Fear of being stuck in wage slavery

[Identity]

I am watching the new fear video, and got to just after the excercise.

Leo mentions the fear of being stuck in wage slavery. This fear is now active in me, and is running a lot of my life.

I am currently doing a Masters programme, teaching at the university and running two small start ups. It feels like I have this deadline, the end of my Masters, after which I have to support myself financialy.

I dont want to get sucked into wage slavery, so I am working my ass off to make sure I can be an independent entrepreneur in one year. I am also saving money to have a reserve, in case I need it for a bridging period.

From my pov this seems like the rational, smart, best thing, to be doing right now. It feels like I will need 2-3 years of hard work to solidify this aspect in my life, after which I can tone down.

I can feel the grind is effecting my health in some ways. Some days my body gets stiff from stress. Its hard to relax atm in general. The discrepancy between my vision and current reality means I carry a lot of structural tension.

Its not that I am outragiously neurotic or stressed, but its definitely taking somewhat of a toll on me.

What do you think of my situation?

 

[Leo Gura]

Yes, such a period in one's life can be stressful and exhausting.

Starting a biz is not easy and eats up a lot of time and energy. But if you do it right, it will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

Starting my own biz was one of the best decisions I ever made, enough though it was challenging and stressful at times.

Just make sure you don't burn yourself out.

[Average Investor]

Make sure you take a day off from all of it a week at least. I know how it is. I don't typically hang out with people or go out much. Work, save, invest, then repeat. 

Don't cheap out on your health or lose focus on that. Bring in good habits slowly and keep working at it. Exercise and a good diet will keep you grinding. 

[Sahil Pandit]

10 minutes ago, Average Investor said:

Make sure you take a day off from all of it a week at least. I know how it is. I don't typically hang out with people or go out much. Work, save, invest, then repeat. 

Don't cheap out on your health or lose focus on that. Bring in good habits slowly and keep working at it. Exercise and a good diet will keep you grinding. 

Good tips.

[whatishappeningtome]

One of my biggest fears was never being good enough to achieve what I wanted, you just persevere your skills catch up to where you want to be and you can reap the benefits financially.

[CreamCat]

Listen to Leo Gura. Watch his videos. He got his shit wrapped up tightly. But, ultimately, it's you who make it happen. He can't do it for you.

Edited September 17, 2019 by CreamCat

[Aeris]

Why ? Wage slavery will be over in 15 years anyway. Google robot taking over the work.

Meh ble bleh

Why no one do the work.

What should be done should be done.

It's not like we are free anyway. Everyone live in his own box of cons and pro.

 

[Knock]

I agree with @Shiva , there are a lot of great pro's in working a 9 to 5 job. Don't put so much pressure on yourself that you are affecting your health. 

A "wage slavery" job is great for a number of things. You get guaranteed money, lower stress, great training, learning opportunities and support, etc. After a few years, you would of gained great experience, and have enough capital for a large 'runway' or investment in your own business down the line. 

What kind of business are you thinking of creating?

 

[Identity]

@Leo Gura Thank you, I am keeping an eye out for burning myself out. I won’t let it get that far.

@Average Investor Those are some good tips indeed, thank you. I am eating quite healthy. Working out kind of fell of though. I used to go to the gym three times a week, but I got sick of weightlifting, so stopped with that. I do yoga once a week, which helps a lot. Also some stretching in the morning and half an hour meditation. Ill make sure to incorporate more excercise.

My girlfriend and roomies are going to classes at the gym, Ill see how I like that. 

@Shiva I don’t know. My best friend is working at a small stage orange/green consultancy firm now, where I did an internship. Even though the work and culture are quite nice, I just don’t see myself working a full time week like that. It feels like it would throw a ranch in this whole personal development thing Ive got going.

Also, I do think becoming independent is possible for me, Ive got quite a bit of momentum going already.

@Knock I already have two small businesses at the moment.

One is a massage practice. This was something I wanted since I was young, last year I picked it up by doing a course, reading some books, etc. 

Around a month and a half ago I “opened” by practice. Ive got a place I subrent for 2 days a week, a website, and a stack of flyers. 

So far, Ive only gotten friends and family to come by. I havent had the time en energy to really market it well to the outside. Also, I feel its internal resistance to it. Its hard to incorporate it into my identity.

