Why you too will be working two jobs by 2030 (and probably loving it)

But you may be surprised(sə(r)ˈprīzd) by the response from your boss(bäs,bôs)

By Kate(ā) Hughes

We know about the standard 9-5; the full-time job we head out to, enjoy or dislike, take the regular(ˈreg(ə)lər,ˈregyələr), reliable(riˈlīəbəl) income from (hopefully) and come home from.

But startling(ˈstärtl-iNG) new figures suggest one in four people are running at least(lēst) one other business project alongside their main day job – contributing £72bn to the UK economy in the process(ˈpräsəs).

These so-called “side hustles(ˈhəsəl)” are expected to become so common over the next decade or so that by 2030 half the population is likely to be running a business as well as working elsewhere.

But fears(fi(ə)r) are growing that a significant(sigˈnifikənt) shift in working life could be met by hostility(häˈstilitē) among the UK’s employers(emˈploi-ər).

An import from New York and Silicon(-kən,ˈsiləˌkän) Valley(ˈvalē), the growth of the UK side hustle is “unprecedented(ˌənˈpresəˌdəntid)”, according to the Henley(ˈhenlē) Business School.

Boosting the average “hustler’s(ˈhəslər)” income by 20 per cent, a quarter(ˈkwôrtər) of them are working 50 hours a week or more – 13 hours longer than the average UK worker.

“Taking on a side hustle isn’t always easy,” says musician, documentary(ˌdäkyəˈmentərē) maker and business owner Professor Green, who warns(wôrn) would be hustlers to prepare for mistakes and rejection.

“It takes preparation(ˌprepəˈrāSHən), thick(THik) skin, ideas and commitment enough to execute them. If I stopped at the first ‘no’ I got or gave up after making the many mistakes I have along the way, I’d be nowhere now.”

…
https://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/two-jobs-side-gigs-moonlighting-earnings-work-second-income-a8433021.html

Education(ˌejəˈkāSHən) Needs to Be Turned on Its Head

“Our culture(ˈkəlCHər) lies. They say they want to encourage and reward individuality(ˌindəˌvijəˈwalitē) and creativity, but in practice they try to hammer(ˈhamər) down the pointy(ˈpointē) parts, and shame(SHām) off the different parts.” — Sandra Dodd

By Leo Babauta

Going through the traditional school system (in California, Washington(ˈwäSH-,ˈwôSHiNGtən) and Guam(gwäm)) was never my favorite thing as a kid, but as a parent, I’ve grown to realize that the whole system is upside down.

Not the system of any particular(pə(r)ˈtikyələr) state or nation, but system of education as a concept.

Traditionally, schools use this model:

Decide on what kids need to know to prepare them for adulthood.

Prepare a curriculum(kəˈrikyələm) based on this.

Give students a schedule(-jəl,ˈskejo͞ol) based on this curriculum.

Have educated teachers hand them the info they need, and drill(dril) them in skills.

The student reads, memorizes(ˈmeməˌrīz) the info, learns the skills, and becomes prepared.

Students must follow all rules or be punished(ˈpəniSH). This is actually more important than the info and skills, although it’s never said that way.

Unfortunately(ˌənˈfôrCHənətlē), this isn’t a great model(ˈmädl). Mostly because it’s based on the idea that there is a small group of people in authority(ôˈTHär-,əˈTHôritē), who will tell you what to do and what you need to know, and you must follow this obediently(ōˈbēdēənt), like robots. And you must not think for yourself, or try to do what you want to do. This will be met with severe(səˈvi(ə)r) punishment.

This is ideal(īˈdē(ə)l) if you’re going to be a corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) employee(emˈploi-ē,ˌemploiˈē), and need certain skills in order to work for the corporation(ˌkôrpəˈrāSHən) — mostly skills of obedience, actually. This isn’t ideal for the workplace of the coming decade, when people are less likely to be employed by a large corporation, and more likely to work for themselves. And have to think for themselves. And figure out, for themselves, what they want to do. And learn new things for themselves, without a teacher.

Things are changing faster than ever before. Every month, new technology is announced that alters(ˈôltər) the way people work, or will work in the future, and we need to be able to learn and adapt(əˈdapt) to this ever-changing landscape.

How are we to do that, or how are our children to learn that, if they have no authority telling them what they need to know, or how to learn, or what to do?

