VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Lizden · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:29 pm Post subject: Another look at "Job Security."

As many of you know, one of my mentors is a wonderful woman by the name of Barbara Winter.
(If you haven't checked out her website, do, it's wonderful!:
http://www.JoyfullyJobless.com )

Anyway....her latest email had a great piece that I wanted to share.
I think it applies beautifully to us entrepreneurial voice talent!

Enjoy!

Liz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANOTHER LOOK AT JOB SECURITY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shortly after seeing a headline that read, "Co-worker couples lose both incomes at once as layoffs mount," I called my sister Nancy in Rome.

She told me a story about some financial difficulties her friends in Greece were experiencing which led to us talking about the global reach of this recession. Then she said, "You're going to come through this better than anyone."

I'm pretty sure she's right about that and it isn't because I'm extraordinarily clever. I flashed back to something Gregg Levoy wrote years ago in This Business of Writing and immediately knew I wanted to pass it along to you. I really hope you'll pay attention to what he says:

Security is an inside job (and the more belongings you have, the more you become a curator of your possessions rather than an owner.) This applies directly to anyone with a hankering to be self-employed and who worries about the lack of security that accompanies it.

As a freelance writer, I know I can always get work. I can live close to the edge if I have to and I can never lose my job. I knew none of those things when I was employed. And the bouts of insecurity I have weathered as a freelancer, none has rivaled the shock of losing a job. "The insecure way is the secure way," Joseph Campbell said. Or as a friend once told me, "It wasn't the poor people who were throwing themselves out of windows during the Depression."

In the final tally, your best hedges against disappearing into an economic Bermuda Triangle are your own ingenuity and adaptability, traits that self-employed people learn by necessity.

The craving for security has probably done more harm to progress than any other single factor. Everything about it is contrary to the central fact of life: that it changes. Security is about being safe and stable, free from worry, isolated and fortified. But life does not promise that kind of security; only death does. Life is about flux. By trying to protect yourself from change, you isolate yourself from living.

The more desperate you are to be secure, the less inclined you will be to get grass stains on your jeans, to spend money without guarantee of return, to take on risky and exciting projects, even to pursue your dreams at all. Although you certainly want to set aside money for a time in your life when you may not want to work so hard, if you have to do work you detest to make that money, then you are merely saving for a rotten future.

This week, President Obama defended his economic stimulus plan by repeatedly saying, "We are not going to reuse failed economic policies." Seems like good advice for individuals, too. Remember that old saying that insanity is doing things the same way and expecting to get different results?

Job security is an oxymoron that, sadly, too many people cling to without noticing that the insecure are busily and calmly finding creative ways to deal with changing times. That looks like sanity to me.

Barbara Winter
_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

Gregory Best · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:02 am Post subject:

Great thoughts.
_________________
Gregory Best

greg@gregorybest.com

Chuck Davis · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:06 am Post subject:

Liz.

I have to thank you for the link to Barbras site. Her newsletters never fail to inspire. I've been getting them for about 6 months or so and enjoy every one.
_________________
Wicked huge.....in India.
www.chuckdaviscreative.com

Lizden · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:18 am Post subject:

Chuck,
I'm SO glad!
I think she's an amzing lady & has been a huge inspiration & support to me as well!

L.
_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

bobsouer · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:31 am Post subject:

Thank you, Liz.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

bobbinbeamo · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:49 am Post subject:

Wow. Very very wise. Thanks for this, Liz.
_________________
Bobbin Beam
www.bobbinbeam.com
blog.bobbinbeam.com

voicy1stef · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:08 am Post subject:

Thanks for the link Liz. I've signed up to the newsletter as well! Creative thinking and flexibility are the keys to positive survival & progress. Rolls Eyes

_________________
Intuit and do it!

British-American voice artist based in England for the past umpteen years. I say, has it really been that long!

http://www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk
Podcast: Positive Affirmations and Audio Stories, on iTunes, Spotify etc.

Audiogal · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject:

This is SO TRUE! Freelancers already possess the skills they need to weather these rough times. Resilience & resourcefulness, baby!
_________________
Mary

JBarrett · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks so much for posting that, Liz! Very inspiring indeed!
_________________
Justin S. Barrett
http://www.justinsbarrett.com/

COURVO · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:05 am Post subject:

Hey Liz....doesn't she live in Las Vegas? I think I've heard of her!!!

;-}

CourVO
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Dave Courvoisier - Las Vegas, NV
http://www.CourVO.com
CourVO@CourVO.com
Courvo's "Voice Acting in Vegas" Blog: http://www.CourVO.biz
on your phone at courvo.mobi
702.610.6288
"I'm not a news anchor, but I play one on TV."

Lizden · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:56 am Post subject:

Ya thinkl

L.
_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com