Yesterday I was doing a lot of thinking about some of the discussion here regarding earning a living. I hadn’t intended when I took this column on to make it an entrepreneur’s’ journal and certainly not a “make money online” column, although these are my current ‘hot button’ subjects. But I am of an age where I can look back at 50-odd years of life experience and think about successes I have had and areas where I probably didn’t make the right choices. I am also sensitive to the turmoil in a lot of people’s lives as they consider thing like perhaps making a huge change in their lives by moving to the Philippines … what’s the right time, if ever, to do something like that and if such a move is right, whenever might be the right time.
And how on earth could I earn a living and what can I do if I can’t find a job? Along with these thoughts come years of discussions with people often struggling with this issue which frankly can get a bit tedious at times because, from a country that was built on entrepreneurship and self-reliance we, speaking for myself and the Americans I know, seem to have ‘shrunk’ to a fraction of our ancestor’s size … building our lives around what other people tell us is ‘safe’ and making sure we finish our years never ‘taking a risk’ because everybody knows risk is wrong and the best move is always to ‘play it safe.
Well I could go back to Colonial times when 13 well-off colonies of great Britain took it upon themselves to break free from the ‘mother country’ and form our own. Oh course virtually the only citizens of the original colonies who had jobs, with benefits at that time were workers employed by the King of England … most of the dissatisfied Colonists who wanted to break away were independent storekeepers, farmers, mill owners and newspaper publishers. The ones who wanted to strike out on their own didn’t have Social Security, Medicaid, pensions, tenure, FDIC and all the other safety nets that make our life so secure today. Do you think the US could even be formed today? I doubt it. Wouldn’t be ‘safe’. Wouldn’t be prudent. Wait a while and ‘the government’ will make everything right.
So let’s look at something a little closer in time and smaller in scale than ‘nation building’. In 1881 the Denver and Rio Grande railroad forged a whole network of narrow-gauge (only three feet between the rails) railroads through the Colorado Rockies to tap the rich gold, silver and lumber ventures being formed.
Over the next century the railroads evolved, some were made full-size, others were abandoned or sold, but overall a lot of money was made. One hundred years later there were only two major pieces of the narrow gauge empire left, the most photogenic one being the line from Durango Colorado through the Animas River canyon to the town of Silverton. The railroad company was still very much a going concern, making a lot of money hauling coal for power plants among many other freight sources. But they had a terrible, terrible problem that they spent a fortune telling the world and lobbying Washington about. It was going to drive them out of business, it was terrible, the government was “killing” them.
The “problem” was the antique “Silverton train”. A corporation in the 1980’s in America could not possibly make money running an antique steam railroad, and, at that time, government regulations prohibited the parent company from doing what they wanted to do … abandoning the toy-like, horribly old-fashioned steam trains. I mean it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out … everyone knows that you can’t succeed by being different and by doing something no one else does. Help us, help us please.
Well, they got their wish. During the Reagan era (the Great Deregulator) the D&RG got permission to abandon their unique and horribly unprofitable steam trains. End of story and happy ending in sight, correct? Well, yes, but not in the way the “security experts” would have predicted.
A fellow named Charles E. Bradshaw refused to listed to government and private industry “experts” who know all about security and the “right way” to do things. He formed the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Company, took over the worthless, antiquated equipment (which the original, professional railroad owners didn’t even consider worth hauling away for scrap) and put together what is now, by far, the most well-known and profitable passenger railroad operation in the world. Trains are booked for months in advance. Ticket prices run upwards of $45 USD one way for a child) on up into the hundreds of dollars for a chance to ride in the cab and covered with cinders and soot for a couple hours. Worthless? Well you sure wouldn’t think so to look at it today.
The point we all can learn from Bradshaw and the “Silverton Train”? Experts are just one source of opinion. The ‘ordinary’ way is just one of many ways to do things. And belief in the dream that you, and you alone, decide is the best for you is more important than every expert, every government caution label and every piece of advice from those who want to see you stay right there in the same place as they are. Perhaps because they truly care about you, or perhaps so they themselves won’t feel bad bad when you’ve succeeded and they have stagnated.
