[SaxxonWoods]

You are on the right track, the next step is to realize that your time to "get ahead" starts at the end of your 8 hour workday. Your job is for survival, to get ahead you must also start a business. I don't have a job anymore, I have 3 one-man businesses. There is something in your life that you would do for free, just becuase you like it. Plan a way to make money at that, or something at least related to it. Buy this old paperback book and read it 3 times a year: "Think and Grow Rich." The author is not writing only of monetary wealth, though he does cover that. He is writing of living a rich life. You have what it takes, you are a thinker, and what you think can become a reality. Think the right things, and create what you desire. Freep me anytime with questions about this, and best of luck, though we make our own luck.

[WFTR]

I'm sure that starting some kind of off-hours business would give me more opportunities to get rich, but that solution is not without problems. For instance, my employer has many rules about what we can and cannot do in terms of personal businesses. The company gets to review any idea that I might have for a patent. If the company decides that I'm trying to patent something that is too close to what I do for the company, they can prevent me from getting the patent. Maybe I would win a lawsuit over the issue and maybe I wouldn't, but if we reached that point, I'd likely be out of a job. If I found myself out of a job, then I no longer have what you just admitted was my means of survival.

I've toyed with the idea of doing some kind of writing, but again, my employer could do something similar if I tried to copyright and sell any writing. Some guys in the company have published a few things, but doing so involves a great deal of hassle with the company lawyers. If we reached a point of disagreement, I could be out of a job or find myself so angry that my work would be affected.

I suspect that one reason that people feel more discouraged about their financial futures is that many of us work for companies where the CEOs make huge salaries in spite of making stupid decisions. However, the company lawyers keep writing rules that make us choose between the job we need for survival and the type of outside activities that you mentioned were the key to further riches.

In any case, I appreciate your words of encouragement. If my past had been different and I didn't feel so insecure about my career, I'd be more inclined to try some of these things. However, I'll skip some opportunities not to come to the attention of the company lawyers.

Bill