If your Bus Isn’t Moving, Walk.

You rode a bus and are excited to get home. You smile as you imagine lying in your comfortable bed and that luxurious bath you can finally take after a tiring day. Then the bus suddenly stops. You look out the window and see several vehicles side by side. You sigh and pray that the bus would move soon. Five minutes passed by then ten… still the bus won’t move. You turn to the driver and ask what’s happening. “Traffic” is the only response you got. Fifteen minutes turn to thirty… and that comfortable sleep and luxurious bath you were looking forward to fade away as you slowly doze off inside the bus.

I’ve seen this scenario a thousand times. Sadly, this doesn’t just happen on the road but with life. The bus is your job. You’re excited to get that job because you think it will give you the money you need to provide for your needs and give you a comfortable life. As time goes by, you realize you’re stuck. You know you’re getting nowhere but you choose to stay and hope that someday things will become better. I’ve seen smart and talented people waste their life working for a boss they don’t even like for a paycheck that won’t even give them a decent living. By doing so, they lose their most precious asset: time. But why do they stay? They stay because of fear. Fear of the unknown because they are used to the cycle of employment, any change may be risky. We were made to believe that having a job is our only choice. You may think that at least if you’re employed, you get benefits and insurance. That will all go away if you get fired or you’re company closes down. So what are you going to do to prevent that from happening? Here’s a suggestion: WALK.

Walking means to use whatever you have to move you forward. God gave man an amazing mind and unique skills. Learn to use these gifts. Instead of just staying in your job and fearing the possibility of being fired due to the economic crunch, do something about it. Grow yourself and develop how your mind works. If you do, you will realize that there are sideways and roads where the bus will never take you. Educate yourself. There are actually plenty of ways to get to your dreams. There are opportunities everywhere. You just need to train yourself. Use your two feet and start walking to see it. Your job alone will not give you the time and the finances you want. The possibilities are endless and you’ll find out that depending on your job is the most dangerous decision you have made. The time to act is NOW.

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Hitting Platypus Bottom

By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by imitation, which is easiest; and
third by experience, which is the bitterest.
-Confucius

I read Scott Allen’s article on the platypus bottom, a metaphor used by stock market analyst Art Cashin on CNBC referring to the current market meltdown. According to Cashin, "The trouble with this one is this isn't a normal-looking bottom. It might be a platypus bottom. It might just be something strange we've never seen before."

What’s with a platypus bottom? To start with, a platypus is an unusual animal. It's a mammal, but it lays eggs, has webbed feet, a body like an otter, a bill like a duck, and it spends most of its time underwater. A paradox, as Allen puts it. So a “platypus bottom” is something unusual or out of the ordinary. Something we have never seen or experienced before.

It’s when your teacher tells you that your project is outstanding then gives you a failing grade, that’s platypus bottom. When you have just finished a 100-page dissertation then your computer breaks down - platypus bottom. It’s when you have invested your whole life savings in a company then it suddenly closes taking your money down the drain with it, you’ve reached platypus bottom.

Allow me to tell you my platypus bottom: I resigned from my teaching job to explore new possibilities as an entrepreneur. I was doing it part-time for awhile and decided to expand it further by going full-time. It was not as easy as I thought. Being an employee is miles away from being an entrepreneur. The first few months were alright since I still have enough money to sustain my needs. I worked on my business the way I did while I was still employed. But my circumstances became more intense and my clients became scarce. The “old way” does not work anymore. Worse, my “survival money” is nearing zero. I was tempted to give up but I refused to. That’s when I realized that I have to grow myself and transform if I want to succeed. The faster the better. Suddenly, I desired what I have been afraid to embrace - change.

My mentor always says that when you’ve reached “rock bottom,” that’s when your mind starts thinking of ways to get back and breakthroughs occur. I believe she’s talking about platypus bottom. It’s when you experience situations that you’ve never been before and you are pushed to create ways to get through.

Hitting platypus bottom is uncomfortable and often painful but that does not mean that we should avoid it. It can actually be empowering. Take it as a learning experience and an opportunity for change and personal growth. As Allen says, “the sooner you can recognize it… and start exploring new solutions, the sooner you will get out of it, rather than wallowing in it for months.”