People often grow up to be competent(ˈkämpətənt) learners, and achieve great things, after going through the traditional school system. But this is in spite(spīt) of the system, not because of it. We are pretty adaptable(əˈdaptəbəl) people, inherently(-ˈher-,inˈhi(ə)rənt) curious(ˈkyo͝orēəs), and we can learn without an authority, but the current(ˈkə-rənt,ˈkərənt) school system tries to beat(bēt) this down. It usually fails to some degree, but to the degree it succeeds, it harms people.

Schools fail not because they don’t impart(imˈpärt) knowledge or skills, but because they kill curiosity(ˌkyo͝orēˈäsitē), smother(ˈsməT͟Hər) excitement(ikˈsītmənt) for learning, club down with a furious(ˈfyo͝orēəs) brutality(bro͞oˈtalitē) our desires(dəˈzī(ə)r) to be independent, to think for ourselves, to learn about things that actually interest us.

…
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/219/219-h/219-h.htm

The mirror(ˈmirər): It’s about you, not them.

By Derek Sivers

If you see a gorgeous(ˈgôrjəs) painting(ˈpāntiNG) that fascinates(ˈfasəˌnāt) you, does it matter if you find out the artist hasn’t paid her taxes(taks)? Would you stop enjoying the painting?

If some one shows you a great way to memorize(ˈmeməˌrīz) names, does it matter if you find out that person is an alcoholic(-ˈhäl-,ˌalkəˈhôlik)? Would you no longer trust their memorization techniques(tekˈnēk)?

From 1967 to 1976, James Brown made the best funk music ever heard. (You owe(ō) it to yourself to get In the Jungle(ˈjəNGgəl) Groove(gro͞ov) if you haven’t.) He was my biggest musical(ˈmyo͞ozikəl) influence(ˈinflo͝oəns). I’m such a huge fan, I named my band after him. But when working at Warner/Chappell Music in the early 90s, they told me he was coming to the office, I went home early to avoid meeting him. I didn’t want the completely flawed(flôd) man to taint(tānt) that flawless(ˈflôləs) music that changed my life.

When I bought the book “Getting Things Done”, it had the author’s picture on it, so I ripped(ript) the cover off. I don’t care who David Allen is. This book is about me getting things done, not him and his stupid face.

Maybe both seem silly(ˈsilē), but it was important to me to always remember that what matters is what I get out of their work, not the person that made it.

After I interviewed Tim Ferriss, some people said, “But he comes across too cocky(ˈkäkē).”

After I interviewed Amber Rubarth, some people said, “But she’s only successful because she’s so pretty.”

After I interviewed Tom Williams, some people said, “But there’s some controversy(ˈkäntrəˌvərsē) about his new company.”

I hear(hi(ə)r) that as, “Now that I’ve proven they’re not perfect, I don’t have to apply any of the lessons from their story.”

But that’s missing the point that those articles are really about you, not them.

You would benefit from micro-testing the effectiveness(iˈfektivnis) of your actions, or interning to understand your gatekeeper, or persisting every day for a year and a half, no matter who was sharing those lessons.

All that really matters is what you do with the ideas there. Apply them to your own life in your own way.

It was never about them. It’s about you.

https://sivers.org/you-not-them

News
NEWS

INT: A LIVING ROOM

Raymond, an old man, is sitting at his desk, scrolling through websites. His wife, Ruth(ro͝oTH), is on the couch(kouCH), doing the crossword(ˈkrôswərd) puzzle(ˈpəzəl).

RAYMOND

I don’t get it, Ruth. What is the point of a Face Book? It’s just a lot of people yelling(yel) at each other and saying things they’d never say in front of their own mothers. Did you see what Jaylinn wrote in her-in her Face Book?

“You a stupid(ˈst(y)o͞opid) hoe(hō).” It just says that over and over again. Is it a poem(pōm,ˈpōim,ˈpōəm)? I don’t like seeing my own granddaughter writing stuff like that where everyone can see it. What if she tries to find a job? Who’s going to hire(hīr) someone who writes garbage(ˈgärbij) like that?

How can everything on the internets be this damnably(ˈdamnəbəl) inane(iˈnān)? But then over here there’s a whole list of links to all kinds of terrible(ˈterəbəl) stuff. CIA torturing(ˈtôrCHər) people and kids starving(stärv) to death across the world and Ebola everywhere you look. Everyone’s growing up too fast and sharing too much. We should call little Jaylinn. She shouldn’t be seeing all this. It’ll turn her into an anarchist(ˈanərkist) or one of those emos(ˈēmō).