Anyways, I see this more as a side-experiment. I will invest in it more, but I am not relying on this as my core income source.

Second, I have my own training company. This is also still quite small, but Ive done some projects already. 

- I have helped to develop and implement a management game for organisations who are transitioning into a self-organizing working style.

- I just finished a project where I did content development for a leadership workshop, for another training company.

- I am currently developing a vision workshop. In a few weeks I am doing a test run at a training company I might collaborate with, as well as presenting it at an event.

Overal, I have build up quite some connections with the university, training companies, consulting companies. Feels like I need to capitalize on my opportunities now.

[7thLetter]

@Shiva Sounds like your opinion on what defines "wage slavery" somewhat changed based on our last conversation we had if you remember lol.

But I'm curious, what is an example of these "great employment opportunities"? What do you do?

Would you consider work as a doctor or nurse to be "wage slavery" even though they probably earn over six figures a year? How about a graphic designer? What about a software engineer? Technician? Accountant? They all probably earn decent money, but do you consider them to be wage slaves? What's the difference between a McDonalds employee and an Accountant?

In your definition, why does "wage slavery" have to mean that the job is boring just to pay your bills? Who says its boring and not fun? Who says wage slavery doesn't include employment opportunities that contribute to society?

The simple definition that I always thought of about wage slaves is that they work for a company, to earn wages. It doesn't matter if they're doing something meaningful or not, if they're earning a wage in some shape or form, then they're a wage slave. If they have to show up to work at a scheduled time and put in the hours to avoid getting fired then that's a wage slave. The only way to not be considered a wage slave is if you earn profits or live freely in the wild.

I'm a wage slave, and I don't deny it.

Hell if you want, we can make up a term for the sake of this conversation and call entrepreneurs "profit slaves." They're slaves to the profits, spending all their time working 16 hours a day on their business. Profit slave. Doesn't matter if they're doing something fun or boring, meaningful or not, pay bills or pay for their vacations and a new lamborghini, they're a profit slave. We're all slaves to money either way anyway.

Shiva, your thinking and your posts always remind me of @aurum

[CreamCat]

1 hour ago, 7thLetter said:

Would you consider work as a doctor or nurse to be "wage slavery" even though they probably earn over six figures a year? How about a graphic designer? What about a software engineer? Technician? Accountant? They all probably earn decent money, but do you consider them to be wage slaves? What's the difference between a McDonalds employee and an Accountant?

There are wage slaves at the top of hierarchies. Even CEOs can be wage slaves.

Doctors and lawyers and so on are paid to do what clients want them to do. It's just high-end wage slavery.

Even in the middle age, there were high-end chattel slaves. I read they were treated quite well because a lot of people were willing to buy them.

Edited September 17, 2019 by CreamCat

[Knock]

11 minutes ago, CreamCat said:

Doctors and lawyers and so on are paid to do what clients want them to do. It's just high-end wage slavery.

Entrepreneurs providing products and services are the same. They are paid on what the client/market wants. If the clients don't want it, they won't pay for it. They are a "profit slave" (@7thLetter ) to their clients needs.

The real advantage of running your own business is autonomy and (potentially) unlimited growth. The downside is the long working hours and stress. For most people, less working hours and less stress is the preferable option. 

[CreamCat]

1 hour ago, Knock said:

Entrepreneurs providing products and services are the same. They are paid on what the client/market wants. If the clients don't want it, they won't pay for it. They are a "profit slave" (@7thLetter ) to their clients needs.

I don't think one-man entrepreneurs who just dish out contents, accept donations, and sell pre-made products are wage slaves since they don't customize their products to each customer. People who earn passive income aren't wage slaves.

Selling your time or your body work(active income) is different from selling your products(passive income).

Edited September 17, 2019 by CreamCat

[CreamCat]

1 hour ago, Shiva said:

Start a business because you believe in the cause, not to run away from employment.

I used to want to start a business because I wanted to run away from employment.

Now, I want to start a business because I want to maximize love by maximizing my labor of love.

Edited September 17, 2019 by CreamCat

[RawJudah]

That fear is in me too, but at the moment I am in a job where most of my pay is disposable and I actually quite enjoy the job. 

I know this won't last forever, but I can't think of a business idea at all and its so frustrating knowing that there is a 99% chance of being a wage slave. 