This train that we are riding today, (life) runs but for a short time, and then we never get another ticket. At the end of the line do you want to be a Charles Bradshaw or a Philip Anschutz, (the last CEO of the D&RG who despite government help and relief from terrible ‘burden’ of the narrow-gauge lines couldn’t last past 1996 and folded the company … doing all the while doing what the ‘experts’ told him and playing it safe.
photo credit: Mike PierzynskiI
Hello Dave,
I very interesting article and it has made me have a serious think about what you had to say. If I am reading you right, we are talking about risk taking, conforming to what other people think we should do and not do.
As an ex military like you and in my fifties, actually just turned 51 and has had to conform to military standards on just about everything you do in life. My experiences and observations have taught me, take the risk but never do it without doing your research first.
Risk taking is part of growing up and when we get older we take with a bit more thought, well hopefully. The problem being a risk taker and having individual thought, it is being beaten out of us from the time we can walk and open our mouths.
We are taught to conform by our parents, friends,religion,education and government. The moment you have an idea or want to do something different, everybody is an expert and the "Sociaty For Negative Thought", are the strongest advisors.
Life is a risk from the time our mum and dad in the heat of passion, to that little taddy heading towards that egg with your name on it, life is a risk.
Risk taking,having individual though is the reason we are here today.
So give "Sociaty For Negative Thought" a big kick up the arse and welcome "Sociaty For Positive Thought", you will feel much better for it.
@Steven: Hi Steven, thanks for the comment and your thoughts.
The article itself is risk taking. Mnay people will read it and say, "Oh he's just a careless cowboy type, shoots from the hip, doesn't think things through, a "Ready, Fire, Aim" sort of guy. Well, that's their prerogative and I can't change their minds.
I have seen so many people, though, structure their whole lives around perceived 'safety' that they eventually wind up dead (I heard we all will, but I'm in denial of that at the moment ;-)) without ever even trying some of their fondest dreams.
In many ways the military mindset contributes alot to this … a great many of my freinds and acquaintances that I know are military/ex-military. There's a well developed mindset of "better dead than red" where red is short hand to embarrassment, not Communism.
Guys think about making a move .. whether it's a move to the Phuilippines or starting their own business or something else that is near and dear to their heart, and they refuse to ever 'pull the trigger' because they might fail, and failure is so embarrassing. Failure is actually something to cherish, becuase you learn so much and because it is proof you took a shot … and failure in busness or persaonl finace is very seldom anywhere near as serious and final as people think it is when they are at the planning stages of a life change.
Anway, that's the way it seems to me.
Hello Dave,
I could not agree with more, I was just as guilty of that sindrome and that is the reason I am moving to the Philippines start a new life.
In the Australian Navy we used to call the people who just stayed in defence for safety sake as ladder blockers. I lot of people get institutionised if there is such a word. Almost like being their own little prison. It safe and you do not have to think.
You keep up the risky articles, I enjoy reading them and I your writings stimulating.
Steven
a very good read dave and the railroad illustration you used to illustrate your topic was excellent.
It reminds me of something I frequently share with others…if you never take the first step on the road to where you want to go, you will never get there…
Your posting this morning reminds me I should listen to and perhaps follow some of my own advice.
Cheers and best o' luck to all,
~marshall
@marshallmellow: That is for sure, marshall … if we don't start we for sure can't finish. Thanks for coming buy and commenting.
Hi Dave,
Glad to see you as LiP’s regular contributors. We definitely can learn a lot from your wisdom.
If I understand you correctly, what you’re saying here is similar to what Confucius says:
“If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot.”
I’d say it’s not always easy to be precise, and perfect – something most of us suffer from, the thought of not being perfect to the eyes of our friends and colleagues. I’d say… what they think of me is NOT my business.
Have a fabulous day, Dave!
@MarcelinaWW: Thanks for the kind words and the cogent thoughts. There are those who go through life who never plan and sometimes suffer dire consquences, but, n my view anyway, there are many more who spend their whole life planning and get nowhere … especially regarding retirement .. which is of course something near and ear to my haert, since I 'are one'. .. retiree that is.
I even had to stop participating in a big online retirement forum that was actually an excellent, friendly place. The people who just shot down every single idea, without even thinking it through, on 'safety' issues just got the better of me … I found that just going and reading the latest posts boosted my blood pressure and made me grind my teeth. I prefer trying to be more balanced in thought and deed.
I'm no hockey fan, but most everyone has heard of Wayne Gretsky, the "Babe Ruth" of the game … said Wayne … "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." One of the only 'sure things' in sports or the other aspects of life.