Every day bright, talented, bored people are leaving their jobs behind and setting out on their own. More and more of them can no longer take the dysfunctional environments of organizations that do not allow employees to express themselves creatively or offer meaningful work, and where success is dependent on taking orders and falling in line with the status quo.
If I asked for a show of hands of how many people are passionate about the work they are currently doing, only 1 out of 5 hands would be raised…only 20% of us show any passion for how we spend more than a third of our lives, according to the Deloitte Center for the Edge’s 2009 Shift Index survey.
…hold on it gets better worse, another poll conducted by Gallup showed that another one out of five employees is so disengaged that he or she actively seeks to undermine colleagues at work. Tell me there is not a whole lot of crazy going on!
In contrast, other than boss doesn’t want to wear a tie day, I mean, lets show them how “in touch” management is day, I mean, Casual Fridays there is not a whole lot of quirky going on.
Escape
Most of us do not make any changes. We put our head down, disengage, piss and moan, convince ourselves that there are not any alternatives and trudge through our work day. However, there are a growing number of people that seek alternatives, and there are more and more entrepreneurs looking to provide solutions to this growing list of gray soldiers.
Most of us do not make any changes. We put our head down, disengage, piss and moan, convince ourselves that there are not any alternatives and trudge through our work day. However, there are a growing number of people that seek alternatives, and there are more and more entrepreneurs looking to provide solutions to this growing list of gray soldiers.
One such company is escapethecity.org a business that was started by a couple of blokes that were tired of their cruddy jobs and tired of listening to themselves complain about their miserable existence that they set out to do something about it.
Their business “is a global community of talented corporate professionals who want to ‘do something different’, and they operate a website that connects escapees and organizations that might otherwise not find the talent or opportunities each needed.
Here is their description:
EsctheCity is for people who believe that there is more to life than working in a job that doesn’t excite them.
Esc is inspired by the fact that so many people who we have talked to find their current jobs unfulfilling. And frankly, we’re bored of hearing them (and ourselves) complain about it! We know firsthand how frustrating city jobs can be. We also know that leaving your job isn’t at all easy.
So we decided to build a website to provide our friends, their friends, and anyone else who is interested with a place where they could find Ideas, Inspiration and Information to help them make those changes that they have been dreaming about but not yet managed (or at least to help them investigate their options).
How is Esc going to help people?
Esc will help by showcasing people who have successfully made the changes that many people aspire to: their story, useful information for the transition, and really cool opportunities in that area. Our Esc Talks will allow you to attend live talks by inspirational people who have done amazing things with their lives.
You Can’t Catch Me
You might be asking yourself what has changed. You have felt trapped, under-appreciated, driven to the brink of madness by short-sighted leaders for many, many years, why now?
The answer is the Internet!
The Internet and supporting technologies have stripped away the competitive advantages that big corporations once held, and these slow, monolithic organizations are fast becoming the dinosaurs of their day, they can’t catch you.
The economies of scale that big business enjoyed are no longer a driver of success, barriers to entry have been reduced to an Internet connection, and little guys like you and I can attract customers all the way around the globe.
Sonia Simone says that,
“Everywhere you look, you might notice a new kind of flexible, smart small business. They serve a relatively small number of people. Big businesses drool over their profit margins and adaptability. Their customers are knocked out by what they do and how they do it. Oh, and one more thing. They’re taking over the world.”
The Business of You
These changes present opportunities for those willing to break from the old rules and set about creating something new. The timing could not be better for retirees or for us hearty souls experimenting with semi-retirement, we have the chance to start a small business and design it around our life, not the other way around.
There are opportunities to start a small business based upon our passions, talents, and experiences and share it with a global marketplace of like-minded souls…there are others out there like us! We will be rewarded by our efforts and creativity, or need to look only at the face in the mirror to know where failure lies.
The most appealing thing about these new opportunities is that for once we are allowed to be ourselves, in fact, it is imperative that our business is an authentic part of ourselves, the business of YOU. People want to connect with real people. Social media is creating opportunities for people from all over the world to connect with one another about specific subjects, no matter how strange, weird, or quirky they will find you if you put yourself out there.
Want to make a 6 figure income showing others how to Juggle? It is already being done.
While underwater basket weaving was once relegated as a useless field of study, it is now possible to build social relationships with others that take this more seriously. Watch this video of underwater basket weaving.
Quirky is now cool!
What makes you unique? How does your life plan align with your uniqueness?
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