This series of Five Different Lifestyles helps you to identify your current level and shows you how to move up to the next level. Each level is very honest and may appear harsh, but the goal is to energize you enough to want to move up to the next level.
Hopefully, you've progressed from Survival level. If not, let's admit it and move forward quickly to get out of this level. Even if you graduated the survival level, this viewing would be very good for you to encourage a friend who may be in the survival level.
Typically the educational levels of people in the survival category are high school education or maybe even less. But because of the economic shift in 2009, people with even more education are being forced back to the survival area. At the survival level personal integrity, business integrity, and work ethic are not high priorities. You've just got to survive! Get the money in the door to Survive! Typically what you do at this stage doesn’t matter; you would even wear a chicken suit on the corner, deliver pizzas, anything that you previously would have considered beneath your means, you’ve just got to provide for your family, or maybe just yourself. Just getting to where you're stabilized enough to move up to the next level.
Another important thing to realize during Survival is the type of housing options that you have. Typically, you are in a shared living arrangement, perhaps sharing an apartment with a partner. Maybe you've had to move back in with your parents or another family member. These are things that you have to do. These are tough decisions necessary to succeed, because remember, in New Success Path we
1. Throw out that anchor to prevent the negative progress
2. Re-evaluate yourself, and at that point
3. Develop your cash flow engine
The whole cash flow engine is based on spending less than you make! Then you have a little cash left over to accelerate to the next level. So, you may not want to, but you may be forced into the position where you're living with a family member for a short time just to take a breather. It’s not a pleasant place to be, but at least if you understand and work with us we can get you back moving again within the economy.
The second thing that's very important at the Survival Stage is to Evaluate your Passion. What is it that really drives you? What particular industry would you really like to be in? Be realistic about this. At your current level you’re not probably going into brain surgery. So determine what industry would you really like as a career? It’s your passion that’s going to make you stand out and do a better job than those other 20 people waiting in line for that same job? That passion will come through on your interviews, your on the job performance; it’s what really makes a difference.
So maybe you have to deliver some pizzas; maybe you have to take some jobs you don't want; even work two and three part-time jobs now for a season. Just remember, this is a bridge, and one of those jobs --one of those jobs needs to be in the area of your passion. I don't care if you even have to volunteer and be an apprentice, get some exposure to the industry that you really want to move up into. Even if you're just working these part-time jobs, but then one job is this particular apprentice area, that's the key to your future. That's where your passion’s going to be- that’s where you’re going to make connections. You’re going to be able to do some networking, and it will show the people that surround you that you really can do a good job. That's were you're going to be the first one to be employed when that one opening comes up and there's 20 people waiting. They know you because you've been there. They’ve seen your work ethic they’ve seen your energy, seen your desire. So you're going to stand out amongst all the other competition.
The other thing you need to evaluate is to take a look at the module that I have on the Global Economy. Under this new Global Economy with the Internet of some of these other factors with the decline of the dollar, there are going to be some jobs in the United States are just not going to be long-term. You need to accept the reality of that. There are just certain jobs that can be done better, lower cost, higher quality offshore. Rather than kid yourself and move into that particular area, get into an area where you won't be affected by the globalization factor. Otherwise, you could end up right back at survival stage again three years from now. So, you don’t want to go through this but one time. This is a temporary residence, not a place to set up shop.
So, let’s look at some typical jobs that you would find in the Survival category. Typically, these would be entry level such as a construction worker, or a day worker. Maybe in the upper end you might be steady enough with this that you might actually for self-esteem purposes proclaim that you own your business. But, let's take a reality check here. Maybe that's for your ego, but really, at this point you don't have the characteristics, skills and background to actually operate your business. You need to move on into your skill set to do that. Let’s face the reality and get whatever you can to support yourself and your family.
Examples of these jobs might be a painter; basic levels of construction, like a day worker; maybe as a maintenance person; fast food server; the retail work; sales, even sales of low dollar items such as cell phones. Even in the telemarketing industry you could do customer service, and you could actually work in education at the base level such as a daycare worker, or perhaps as a home healthcare provider.
So these are typical entry-level survival type jobs. They’re not meant to be forever, but just for a season, as long as you use New Success Path. Use these jobs now for the anchor. If you’re living with a friend or relative you’re rebuilding. Just be sure to get that anchor out and get that the cash flow engine working. Pare the expenses down to match your income level. Once you've done that, then you’ll move out of this level and into the next higher level. You'll have your cash flow engine running and you'll be able to make some rapid progress moving up the levels.