Escaping the Rat Race
Do you wake up in the morning dreading going to work? With the rising unemployment rates, offshore outsourcing of jobs and inflation, it’s a good thing to have a steady source of income. But if when you rise in the mornings, you aren’t enthused about starting your day than you’re not doing what you want to do. You’re just you living for the weekend or your day off!
Many want to and even dream about escaping the daily grind of working for someone else. Most even dream of this while at work, the dilemma for many comes from timing. Even if your finances are stable being able to quit your current job, with the obligations to family life, is very difficult. The ability to juggle, late nights, early mornings, family outings with just getting dinner ready, can be overbearing, if not impossible for even the best of them.
I’ve learned the mindset is probably the most important factor in escaping the rat race. You will have to think differently than you do for an employer, you are the owner and if you don’t work everything shuts down. My first experience with this was exhilarating and scary one all at the same time; it was the beginning of my 3rd tax season and my system crushed, I mean the green light wouldn’t even come on. Now my first thought was hippy I get to go home, because when I was in corporate america that’s what would happened. When the system wasn’t working we couldn’t work. But this time there was no IT Dept to call and yell at, to get the system working. It was all up to me to fix it, there was no running away from the problem, it was get it fixed now and there is no more work, ever. It was really Do or Die!
This kind of shift in your thinking process must be in place, not only to be successful, but to survive and it will not occur over night!
So to get to doing what you want to do you must:
1. Weigh your pros and cons. This will help decide if the time is right to break free or if you need to do more planning before stepping out. But for those that’s forever a planner and never take action – you may need to jump out of the boat and learn to swim! ( That’s me)
2. Look for alternative ways to support your lifestyle. If you’re use to a six figure income, it may not come fast or easy but it will come with determination. Look into home based business ventures – avoid the scams! Also play with your talents and interests to determine if any are marketable. Maybe search your family for secret recipes that’s
been handed down from generation to generation.
3. Surround yourself with like minded people, those going places and doing things will always motivate you beyond belief, to go another day. Success stories will get you over the hurdles that will come while trying to break free. Of course, avoid the naysayers. It’s not that they’re trying to kill your dreams, they’re just looking at it from a different mindset, that you can only live if someone else gives you a check state of mind. You know the one you just got away from. They may say, I wouldn’t do that if I where you. How will you live? What about your responsibilities? Many times, these people also want to escape the rat race but are not willing or able to take that leap. So face the fact that you will probably be in this alone and will need to motivate yourself for a while. Having a team of “real” support to help you when you can’t, will be priceless if possible.
4. Try to save some of your own money first. Financial obstacles are usually the mountain that we must overcome in making that initial decision to leave the rat race. If you have a little nest egg socked away it takes some of that edge off the decision and give you a little more freedom to make moves.
5. Streamline your lifestyle. If leaving the rat race isn’t your ultimate goal, maybe you just want to enjoy retirement sooner than evaluate where you can cut back and those cut backs become savings. Turn those savings into investment that will grow and as they grow your days, months and years in the rat race become smaller and small until they are none!
What ever your goal is in escaping the rat race, I am sure, that with a little repositioning, patience, dedication, and hard work – you can achieve your end results! One of my fave mottos is: “Don’t work for your money, make your money work for you”
Do you have a brilliant business idea and are wondering if now is the time and the right place to get your business started? A little research goes a along way, what’s the saying? “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail”, it’s so true. 
etiquette! Notice all the signs that are posted in places of business regarding turning off or silencing your cell phones. Everywhere you go there are beeps, tweets and musical tones and an array of chattering conversations going on. 
that when wasted, you cannot recapture. Ask anyone who has had their entire day thrown off by a late appointment. Do your best to arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to your scheduled time. It shows that the meeting is important to you and you could also take that time to mentally prepare for your meeting.
assurance or confidence! A loose grip and weak shake usually puts people off immediately and will not make for a good connection. 
How did I know GA would be near the top of the list, let me tell you starting a business can be easy depending on the business / trade you choose but staying in business is difficult at best, regardless of your choice of business. But it seems some states are better targets for being in business than others, our fave list guru over at 
population has a degree, on par with the rest of the U.S. The jump is the second biggest improvement by any state after Maine. Much of the improvement is fueled by young professionals moving to the Atlanta metro area, which has experienced a net migration of 800,000 people in the past decade, second only to Phoenix. 
I’ve been hearing big things about one of my fave basketball player turned entrepreneur, some I no likey but It’s still all good. Earv “Magic” Johnson has a new book and is the new 
ago he’s become the ultimate businessman, being the son of a business owner pushed him to pursue his dreams of being in the NBA and to be aware of great opportunities, he was the first NBA player to have an exclusive license contract to sell his own jerseys and T-shirts and keep all the profits. He gained business respect by investing in inner city areas no one else would touch, he has movie theaters, Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness and T.G.I Friday’s.
#1 Rachel Ray $18 million- But of course who else would claim the top spot but a down to earth girl backed by Ms. Winfrey herself. This girl may really antsy in the kitchen but a Brand Builders she is definitely. Anytime you see anything cooking related you see Rachel Ray. She began winning audiences with catch phrases like “EVOO” (for extra-virgin olive oil) on her first Food Network show, 30 Minute Meals, in 2001. Today, she has four Food Network programs, including Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. Her nationally syndicated, Oprah-backed talk show, 
ritzy Los Angeles restaurant Spago in 1982. That hot spot, once frequented by Orson Welles and Sidney Poitier, now counts Brad Pitt and Jamie Foxx among its regulars. Today Puck owns 15 other fine-dining brands, including Chinois, Cut and the Source, and he also sells sandwiches to weary airport travelers at Wolfgang Puck Express. He’s got Wolfgang Puck Bistros in suburbia and sells soups in the grocery aisle and cutlery on the Home Shopping Network. Check him out at 
sandwich during their start up years. Now they co own a very tasty and popular restuarant in Savannah, Ga. 
shows like 
want-to-be 
would donate $1 million to charity if the collective group (or a significant number of them) would admit they pay less taxes, as a percentage of income, than their secretaries. This to prove the rich get richer and aren’t concerned about the well-beings of those not as fortunate. If this list paid taxes, funds used to assist low income Americans, there’s no way we would have the issues of homelessness, poverty and hunger that’s affected our country for years, way before THIS recession. 