But I haven't given up on business ideas, its just every business idea I have it has already been done because I've seen it somewhere else, someone beat me to it... But that's life! Escaping wage slavery isn't meant to be easy, that's  why most people are wage slaves.

I think its good to remove yourself from the label 'Slave' too, we'd all be suffering more if we were REAL slaves...

 

[Moreira]

11 hours ago, Shiva said:

"wage slavery" is about doing mindless, some boring as hell job just to pay your bills. 

IMO this affects especially people with low education and qualifications. But if you have a master's degree and you're good, there are also great employment opportunities for you that can sometimes be more attractive than entrepreneurship.

You can certainly find high quality, creative jobs where you can contribute to great projects as an employee. You just need to be qualified.

Sometimes starting out as an employee isn't that bad even if you want to start a business, because you'll gain lots of experience and get guaranteed cash. When you feel ready, you can still become an entrepreneur or start a side-hustle and pursue it full-time as soon as you have proof of concept.

I know rich people who are wage-slaves, because they have high expenses so they cannot be financially free. And people with a boring mindless job may live in minimalism in a tiny house and retire at 45.

[CreamCat]

Being rich is to see your wealth increase effortlessly while you do what you like.

[Nahm]

@Identity

You’re doing phenomenal. Academically, entrepreneurially, short term vision, long term vision, unique geniuses bloomin, start ups in the water, and really, you had me at “I’ve got quite a bit of momentum going already” for independence. ♥️

Crushing the outer world: ✔️.

Inner world wise, you’re obviously too hard on yourself, and in need of re-connection with your source. There’s a pressure-fear relationship there that is a tricky and costly belief. I know the workload of starting businesses, as well as the elation and joy found in it. I think you stand to tune up the inner game, with the inner being, without any sacrifice of production or efficiency. 

 

 

[Identity]

@Nahm Thank you for your reply, I missed initialy, but found it luckely ??

It seems to me that I am trying to hold up the connection with the inner source as much as I can. I meditate half an hour a day, yoga twice a week, low-dose mushroom trip every few weeks. It feels like I can’t go more inside without removing something I am working on.

I just started my (second) Master, but the thought of dropping out has crossed my mind. My heart doesn’t seem to be in it that much. Also, I have per accident deleted some files, and destroyed a USB stick with notes ?

However, dropping out now would be scary, as I would need to stand on my own feet faster than expected.

Also, reconnecting with my inner source doesnt feel like a walk in the park either. 

On 18-9-2019 at 3:43 AM, Nahm said:

@Identity

Inner world wise, you’re obviously too hard on yourself, and in need of re-connection with your source. There’s a pressure-fear relationship there that is a tricky and costly belief. 

 

 

I also don’t fully understand what you try to point me to with this. Would you mind elaborating please? ?

[Nahm]

 

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

I meditate half an hour a day, yoga twice a week, low-dose mushroom trip every few weeks.

Letting all thought go, such as in those practices = “reconnecting” with source. I use quotes because we’re never actually disconnected. THE Source, is the source “of” you and everything you are desiring, achieving. All the dots you’re connecting along the way, all the understanding, etc, all The One, All Source. 

From the perspective of “separate self” (an idea of a self), you’re a person, who is in a physical world. This makes for need, effort, striving, resistance, recouping, There’s a sort of ‘you’ vs ‘the world’, underlying view...which leads to this....

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

It feels like I can’t go more inside without removing something I am working on.

You are already awesome, and everything in your life is coming from the true you, if you will, the source of all, absolute awesomeness - absolute you. There’s an idea of a you working on something, so there’s an idea that more of You/Source (“going more inside”) could jeopardize what “you” have going. That perpetuates the idea of the separate self. 

That’s an idea though, a facade. All goodness in your life has come from you. Just, plain old - you. There is no separate self, just perspectives & ideas of. These perspectives and & ideas - are resistance. Resistance to everything you are wanting.  The fear of self, is being projected, contextualized in duality (more me = losing what I have going), leaving you focused more on the circumstances, than on the approach. Much more than approach, the very you which you are bringing to life, is entirely dictating the entire experience of the life. It’s hard to see, because it’s magical, and so all encompassing - but again, notice, all awesomeness in your life, came from you.  

