What if I Like the Status Quo?
If you like the status quo, you’re in for some changes. I’m not saying that traditional employment is going to disappear, but the volatility we’ve seen in the past decade will continue.
… under pressure from an uncertain economy, bosses are discovering that there are a lot of reasons not to pay you to drive to a central location or even to pay you at all. And when work gets auctioned off to the lowest bidder, your job gets a lot more stressful.
Seth Godin, The Last Days of Cubicle Life
Traditional jobs will become more competitive and difficult to hold on to. Outsourcing is hard to compete against. If you’re going to stick around in the old economy, you might want to start thinking about essential work that can’t be outsourced.
The volatility we’ve seen over the past decade will continue.
This doesn’t mean that working for yourself or with a small business in the New Economy is for everyone. Leaving the comfort of a regular job to create your own future can be scary and difficult. Some people won’t be able to succeed in the New Economy no matter how badly they want it.
What matters is that you’re happy. There will definitely continue to be places in the old economy where you can thrive, especially for the highly capable. Just be aware that things are changing, and that everyone needs to think more like an entrepreneur to succeed, even if you work for a big company.
For those of you who are ready to ditch the status quo in favor of a new life and adventure in the New Economy, let’s talk about some of the opportunities that await you.
Part of the economic failure we’re seeing right now comes to this hard truth – big companies have let all of us down. We’ve been let down as citizens, consumers, investors and employees. Companies wasted resources and lined the pockets of executives. As I watched the economy start to sink and I realized that some profitable companies were starting to use the poor economy as a way to cut costs, I knew it was time to get real and stop counting on the Corporate American Dream.
Lee Stranahan, Why I Quit My Job And Bet On My Own Creativity
