Who taught you to work so hard—for someone else?
We learn to dread Mondays, and celebrate Fridays. We are thankful for the weekend. You know, the day and a half your boss grants you to enjoy. Only it’s consumed by errands you have to run that could have been ran during the week. But, you didn’t have time because you were busy working. Oh… and it is a day and a half. You spend the majority of your Sunday dreading work on Monday. Doing what you were conditioned to do.
There are Ants and there are Bees. Workers. They do as they are told. Never to deviate from the plan. The one in charge reaps all the rewards. While clock in, work, clock out. Sleep…eat…repeat.
Spiders are risk takers. The spider goes out, sets up, and comes back later to see what the results are. To see if she will eat for the day? Stark contrast between insects living in the same type of world.
Entrepreneurship is for risk takers. You have to be a brave individual to bet on yourself. To believe you can generate income, from an idea.
Working is the easy way out. It’s safe. Or is it?
I came up with a theory one night, when I was pissed off about the mere idea of working. You see, to me, work is you helping to make someone else rich because that person was ballsy enough to tap into his/her inner-spider. They have you doing work they don’t want to do, earn a huge profit, then give you the smallest percentage possible to keep them in the black. Hence a pay scale.
What amount keeps them rich, while keeping you content enough to keep making them a profit?
So here’s my theory:
We’ll use $12 an hour as an example.
$12 in exchange for an hour of your time, meaning one hour of your time is only worth $12. That’s what you agreed to during the interview right?
8 hours of your day in exchange for $96
$480 earned in a week
How much is your time worth in your eyes?
There are 24 hours in a day.
7 days in a week.
8 hours= good sleep. Between work & sleep, 16 hours are given up already.
112 hours given up per week if you add in work & sleep. Meaning you have 56 hours left for yourself.
As an entrepreneur, you have 128 hours available vs 56 with a standard 9-5
16 hours per day available vs 8 with a standard 9-5
So what are you doing with your time?
Of course adjust the money to whatever it is you make. You may be shocked at the results. Just like you’d be shock to realize how many people really value your talent(s).
You may be blessed with a talent. Or an idea. Or both!
This piece is for those on the fence. Those who are like me. Who hate the idea of working for someone else. Making someone else rich. Who dream of being in control of your time, and income. Dare to bet on yourself!
Spiders, ants, and bee’s.
You can either gather your own food, or gather someone else’s.
You make the choice.
Thanx Dave! 
Awesome piece. we are in a period where paycheck isn’t enough. By all means one has to find a way to do something for themselves. Thanks for sharing
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Thank you for commenting. We also have to teach our kids or…just the youth in general about entrepreneurship. People need to become self reliant like the old days.
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Wow this was very powerful man
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thank you. I’m doing a lot more motivational pieces too. Time to wake up some people
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Hell yea.
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Yes! I love your analogies. And to answer your question: no, working for someone else is not the safe way because that position or that company could be gone tomorrow!
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Exactly! You’re putting your faith in strangers. Plus we are all expendable when it’s time to save their @$$
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I’ve seen it enough times to know that almost anyone can be trained to do most of these jobs.
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Right. But somehow you need a masters in (insert big time degree) to do menial work now.
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Sadly true. It’s all cyclical, no? Getting a job to pay off the school loans for said degree. The American Way.
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Marketing & social pressure are a mutha!
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Dave be on it! YAAASSSS!
LOVED the analogy!
I think one of the more interesting points that I’ve ever heard is that, as a worker, you don’t have the freedom to say, “Fuck it, I’m going to sit by the lake today!” In fact, you, as an adult, have to get permission from another adult (your boss), to do what you want to do.
Hey, and if another person has already asked to go to the lake at the same time that you wanted to go then that’s probably an automatic ‘NO.”
Flat out, you really don’t have any freedom.
LOL!!!
That said, I do realize that when you work for yourself, you tend to work longer and harder—but it’s a helluva lot different when you know that you’ll keep the bulk of the funds (minus Uncle Sam’s cut).
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lol F’n uncle Sam man. When I realized I had to ask permission to use the bathroom, eat, and go home is when I said this has to stop. I’m really,really considering motivational speaking to help people realize their potential, and to get from under the thumb of that lie that is work. All my life it was, “get a good job”, and get a house (mortgage), and a car (note). It should be about what you can actually own. You think people would listen (on WP) if I started doing motivational podcast? Asking you because you have a nice following, and do a lot of upbeat pieces.
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Hell yeah they would!!!!!
I’ll find a way to talk about your podcast in a post like I did before😉
I’m still thinking about podcasting too. Ron says I have the voice for it😂😂😂😂
LOL!!
Anyway, I love that idea🙏🏾
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Haha if Brotha Brown, and Brotha Barron thinks you have the voice, you probably have the voice haha. Go for it! I’ll tell you every thing i’ve learned. And thank you for the encouragement. I think I’ll give it a shot.
