Are my skills appreciated by anyone? - a podcast by Dan Miller - 48 Days

Are my skills and specialized job training appreciated by anyone?

Many of you have job training in specific areas.  That can give you an advantage or make you feel trapped.  The key is to draw a line in the sand and take a fresh look at what unique skills you have, what kind of environments you most enjoy, and what are your recurring dreams.  It may confirm what you’re doing now, or it may alert you that a change is needed.  There are too many options to feel trapped.  

1. If I work overtime I’m neglecting my family, if don’t work overtime I’m neglecting my employer and our only source of income.
2. I finished graduate school with a 3.9 GPA; isn’t that worth something?
3. I have two career ideas that don’t quite mesh, and would like to know which one might prove to be more successful.
4. Can I approach a company with a “thank you for not hiring me” note as a lead in?
5. How can I learn what I need to do to start a lawn mowing business?

“Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” – Teddy Roosevelt —  Tweet This 

Summary:

In this episode, Dan talks about how there is always a solution, even with those who feel trapped by their work and life circumstances. Dan addresses listeners’ questions as they share the various ways in which they feel they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our attitudes and mindsets are often our greatest barriers and Dan explains the things we say to ourselves that can either empower or disempower us. Tune in to find out how we always have a choice and opportunity to leverage the skills we have and also, the importance of showing appreciation to anyone who provides us a service.

Sponsored By:
FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to https://www.freshbooks.com/48days , just enter 48 days.

 Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:35 – Dan starts the podcast
• 01:01 – FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to https://www.freshbooks.com/48days
• 01:16 – Dan asks, are my skills appreciated by anyone?
• 01:54 – Preview of today’s show
• If I work overtime, I’m neglecting my family, If I don’t work overtime I’m neglecting my employer and our only source of income.
• I finished graduate school with a 3.9 GPA, isn’t that worth something?
• I have two career ideas that don’t mesh and would like to know which one might prove to be more successful.
• Can I approach a company with a thank you for not hiring me as a lead in?
• How can I learn what I need to do to start a lawn mowing business?
• 02:59 – Teddy Roosevelt said, “Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat”
• 03:34 – We must keep track of our progress as we go along in our projects
• 04:00 – FreshBooks has a new version of their cloud accounting software
• 04:58 – Dan commends those who have claimed their FreshBooks free trial
• 05:27 – Kenneth says, In 2013, I was laid off due to the stalled economy and since then I have been in and out of contract work with little sign of stable full-time work. Also I’m a caregiver for my wife. I’m becoming short on creative ideas as to how to change my career for the better.
• 06:21 – Dan commends Kenneth for being the caregiver for his family
• 07:29 – Take the two pronged approach – focus on having your core career and make the entrepreneurial side 10%
• 08:11 – Jamie says, if I work overtime, I’m neglecting my family. If I don’t work overtime, I’m neglecting my employer and our only source of income. My current employer is 1 hour 15 minutes away from my home. I’d like to get a job closer to home but the jobs around here pay half of what I am making. We can’t afford moving closer to my employer. I’d like to start a business on the side but I don’t have the time or energy.
• 09:22 – You have to be careful in saying you are trapped or have no choice
• 10:35 – Dan sent a copy of the 10^th anniversary edition of 48 Days to the Work You Love to Jamie and told him to look inward
• 11:20 – Ask yourself why you are living where you are
• 12:38 – Michael says, my ADD is kicking in and if I have to narrow my focus, it is developing my brand new blog and my t-shirt line through Tee Spraying. My family is struggling financially, but this is my passion and I have to do this. I miss the 48 Days crowd and I’m considering the 48 Days Eagles group for guidance and group support. Can you recommend a book about self-investment?
• 14:30 – See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar
• 12:50 – How to Win Friends and Influence People
• 14:59 – Next week’s episode is about self-investment
• 15:15 – Lots of people are moving to 48 Days Eagles
• 15:45 – Invest 3% of your income back into improving yourself
• 16:12 – Buy books or subscribe to magazines
• 16:45 – Dan knows someone who invested $24,000 for one day, but has gotten him a $300,000 return increase in income
• 07:14 – Dez does caricatures and wants to go to a workshop that Tom Richmond of Mad Magazine is doing. He lives in Australia and the workshop is in Minnesota. Dez put up a go fund me campaign.
• 18:15 – Dan advises Dez that it was not a good plan and suggested that she use her skills to fund her trip
• 19:00 – Dan shares what Matthew Miller does to sell his paintings
• 19:27 – Tracy Latham also does caricatures by going to live venues
• 20:02 – Dez’ website is 500 Bad Caricatures
• 21:00 – To ask Dan a question for the podcast or email him at – AskDan or email him at askdan@48Days.com
• 21:16 – Jeremy says, I have applied to dozens of jobs in the paralegal industry. Any ideas for a job that can support my wife and son? Isn’t my 3.9 GPA worth something?
• 23:30 – The real world does not care about your GPA, it cares about the results you can give
• 24:00 – Dan does not understand why Jeremy is not getting any interviews
• 24:29 – Make your resume read in a way that will make people want to meet you
• 25:10 – Be watchful of your thoughts of feeling like a victim
• 25:24 – “I deserve” is the most disempowering thing you can say, “I’m responsible” is the most empowering thing you can say
• 25:54 – Don’t negate the value of what you have done academically and draw from that
• 26:45 – Eliza says, I wanted to sell my photography online, but the internet in our area is slow and has a data cap. Would it still be possible to sell my photography online or do I need to find another resource?
• 27:10 – Look into using your phone as a hotspot and keep exploring your new internet options
• 27:41 – Yes, you can still sell your photography online
• 28:04 – Dan shares his story about their internet connection
• 29:53 – Six months from now, I’m going to have options that I don’t have now
• 30:02 – Let Dan know if you have any ideas on how he or Eliza can get better internet
• 30:17 – Christie says, I have two careers that don’t mesh and would like to know which one would be more successful. The first one is to write more children’s non-fiction. I’ve already written one book 14 years ago, had it published and sold over 40,000 copies. I wonder if there’s potential to build on having only written one book. The other idea is starting a wellness lifestyle blog. I am an INFJ.
  • 31:30 – 40,000 copies is a feat and puts you in a tiny percentage
  • 31:44 – You can build on your success, but it also has to stand on its own
  • 33:34 – The two choices are not either/or, you can do both
  • 34:02 – You can also build an audience in the wellness blog
• 34:20 – Troy says, Can I send a “thank you note” to the company that did not hire me because it helped me develop my skills?
  • 35:51 – Dan loves the uniqueness of it and thinks it will stand out
• 36:16 – David says, what do I need to do to start a lawn mowing business?
  • 36:32 – Dan sent David a digital copy of his business planning guide
  • 37:21 – Yes, you need a business plan
  • 38:12 – Dan talks about the 4 key components of a business plan
  • 39:33 – Track all your business expenses
  • 40:13 – Dan went on a cruise and spent a week in Florida and these are all deductible expenses
  • 41:16 – Get a business license and open a bank account for your business
  • 42:05 – Start as a sole proprietorship and then move to an LLC because it can protect yourself from a liability
  • 43:11 – After getting an LLC, sit down with an accountant or a lawyer, but only do that once the money is coming in
• 43:43 – Richard asks, I’ve been an automotive technician for 30+ years and looking for advice to transition into something else. There is a lot of negativity on the internet about automotive technicians. I would like to see more help for us people in the blue-collar fields.
  • 44:10 – Dan has a lot of respect for automotive technicians
  • 45:28 – Dan shares a story about their supplemental insurance plans and Carol, the lady that helped them with it
  • 45:46 – When Dan picked out his supplements, he didn’t have to pay because of the plan he had and sent pecans to Carol to thank her
  • 46:27 – Carol responded to Dan and said that is the first time she received a heartfelt thank you note from any of her clients
  • 47:20 – Dan encourages Richard to hold his head high and give people great service and Dan promises to do his part by showing appreciation to the work they are doing
• 47:41 – Check out 48 Days Eagles
• 47:50 – Dan closes today’s podcast

3 Key Points:

1. You are not trapped, remember that you always have a choice.
2. “I deserve” is the most disempowering thing you can say. “I’m responsible” is the most empowering thing you can say.
3. Showing appreciation for a service you received in ANY industry goes a long way.

Resources Mentioned:

• FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to https://www.freshbooks.com/48days
• To ask Dan a question for the podcast – AskDan or email him at askdan@48Days.com
• 500BadCaricatures.com – listener website
• Dan’s Business Planning Guide
• The new 48 Days Eagles membership site – see this growing community for finding Work You Love

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives