The harsh reality and what to do about it.
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
- Buckminster Fuller
The news - and possibly your experience - around jobs is confusing. On the one hand, there aren't enough people to fill the jobs available. On the other, many continue to lose their jobs to outsourcing or replaced by technology. Or are retiring early. Software isn't just eating the hardware. It's eating the jobs too.
It's no secret to many of us, especially if you've lost a job at some point, that the world of work has changed. And is changing. You can count on that.
Yet we're living in a time when there are more ways to create a viable living than ever before. The barriers to entry are smaller than ever. It's good because you can start something in the online arena for very little money and risk - just your time. With 3D printing you can even prototype and produce physical products that previously would have cost thousands of dollars per unit until you hit scale.
It's bad because so can everyone else. And because everyone can, you've got a lot of noise ('noise' is something I talk about a lot). You've got a lot of crap to cut through to be found. Which is why findability is one of Kevin Kelly's Eight things that are better than free.
To make a living online you need an audience. And it's really really hard to build an audience. Even if your stuff is really good. Even despite all the programs out there saying you can achieve X "even if you don't have an email list."
It also seems harder for those of us later in our careers. We grew up with gatekeepers and traditional work. We're not digital natives. It's easy to look around and see those making a killing online are twenty-something whiz kids, and feel like you've missed the boat. That it's too late. It's not too late.
Keep in mind that on any of these platforms catering to the 'creator economy', the top 1% reap 99% of the benefits. Most make peanuts or less. Most give up. Or don't stay true to their vision as they flit about trying to find a quick win. There are no quick wins. It's a slog. Frankly one that I am in right now.
Know, too, that most projects fail to earn any money. It's about making many smart small bets and never giving up.
You've heard about the long tail, right?
Steph Smith on her podcast, "Shit you don't learn in school" talked about what drives the majority of success - 'the tails'. It's usually one thing that delivers the biggest returns. She cites Pieter Levels who made 70 projects in the last 10 years of which only four made any money. Josh Pigford has created 62 projects since 2003, shut down 33 and sold one for $4 million.
On the surface it's sounds rather depressing and daunting. But flip that around and know that you're not alone. Acknowledging the reality that this is hard but still worth it makes it easier to keep going. It also highlights the importance of doing this kind of work in ways that are sustainable and don't feel like work. You have to enjoy this or else you'll surely quit.
It's worth it because when you push through you'll gain more control over your financial future. You'll insulate yourself from the risks of a single income stream. And you'll have skills that increase your resilience and ability to bounce back after a major setback.
It may seem like the digital natives, unlike us who knew a world before the web, have the mindset to succeed today. And that we're too late. It's a state of mind. If you think it's too late for you then it likely is. But if you acknowledge reality and choose to play, you have a shot. The key is your mindset. Isn't self-doubt the thing we all need to overcome on the path to success? Isn't that what really stops us cold? I know that's been the crux of my starting and stopping various online initiatives over the years.
Digital natives are just more naturally inclined to use all the shiny tools. We have to be more intentional. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You have wisdom. You know what the analog world was like. You can taste it. They can't. And look at how the 80s are roaring back? Us people of the 80s are hip again!
Overcoming lament
I recently hit my 14th year on Twitter. I was active early on, but then let it lag. Had I stayed active and nurtured by tribe, I likely could have amassed a valuable audience. Yet I allowed myself to drift; didn't have a clear strategy. While Twitter can be a cesspool of vitriol, you can curate who you follow, who you listen to and use it for good. You can build your tribe on Twitter. Early on, that's what I did and I'm connected to many of those people to this day. I'm starting to reengage to build an audience for Own the Cow. But it will take time and consistency showing up.
Over a decade ago I stopped one blog - Patio Genius - because I lacked focus and thought I'd missed the boat. I didn't know where I was going with it. Talk about quitters remorse. I'm living proof of what not to do which why I can help you now. I feel like I'm just getting started and finally identified the stake to plant in the ground. I hadn't identified that before which is why I quit things. Clarity does amazing things for your work ethic.
I've also lamented how I wished I was 20 years younger with these tools. What possibility. But that is silly. I can't fix when I grew up. Neither can you. Mindset, remember? So embrace your wisdom. It's never too late. If you're lamenting the life you could have had if only you did X, stop. Create the life you want to live now. Using ALL of the tools available to you that you need. Yes, it's hard. I'm proof that it's hard.
Take Walloy where I offer fine art prints. I was talking with another photographer last week about how the print market is 'gone'. "No one's buying prints". Yet I continue to spend time creating more images and developing projects. THIS is in my blood. But there's still a market. You need a brand. And an audience. 20x200 has done a great job with this. Done right, I believe there's room for Walloy.
I shared before how earlier in my career I failed colossally at building a viable business as a commercial photographer. I had to rebuild and reposition myself.
You can say the same thing about music. The top 1% make 99% of the revenue on Spotify.
The harsh reality is that life isn't fair and that designing a career with multiple income streams is hard. But it's your life. And it's worth designing a life that works for you. You can give yourself a big leg up on the competition through identifying your purpose and vision.
You are the product. Everything you do is your product. If you cut corners or don't deliver on what's promised, it says something about your values. You tell people through your actions and touch points who you are. What you share into the world is a mirror into what you feel strongly about. All of this comprises your personal brand. And helps you rise above the noise and win the day.