The Social Marginal

It’s a principle that I’ve always held close in my personal and business relationships, though even the best laid plans can often come to ruin.

Uncertainty about your financial future can drive one’s sanity to the brink of destruction, whether that uncertainty is artificial or not.  That same uncertainty can cause you to work hundred hour weeks, start ventures which have always been looming in the back of your mind in an attempt to offset a potential loss of income, and cut back your spending to the bare essentials; basically it can turn you into a money obsessed Zombie, but at the same time it can also lead to new opportunities and financial freedom as a result.

What am I getting at?  I’m still trying to figure it out really, but I do know that I’ve been there before and I’m at that point again in my life.  Two of my larger personal contracts which account for the majority of my income are in an industry in a region of the country right now that is, for the lack of a better word, lacking.  Seeing employee numbers cut from fifty to under ten in any one company in an effort to ’stay afloat’ over less than a six month period can be a stressful experience for a contractor on the other side of the US to go through.

Last time I had this feeling was approximately seven years ago when I was getting out of the military after spending two years in various hospitals recovering from a parachuting accident that left me with some life altering injuries.  I knew that in a few months from that point, the paychecks would stop coming and be replaced with a pension check that could only be described as supplementary income that wouldn’t cover the bills.  I had to find a new profession.  After brooding and stressing for a couple weeks, I decided to do something about it and within a couple days, I had a nice corporate job lined up where I made plenty of money, my stress was relieved.  It isn’t as simple this time though, as the checks haven’t stopped coming (and I don’t know for sure if they will or not to be honest) but I do now have a mortgage to pay and a financial future to continue working towards.  I guess it was a lot easier with a relatively blank slate.

It’s not adversity in your financial situation that will cause you such anxiety, it’s the uncertainty of whether or not that adversity will be coming around the corner in the near future and the inability to fully plan for it.  So while I can continue to try and create contingency plans, work on new ventures and cut back my spending as much as possible, all I can really do in addition at this point is to let go of the anxiety for the time being and hope for the best.  History has taught me that it is the most important ingredient in getting through these situations.

If only it were as easy to actually do as it is to tell yourself to do.  Ok, enough brooding, back to work for me.