Part 10 Financial Security for all… do not give up! Just change direction.

“Financial security tops the list of changes that would most increase happiness (39%), and is the most commonly cited obstacle to prioritizing things that would make people happier (33%).”

According to a survey conducted by Life Reimagined, in association with Luntz Global, December 2014.

I recently had the delicate role of telling a very nice person member of my team that we were not renewing her employment with us. It was hard and awkward. She took it hard but not as a “tragedy”. I told her that I will help her in her initiatives if I could but will continue to try to advice her.

On the day she left she asked to see me and she gave me a present……………………..I was so touched.

Here is an email that I sent her:

“After the recent events, it is normal that you will feel disappointed and I guess your confidence level is low.
This is not about losing. It is simply accepting that things were not working out for you and us. So what to do? Change direction!

Life will continue to test us. But every set back can be followed by successes if we have the right state of mind. Nobody win at everything they do all the time. If you want to achieve success, then you have to learn what you are good at, understand what you are or can be passionate about. What will make you happy.
Find your mission in life. May be it is too early for you and you need more searching. That is OK as I came to my mission only 12 years ago when I was 50 years old.

But still you need intermediate steps – like passing an examination, training as a pilot, post graduate, an MBA. Once you do that then you will need to find a way to pursue both (what you are good and what you want to do) in combination. If you need me to assist, I will.

So to start consider these three questions:

• What are you good at?
• Then the next question is what do you want to do?
•  What do you want to achieve in life?

Let me tell you about my mission in life: “It is to make every body” who wants to, to become financially secure. But they must want to. I believe that financial security will increase a person’s happiness level.

Why did I decide on my life mission?

•  I am a Qualified Chartered Accountant with over 30 years Banking experience and have used IT extensively. So that is what I am good at Private Wealth Accounting.
• I want to do what I do is because it is good for humanity.
•  My life objective is to make as many people Financially Secure as possible.

Here’s the trick though: How do you find out what you are good at? Perhaps by finding out what you are NOT good at or what you do not like doing. Maybe the environment does not appeal to you or make you comfortable.
Most of us know what we ARE NOT good at, but can you look inside yourself to figure out where you could excel? Is it in hospitality, number crunching, social care, nursing, organising and managing others, writing, sport, music, art, housekeeping?

However if you are not willing to work hard – I mean really hard, you will not become financially secure and improve your chance of a happy future – either employment or self –employment or as a housewife (is there an equivalent “house husband”) which is a full time occupation and not to be ashamed of.
So once you know what you are good at then you will build your life and career around it with passion. And HARD WORK. Hard work does not mean being miserable, being unhappy, unrewarding etc. Yes there will be stress, pressure for deliverables and unsocial hours. Just think about somebody successful you admire and most likely you will find that the success is due to hard work, practice and training.
So what you and I have agreed to do is not quitting but to make you aware that your dream and ambition could not be obtained in the position you had taken in my employ. I am delighted that we are still in good terms.

So go back to your drawing board: re-plan your career. Your CV is just one part of it. I want you to do more. Write in detail what you think, want to do and what your aspirations are. You told me you would like to run your own business – what kind of business! In what sector? Where?
Decide and take over your future and secure yourself financially.