for earnings from our blogs really doesn’t have as much to do with it as it would seem. Same thing with number of subscribers.
Lots of folks have way more subscribers than I do – I’d be happy to have 100 subscribers send me $10/month each, for instance, than have 1000’s that just read me
(Not that I’m asking folks to send money!)
Brett: I knew you wrote this with me in mind! Not to sound pretentious, of course, but it reminded me of our emails and chats and resonated with me.
If I could see straight (I fill my days with so many words that my eyes are constantly burning and unfocused lately), I would put in even more time not only chatting with you but also being more productive! (Contrary to what some may think, the two actually go hand in hand!)
steph’s last blog post..A Little Bit of Nothing Much
“I will see if I can find full time employment somewhere else in my current field. Because, you just never know when the good old Factory might put up a big “For Sale” sign on the front lawn. You just can’t trust those zombies. If they aren’t trying to eat your brains, they’re off brainwashing the world.”
I will join you in this portion of the game. I had the same thoughts a couple of months ago and have really begun to seek alternate employment in earnest. It has turned up a couple of interviews and some interesting leads. So yes, let’s see if I can seal a deal or two in 6 weeks. I really like this game idea.
Ian’s last blog post..Funiculì, Funiculà, Friday
Steph,
It is a glimpse into the future days when I will work for myself at home – if the whole time can be like my evenings and weekends – well, wow!
@Ian,
Hello! Welcome to the game – glad to have you here! Good luck to you and good hunting.
Please come back as often as you like to let us know how it is going – I have a feeling the two of us will have a lot to say…
*pad, pad, pad* [going to get my to-do list]
*crosses off “send Brett 10 bucks” from the list, plops list back onto desk*
*pad, pad, pad away*
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Deliver the Essential *Boom*
@Kelly,
Hmm… maybe I should!
“how many ways I can generate alternative sources of income,”
That is often the way to go.
Sometimes one of your sources catches fire and that becomes the focus of all your energies. That’s fine, but don’t neglect passive income. That’s what you really want: money coming in while you sleep.
Even if it’s small money, it adds up. I have some things that only generate a few hundred dollars a year, but when you have ten, or twenty, or a hundred of them it starts becoming real money.
Anyway, best of luck.
Tony!
Nice to see you again (I seemed to have lost your feed myself, which is why I suddenly popped up over at your site after a long absence).
That’s just it, you know – and I’ve had many, many ideas for the passive income for some time – but haven’t done much with them.
No time like the present. I’ve also had quite a few folks say “hey, you’re not using your blog as well as you could” – so I aim to change that.
As you say, every little bit helps and it all adds up.
Thanks very much – good luck to you too (though I know you’re making your own luck, something I plan to do from this point onwards).
Hi Brett,
I know you know I commented by e-mail about this, but I came back and re-read it again this lovely Monday Morning…it’s certiantly is an exciting and motivating list.
What’s the first thing you are tackling on this list today?
What’s the first bite? Just for today?
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post..Walking Uphill Barefoot with no Shoes
Hi Wendi,
Well (once I get away from the Factory!) I’ll be doing research for the niche sites (one of them first), following up about the shoe thing, and running.
Brett, I am cheering you on and rooting for your success! Last week I had a similar revelation and have given myself until the end of January to fulfill my goals which include alternative income streams. I know that you will find success and am so glad you are sharing it with us. We all learn from one another and I know that I am constantly energized and inspired by your developments. Go Brett! Yay!!!!
@Karen,
Thank you – I am cheering for you too – we’ll all do this together – as we say, can, will and believe – Go Wonder Woman
Love it Brett, and I’m particularly loving how you’re talking about your challenge as a ‘game’. Spot on. If you wanted to be a great tennis player then you’d better be sure of 3 things – 1. You love playing tennis, 2. You’re happy to work on your game because you know it’ll make you a better player and 3. You might just win.
Forget goals, play games. You’ll get better results and it’s way more fun
Waiting with much interest to find out more – holler if I can help.
Steve Errey’s last blog post..It Takes Confidence & Guts to Be Wrong
OO Brett, I’m excited to read your new adventure!
This probably has to be the best game EVER
@Steve,
Thank you! That’s what got me thinking, why not play it like a game – assume there’s nothing to lose at all, as it is for fun. It really changed the way I feel about it, and I know I’ll be making some great gains.
For sure – I will let you know if I need a hand.
@RL,
Glad you like it – I think so too! Feel free to play along if you like… (hmm, reminds me, I owe you a list of music!)
Never trust the zombies, my friend. Never trust the zombies.
Love love love this post.
Amy Derby’s last blog post..Why I Killed My Self-Doubt (Literally)
I’ve been somewhat unconsciously and definitely not as focused as you..playing this game for about the last month and a half (when I started full-time freelance). I like your direct attack on this goal-and of course-your transformation of this lofty task into a game. I think I’ll join you:-)
Kara’s last blog post..4 Things
At last! I’m so excited for you, Brett, and looking forward to seeing all your dreams and ideas finally manifest into something tangible. As always, I’ll be here cheering you on.
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Hot off the Press!
@Amy,
Exactly – all the zombies want to do is eat your brains anyway. They give nothing in return, it’s just a win-lose thing. So I stay away from them…
And thank you
@Kara,
Thank you for stopping in to say hello today, and I’m glad that you’re going to join me in the game.
I know you will play it well too – you are one determined person and an inspiration to all of us (I always make a point to go and visit new visitors at their own blogs, and you’re pretty amazing!) – good luck with your dissertation, and with your freelancing. I hope to see you around again soon!
@Melissa,
Thank you my friend – I’m taking a page out of your book, and out of the books of many of the folks I’ve met out here – you’ve all been instrumental in helping me to act.
[...] The Game at 6 Weeks [...]
Good Luck Brett! You’ll do great! Just remember the little people when you do make money hand over fist!!!
Jenny’s last blog post..A Short Story
@Jenny,
Thank you my friend!
But do not worry – there are no little people – we are all great people. So I will remember everyone.
Brett,
That is awesome. Keep us all informed. I am curious to know about some of these future endeavors as you unveil them. This should be an interesting experiment.
Sal’s last blog post..I WIN
Sal,
Thank you – I definitely will keep everyone in the loop, and I will have some updates this weekend – I made some progress and it is encouraging me to go further.
Everyone has been so supportive and I can’t help but succeed!!!
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