Huh. Would you look at that. Nothing else in her Face Book but pictures of herself and cat videos. It’s like the rest of it doesn’t even matter. God, that’s kind of sadder, isn’t it? News feeds directly from Liberia(līˈbi(ə)rēə) to your computer screen and everyone’s still just looking at pointless(ˈpointlis) videos of stupid cats…

(Watches video.)

Heh. Heheh. Ruth, have you seen this? The kitten(ˈkitn) getting chased(CHās) by a lizard(ˈlizərd)? Ruth? Ruth, you should see this. It’s actually pretty funny.

https://www.instantmonologues.com/preview/News

‘Find Your Passion(ˈpaSHən)’ Is Awful(ˈôfəl) Advice(ədˈvīs)

A major(ˈmājər) new study questions the common wisdom(ˈwizdəm) about how we should choose our careers(kəˈri(ə)r).

By Olga Khazan

Carol(ˈkarəl) Dweck, a psychology(sīˈkäləjē) professor(prəˈfesər) at Stanford University, remembers asking an undergraduate(ˌəndərˈgrajəwit) seminar(ˈseməˌnär) recently, “How many of you are waiting to find your passion?”

“Almost all of them raised(rāzd) their hand and got dreamy(ˈdrēmē) looks in their eyes,” she told me. They talked about it “like a tidal(ˈtīdl) wave(wāv) would sweep(swēp) over them,” she said. Sploosh. Huzzah(həˈzä)! It’s accounting(əˈkountiNG)!

Would they have unlimited(ˌənˈlimitid) motivation(ˌmōtəˈvāSHən) for their passion? They nodded(näd) solemnly(ˈsɑləmli).

“I hate to burst(bərst) your balloon(bəˈlo͞on),” she said, “but it doesn’t usually happen that way.”

What Dweck asked her students is a common refrain(riˈfrān) in American society(səˈsīətē). The term “Follow your passion” has increased ninefold(ˈnīnˌfōld) in English books since 1990. “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” is another college(ˈkälij)-counseling(ˈkouns(ə)liNG) standby(ˈstan(d)ˌbī) of unknown provenance(ˈprävənəns).

But according to Dweck and others, that advice is steering(ˈsti(ə)riNG) people wrong.

“What are the consequences(-ˌkwens,ˈkänsikwəns) of that?” asked Paul O’Keefe(ē), an assistant(əˈsistənt) professor of psychology at Yale(yāl)—NUS College. “That means that if you do something that feels like work, it means you don’t love it.” He gave me the example of a student who jumps from lab to lab, trying to find one whose research topic feels like her passion. “It’s this idea that if I’m not completely(kəmˈplētlē) overwhelmed(ˌōvərˈ(h)welm) by emotion(iˈmōSHən) when I walk into a lab, then it won’t be my passion or my interest.”

That’s why he and two co-authors—Dweck and Greg Walton of Stanford—recently performed a study that suggests it might be time to change the way we think about our interests. Passions aren’t “found,” they argue(ˈärgyo͞o). They’re developed.

…
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/07/find-your-passion-is-terrible-advice/564932/

I am pulled(po͝ol) up and up

a redwood grove(grōv)

By Henry H. Walker

I feel like a toddler(ˈtädlər) in a room full of adults,
huge adults with their heads too far up for me to see,
above and beyond any world I can hope to understand,
my eyes pull up and up toward the sky,

my head tilts(tilt) back,
my body and soul(sōl) open into awe(ô),
as if here the spirit(ˈspirit) can close the distance(ˈdistəns) toward God,

I am humbled(ˈhəmbəl) with the power of these giant(ˈjīənt) pillars(ˈpilər) of trunk(trəNGk),
needled(ˈnēdl) dark and full, great ferns(fərn) below them,

the redwood grove has a cool darkness to it
that somehow makes me feel more toward the light.

…
http://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/i-am-pulled-up-and-up.html

How To Do Everything Wrong

By Steve Pavlina

While I normally write for people who are interested in improving their lives, I’m aware that many are committed to the opposite(ˈäpəzit) path. These people deliberately(diˈlibəritlē) decline(diˈklīn) steps that would lead to measurable(ˈmeZH(ə)rəbəl) improvements. They prefer that everything goes wrong — for as long as possible.