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

My heart doesn’t seem to be in it that much.

I would listen to that very much. However, I would not go to the duality so ready, of “heart isn’t in it > drop out”. Maybe dropping out is best for your dream, maybe not. I would create a dream board, and starting putting everything & anything you want on it. Over time, this reveals the actuality of the perfection of your life - already well underway. How all your experiences, all your education, skills, everything you’ve learned, is actually perfectly gelling, seamlessly, right into what you are wanting. Becoming more aware of what you want, expresses yourself more deeply, and begins to reveal an entirely new world. A mystical uncommunicable world, where all that is unfolding, is in perfect accordance with your wanting, and your knowing of your true self - worthy of receiving it all, deserving of the unfolding of your unique life dream, just as you want it. 

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

Also, I have per accident deleted some files, and destroyed a USB stick with notes

Try to take a ‘step back’ from that. Consider, if there’s no such thing as an accident, and I & the experience are one, a life story unfolding - then - what’s the bigger picture here? How is that apparent ‘accident’ of electronics - actually guidance? What did it lead me to? What did I discover, know more so, about myself? 

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

However, dropping out now would be scary, as I would need to stand on my own feet faster than expected.

You can utilize your dream board for something specific like this. In terms of what you find “scary”, on that subject you know two things:

-What you don’t want.

-Because you know what you don’t want, you inherently know what you do want. 

Use the board to make that pivot. Write a list, single words, of what it is you find scary. What do you actually think could unfold, that you don’t want. Then next to each word, make a list, single words, of the opposites. That will take the scariness of unwanted - and flip the perspective from ‘separate self wanting’ to authentic wanting (and the knowing of what you are really wanting), while simultaneously “reconnecting” with the source of you, the source of all things wanted. After a while, you won’t need the board, and you won’t need to “flip the perspective”, because you’ll be aligned with source, and your thoughts arising will be of your true nature. How life unfolds then - - I’m excited for you to see. 

On 9/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Identity said:

Also, reconnecting with my inner source doesnt feel like a walk in the park either. 

It is such a walk in the park, that you are of course already “it”. There’s no effort or work in letting go. 99% of everything you have created so far in life - the “work” of it - was done before a single word was written, or a single brick was laid.

It’s a safe bet, given where you’re at in life, that you have come to appreciate the usage of processes. In a sense, success in life to some degree, relies on the implementation of systems and processes. So, maybe take what I’m saying as a connecter of meditation, contemplation, source, and loving life.

In meditation, let go as deeply as possible. Every single possible thing. Let go of all wanting to live, any need for anything, any need for motivation, for believing in yourself, any care for anyone or anything. Meta-Let-Go, into Nothingness. This will ‘kick up’ some beliefs you’re identified with. Without the knowing of what to do - without knowing this to is process driven - you might be reluctant to let go to the point of purification. However, let sensation clean out the misunderstandings, the falsities, let the waterworks flow every opportunity, welcome and allow the healing, non resistant like. Feel the emotions and be at ease knowing this is a flushing out, a cleaning & clearing out. 

When you get frazzled (because you ‘went into duality’ - thinking) and are “holding on”, confused, agitated, “stuck”, etc - just write what’s going on, on the board. Let it ‘out of your head’ and get it in front of you, so you can have a good, safe, easy, less involved look at it. Write how you want to feel, relax, focus gently on how that feeling feels. It only takes a few minutes. Pick one word, and write it, look at it, say it, feel it.  Having changed your emotional state, then go back and consider - from this feeling - how does that “issue” look now? It’s much easier to see that you were just attached to one perspective. Very freeing and liberating. Remember, you are that circle around the yin & yang. 

Overall, you might call all of this unification. Leaving the separate self paradigm - the ideas of the one with the pressures, expectations, etc - the one with the “future” who could get “stuck” in something.....and venturing into the actuality...the real you, the wholeness, the entire experience, this actual magical now. 

In Truth, you - never move. You are not moving through a past, present, into a future. All that appears as changing, is merely convincing as such. However, there is only “this”. This “now” moment. Which all that comes and goes, comes and goes through - you. So relax, and be attentive to the gentility of the nature of this actuality. You are not accidental, nor is any of the unfolding. You are essential. There is no awesomeness without you.