Put your mind to it and you can…. sit at home and do nothing.
Posted by admin on December 20th, 2007 filed in Advice
Well, it is the season for gift-giving and guilt.
I had a discussion with a few people about my problems in offshoring and I mentioned having hired an assistant (who, one week in, is working out great so far!). Plus I’m considering adding a second one to the mix - virtualmaster, who posted a comment in a previous blog, is starting his own KPO firm.
Anyhow, it was interesting to see some people actually upset. “Why didn’t you hire me?” one asked. Well, you didn’t apply or show any interest in the position or discuss it with me in any fashion. I guess that would have helped.
But more interesting was what I got from another person.
This had actually occurred about two years ago. I had mentioned, before the hiring, that I was searching for an assistant and that they would be working from home. Immediately, this person, who hadn’t worked in 10 years said that she could do the job. Currently she filled her day with internet chats and daytime television. She was very excited thinking she could be doing this work.
First off, I wasn’t offering the job. I was mentioning what was happening in my life.
She followed it up with “This would be perfect. I would love for someone to pay me to sit at home all day and do nothing.”
Did she just hear what she said? She was thinking she could do nothing, and was telling the person who was doing the hiring that was her plan? Suddenly, Dr. Phil did one of his “So how is that working out for you,” and the crowd erupted in a burst of applause.
Anyhow, I let her return to her world of daytime television and backed away slowly.
Fast forward two years. Now she gets alimony payments, child support, government child allowance and is working towards finding a disability claim (to augment her income). One that won’t be frowned upon by others, but perhaps one that is more socially acceptable.
I guess sometimes you can get what you want! As much as I didn’t think she had long-term goals… I guess she did work towards them and I guess she did succeed. Put your mind to it and you can accomplish anything.
Weird world folks.
As you lose respect for someone, is it possible for respect to be a negative number? Or can it only go down to zero?
December 29th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Dave, first off, I’m so glad to hear that after all your struggles and disappointments that you finally found someone! Is this the person from Craigslist Bangalore? Detail man… we need details!
Second, regarding the couch potato VA: Oh my gosh!! At first I was thinking you had a mutually beneficial relationship lined up, then I kept reading. Glad you were able to back away slowly from that one.
BTW, you said you’re about ready for a second VA? Can you post about what you’re having your VA’s do? How many hours are you expecting them to be working per week?
I’m still struggling trying to find work for my VA. It’s not that I’m not busy, it’s just that what I do is so diverse that the skill sets would be hard to find from a single person under $20 an hour.
December 30th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Diverse work! That is also my issue. My project cross so many lines (advertising, photography, writing, technology, wildlife conservation, and ideas that actually combine all three. So finding people is difficult as well.