Sometimes they screw(skro͞o) up and accidentally(ˌaksiˈdentl) do something right. They’re usually able to sabotage(ˈsabəˌtäZH) these unwanted successes in short order, but they like it best when they can prevent(priˈvent) these positive(ˈpäztiv,ˈpäzətiv) experiences from ever happening in the first place.

If you count yourself among this under-acknowledged and under-appreciated(appreciated) group, here are some suggestions for how you can do a better job of staving(stāv) off success and ensuring(enˈSHo͝or) absolute failure(ˈfālyər) till you die.

Wrong Road

Notice the paths(paTH) that happy and successful people take, and avoid those paths. Favor(ˈfāvər) the popular paths since those will help you achieve average results at best, and average results should safely prevent undesirable(ˌəndiˈzīrəbəl) feelings of fulfillment. The best roads are those that leave you feeling like you’re walking in circles(ˈsərkəl) till you’re too tired to walk anymore and must retire(riˈtīr). Roads that are flat(flat) or which slope(slōp) downhill are often good choices, and they tend to satisfy(ˈsatisˌfī) the popularity(ˌpäpyəˈlaritē) requirement as well. Avoid any paths that lead over hills or near mountains; the elevated(ˈeləˌvātid) views are disturbing(disˈtərbiNG). Head towards terrain(təˈrān) you dislike since it’s easier to hate(hāt) your life when you hate your surroundings. If you can manage to get lost as well, that’s wonderful.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2011/07/how-to-do-everything-wrong/

The more I travel, the better my taste(tāst) in souvenirs(ˌso͞ovəˈni(ə)r)

By Evelyn Hannon

In my 40s, as a newbie(ˈn(y)o͞obē) solo(ˈsōlō) traveller(ˈtrav(ə)lər), I spent endless time browsing souvenir shops in tourist(ˈto͝orist) areas(ˈe(ə)rēə) of towns and cities. It never dawned(dän,dôn) on me that if I shopped further(ˈfərT͟Hər) afield(əˈfēld) where merchants(ˈmərCHənt) weren’t paying big rents(rent), I could get much more for my travel dollar. Nor did I give much thought(THôt) to the size of what I was buying, and that I would have to schlep(SHlep) it around for the duration(d(y)o͝orˈāSHən) of my holidays(ˈhäliˌdā).

I learned and adjusted. But I also found that over time, the objects that beckoned(ˈbekən) to me changed as well. As my tastes matured(-ˈt(y)o͝or,məˈCHo͝or), my bags got smaller, and so did the time I spent buying tchotchkes(ˈCHäCHkə).

In my 50s I collected boxes from around the world. Not ordinary(ˈôrdnˌerē) boxes but ones crafted(kraft) lovingly by artists. These were small and fit easily into the nooks(no͝ok) and crannies(ˈkranē) of my backpack. The variety(vəˈrīətē) was delightful(diˈlītfəl) – silver(ˈsilvər) encrusted(enˈkrəst) from South Korea(kəˈrēə), painted camel(ˈkaməl) bone from Egypt(ˈējəpt), brightly coloured paper maché from Mexico(ˈmeksiˌkō), mosaic(mōˈzā-ik)-topped from Greece(grēs) and dozens(ˈdəzən) more were amassed(əˈmas) and displayed in my powder(ˈpoudər) room.

Then a funny thing happened. My interest in the collection waned(wān) while my grandchildren’s interest in it grew and so began a wonderful, new ritual(ˈriCHo͞oəl). Each time a child came to visit they were allowed to pick a box. Magically, my popularity(ˌpäpyəˈlaritē) increased as did their visits and pretty soon my collection had been divided(diˈvīd) amongst the little people in our family. Each gift was accompanied by a mini travel-story explaining where the box was found, who had made it and what that country was like.

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-the-more-i-travel-the-better-my-taste-in-souvenirs/

Disaster(diˈzastər) Looms(lo͞om) for British Pubs(pəb): Beer(bi(ə)r) Shortage(ˈSHôrtij) During the World Cup

Lager drinkers wring(riNG) their hands but cask(kask)-ale(āl) aficionados(əˌfiSH(ē)əˈnädō,əˌfisyə-) hope a carbon(ˈkärbən) dioxide(dīˈäkˌsīd) scarcity(ˈskersitē) will drive orders for old-school brews(bro͞o) served at room temperature(-ˌCHo͝or,ˈtemp(ə)rəCHər)

By Saabira Chaudhuri

Beer today, gone tomorrow?