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Thank you Brah and you know you’re welcome. 😃
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Man Lady G and Fave, that’s a great idea to do a motivational podcast for entrepreneurs etc. Maybe even videos or vlogging to get people engaged. Hell Dr. Boyle Watkins sometimes just uploads videos from his cell phone, straight to youtube. Yes Lady G you definitely need to get on the show.
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Yes she does, and I’m going to start this week. You guys are right.
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Okay, now that I’ve blown up your notifications with all my likes, here’s my $.02 and a couple of questions. I totally agree with this and what everyone else has said. My question is this: do you think everyone has an inner spider? It seems that many of us are content with being an ant or a bee. My other question is what do you think it will take to help people recognize their inner spider and not be so afraid to go out there and do what they want?
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Oh my, first of all thank you so so much! I appreciate the love. I really do. Sista Garland you are awesome! I think most people have that inner spider in them. The majority of people are just more comfortable being an ant or a worker bee. It’s easier. Maybe it stems from upbringing, or being how one is wired, but I believe most people do. In my opinion you are who you hang around. Influence from peers, or who you spend the most time around does have a subconscious effect. That’s just what I’ve noticed. I think I’m pretty good at reading others. Then again if one is more comfortable working, then by all means. But my mission in life is to help the people sitting on the fence. Because I know I didn’t always think this way. Which brings me to your next question. I changed who I was around. It had a lot to do with my mind state. Whatever it is you want to do in life, that’s the caliber of people you should be around. And read, read, read. And one last thing, you have to have a real passion for something to wake that inner spider.
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Agreed. You’re right. Who we spend our time around definitely influences who we are and what we’re focused on.
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o0o I love the question that you posed here Dr. Garland. Mainly because I identify more with an ant or bee than a spider; which obviously doesn’t hold (as) much respect lol.
To answer your question – I definitely agree that everyone has an inner spider. However, I don’t feel that everyone’s contribution is as abundant or beneficial when attempting to function in that role. I’m a big believer that we all have natural skill-sets, gifts and talents and that we are strongest when operating in them. Although leadership can be learned, some of our strengths are better utilized differently and in support of visionaries. When utilized properly and under good leadership (or “spidership” lol), I don’t see why that has to be a bad thing.
Then again, I view workers/these insects differently. I don’t view them as lazy, uninspired workers seeking and living an easy, mindless existence. Quite the opposite actually…
Being a worker is far from easy. It’s an underappreciated necessity which supports and sustains a vision bigger than oneself with little to no respect or gain. They’re often dismissed as lazy or uninspired when in all actuality they are exemplifying the exact opposite.
It’s easy to want to be your own boss; to be in control. But how many of us are humble and trusting enough to assist in the fruition of someone else’s vision, albeit not our own? Not everyone is cut out to take direction, to be obedient, to trust, and to move in selflessness; to work relentlessly without rest and to take direction without ego-tripping. To me, it shows a certain dedication, humbleness and compassion for the greater goal over self and I think it’s beautiful. It’s only ugly when abused by weak leadership (or weak spiders lol).
Yes, you have to be a brave individual to bet on yourself…but you have to be a braver individual to bet your livelihood on someone else. Although doing so is not always the smartest move,but it’s definitely the most risky.
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Josie, you’ve said this better than I ever could have. I look forward to David’s reply, but I do want to add this. Perhaps it’s not horrible to be an ant or bee because, you know we need both, even outside of this metaphor. Maybe, we should be more mindful and conscious of where we take our ant and bee talents.
So, if I stay with what you’re saying, then it stands to say that if I’m a great baker, then maybe I don’t want to own my own bakery, but maybe it’s perfectly fine to work for another baker who supports a healthy way to make baked goods. At this point, my “job” becomes more visionary and aligned with someone else’s vision, as opposed to simply working somewhere to pay bills and buy a home, or something like that.
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Perfect! I agree wholeheartedly. In one of his essays, Darryl talked about entrepreneurship in the black community and how to avoid repackaging exploitation. The hardest responsibility of an entrepreneur, in my opinion is to organize their business in a way that does this. Love your feedback!
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Hi Sista Garland!
If that’s where you are more comfortable, be all means…
For me, I’ve always had a feeling I couldn’t shake in regards to working. It’s always frustrated me, and it never sat right with me. In the last couple of years I’ve been able to put a finger on the issue, so now not only do I plan to live life on my terms — I want to help those on the fence that feel stuck about their direction.
Hope I didn’t alienate those that are good with working.
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lol not me personally but I understand
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Just making sure.
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LOL @ Spidership! In life one must play to there strengths, and if you recognize your strength is to be an ant or a bee you have to run with it — if it makes you happy. Or “are humble and trusting enough to assist in the fruition of someone else’s vision.” My true goal in life is to be happy by any means necessary, and I feel that should be everyone else as well
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Amen to that!
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