A shortage of carbon dioxide, the gas that puts the magic fizz(fiz) in beer, means England’s hotly anticipated(anˈtisəˌpāt) summer of soccer(ˈsäkər) and beer could fall flat(flat). Ammonia(-nēə,əˈmōnyə) plants have shut down across Europe, many for routine(ro͞oˈtēn) maintenance(ˈmānt(ə)nəns,ˈmāntn-əns), and Britain(ˈbritn), with only one operating CO2 plant, could be the hardest hit.

The supply chain(CHān) hiccup(ˈhikəp) represents(ˌrepriˈzent) tragedy(ˈtrajidē) or opportunity depending on where pub patrons(ˈpātrən) stand in a battle of the brews(bro͞o).

Seasoned(ˈsēzənd) drinkers of cask ale—the peculiarly(pəˈkyo͞olyərlē) British, naturally carbonated(ˈkärbənātid) beer that’s often drunk at room temperature—hope fans of artificially(ˌärtəˈfiSHəl) carbonated lager will discover “proper beer” as 30% of Brits crowd(kroud) pubs to celebrate(ˈseləˌbrāt) the fortuitous(fôrˈto͞oətəs) collision(kəˈliZHən) of a heat(hēt) wave(wāv) and World Cup soccer.

“There are plenty(ˈplentē) of fantastic(fanˈtastik) real ales, ciders(ˈsīdər) and perries(ˈperē) that will be completely(kəmˈplētlē) unaffected(ˌənəˈfektid) by the impending CO2 shortage,” said Tom Stainer, a spokesman(ˈspōksmən) for the Campaign(kamˈpān) for Real Ale.

The group, founded in 1971, coined(koin) the term “real ale” to distinguish traditional draft cask beers from the highly carbonated beers sold by major brewers. Real ale contains live yeast(yēst) and fermentable sugar, allowing the brew(bro͞o) to mature(-ˈt(y)o͝or,məˈCHo͝or) in the same container(kənˈtānər) from which it is dispensed(disˈpens). There’s no CO2 in the production process(prəˈses,ˈpräsəs,ˈpräˌses,ˈprō-). Some pubs rely on carbonation to dispense cask ales but many use hand pumps(pəmp) or, sometimes, gravity(ˈgravitē).

“We would encourage anyone who’s looking forward to their next pint(pīnt) to take this opportunity to try a real ale,” Mr. Stainer said.

That stance(stans) makes Pete Brown, a beer writer and industry consultant(kənˈsəltnt), hopping mad. “Here’s a crisis(ˈkrīsis) that could cause immense(iˈmens) harm to the pubs you claim to support, and you use it as an opportunity to denigrate(ˈdeniˌgrāt) ‘fizz,’” he tweeted(twēt) at Mr. Stainer last week. “The 1970s called. They said go home, you’re drunk(drəNGk).”

…
https://www.wsj.com/articles/disaster-looms-for-british-pubs-beer-shortage-during-the-world-cup-1529942223

Create Structure(ˈstrəkCHər) When You’re Floundering(ˈfloundər)

By Leo Babauta

The best of intentions(inˈtenCHən) often flops(fläp) around without some kind of structure.

You might decide you’re going to change your diet(ˈdī-it) and lose(lo͞oz) some weight(wāt), but when mealtime comes around, you just eat the same kind of food and still get too full from eating too much. Or you decide you’re going to procrastinate(prō-,prəˈkrastəˌnāt) less and be more focused, but then after a short success, you start going to your usual(ˈyo͞oZHo͞oəl) distractions(disˈtrakSHən). You start exercising(ˈeksərˌsīz) but then get lazy(ˈlāzē) and fall off the habit(ˈhabit). You start waking early but then have a late night or two and the whole house of cards comes crashing down.

We start with great intentions, but the harder ventures(ˈvenCHər) cause us to flounder around. Then we repeat that: start with good intentions, flounder around. Over and over again, until we feel hopeless(ˈhōplis) to change anything or start to nourish(ˈnə-riSH,ˈnəriSH) a deep sense(sens) of inadequacy(inˈadikwəsē).

What can we do to change things? It’s not you, it’s your method(ˈmeTHəd).

If your current method of change isn’t working (start with good intentions and then flounder), you have to try a new method.

Unfortunately(ˌənˈfôrCHənətlē), there isn’t just one perfect method. But there is one thing you can do to vastly improve your method: add some kind of structure.

…
https://zenhabits.net/create-structure/