New member

[Jezee]

Hello everyone, I new I was different from other people but could never put my finger on it, I have had more jobs and hobbies than most people but always got bored after a while (although some of my hobbies I still enjoy). I have had multiple businesses that I got bored with and although I have been with my girlfriend for 19 years we have had our ups and downs (normally to do with money as the business never seemed to bring much in) and I don’t think to this day she quite understands me, it’s a good job that she is so layed back. I love learning and reading and filling my mind with new things and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw one of Barbara Shers books (What do I do when I want to do Everything, English version) on Amazon which described me down to a tea. I quickly ordered this book and read it as fast as I could and then re read it (I am currently at page 170) more slowly taking plenty of notes. I can’t thank Barbara Sher enough and realise that I am a Sybil Scanner, I have not fully read the rest of the book yet so do not know if I fit any of the other Scanners profiles. Although Barbara does make you realise that you are a bit special, I have always felt sadness in my life because I have always looked for the right job but never found it. I don’t have many friends as I just don’t mix that well with people (and just don’t seem to have the time because of all my hobbies) although i sometimes feel a little lonely and long for a good friend even though I have a beautiful daughter and caring partner. The job that I am in now (of which I have been in for 2 ½ years) is really dragging me down and I desperately need to change it as it is making me feel very depressed. It is so tedious and as usual I am very bored of it, it feels like it is slowly killing me as I hate repetitive work. I haven’t written this to get sympathy but just to get how I feel off my chest. Thank you.

[TheGoToGuy]

Jezee, I've said this before in other posts, but it bears repeating one more time. Start a blog and write about your interests. If you don't want to go through the trouble of domain names and hosting, just go to Wordpress.com or Blogger.com and get a free one (use your name in the title!) Start writing about everything you learn and do. Take pictures, upload videos (using Youtube.com). But the most important thing is to start capturing your knowledge and experience and setting up good categories and tags to make it easy to sort and organize your work. Before you know it, you will start getting some people who like your work and leave comments. This is encouraging (and you might meet some new folks with similar passions.) In 6-12 months you may look back and discover that you have written enough material to create a book/video/website/seminar/etc. and be on your way to a profitable new venture. It amazed me how much material I generated in a year. You can also open up a Google Adsense account and place some ads on your site. You won't get much (usually) but it could put a few more dollars in your pocket every month. The most important thing is to start capturing your knowledge and experience in a form that can be shared with others. It's working for me. You can read more in this thread I posted in the success forum: http://www.barbarasher.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=19575 Best of luck to you. Having a caring partner and a beautiful daughter is an amazing blessing (my wife and daughter are the best things in my life.) Andrew Seltz The Go-To Guy! http://www.AndrewSeltz.com

[Jezee]

Thank you for your response, I will certainly think about what you have said. If only I could get out of my current job, but as you get older it seems to get harder. Regards.

[TheGoToGuy]

Thank you for your response, I will certainly think about what you have said. If only I could get out of my current job, but as you get older it seems to get harder. Regards.

Taking action starts chains of events that you cannot possibly predict. (For instance, you took action and posted here - I wrote you a response that described a way to capture your knowledge that is proven to work.) If you focus on what you can't do, you'll miss what can be done. Think with your fingers on your shiny new blog: 1) Click on this link and sign up for a free account - Wordpress.com 2) Log in to your shiny new blog and write something - anything! 3) Hit the publish button! Do it for a few days. If I'm wrong and the idea was a total waste, delete the blog and come back here and explain how wrong I was Andrew Seltz The Go-To Guy! http://www.AndrewSeltz.com

[Jezee]

Thanks to you I have decided to blog my interests, but, i know this is trivial I am not sure whether to use Wordpress or Blogger which one would you suggest. Thanks.

[TheGoToGuy]

Thanks to you I have decided to blog my interests, but, i know this is trivial I am not sure whether to use Wordpress or Blogger which one would you suggest. Thanks.

I prefer Wordpress (but, for my sites, I host the software on my own server.) You can't really go too far wrong with either solution, so don't get too hung up on making the choice. They both get the job done. Focus on getting started and writing. Andrew Seltz The Go-To Guy! http://www.AndrewSeltz.com

[Jezee]

Ok thank you.

[flygirl]

Hi Jezee, welcome to the forum

[Jezee]

Thank you and hello.

[skannie]

Hi Jezee It’s great that you’ve started a blog. Can we read it? What’s the address? You can put the link in your signature if you want. It would be easier to make helpful suggestions if I knew what kind of work you do, what you’ve done before, and what kinds of hobbies you have enjoyed. You say you are a Sybil, so which are the interests you keep recycling? I’ve often heard that it’s much easier to get a job when you already have one than when you are unemployed, so you are in a better position to change your life than many people. Don’t let your age stop you. Now you know you are a scanner so you can choose a more suitable job this time. First look for books and websites that give you advice about writing CVs (or resumes). Then write the best CV you can, including all your skills and experience. Later on you can trim and tailor the CV to suit particular vacancies. It’s also a good idea to prepare for interviews. Maybe get some coaching in interview skills. At the same time you need to think about what kind of job would give you enough variety to stop you hating it. It needn’t be something that requires much training. Perhaps a job in a bookshop, or a business that has lots of departments that you can take turns in, or something that involves travelling around e.g. van driving or sales rep, or a job dealing with different people every day e.g. a hospital. Maybe two part-time jobs instead of one full-time. Then you should search and apply for suitable vacancies. Also be on the lookout for places you’d like to work in, and send in your CV, even if no jobs are advertised. Best wishes Skannie

[Jezee]

Hello Skannie, Sorry its taken me a while to get back to you but with work and home life you know what its like, anyway my new blog is http://jsanderz.wordpress.com it is in its very early stages and needs tweaking here and there. I have been interested in Technology and Computers for a while and went to college to do some courses in this kind of work, unfortunately found it very hard to get off an IT Service desk and although I have worked (contracted) for British Airways, Northern Rock and Newell/Rubbermaid, believe it or not there has been no job promotions as getting off a Service desk is very hard and after 5 years of this kind of work I am sick and frustrated. I have gone from one job to another e.g. Leisure Centre attendant, Optical technician, Insurance Salesman, I have had multiple businesses, Estate Agent and worked in a Sports shop to name but a few but I get tired of them quite quickly. I never knew why until I read What do I do when I want to do Everything book and was so happy that there was a name for me, Scanner. My interests are mainly, Photography, Photoshop, Videography, Learning, Computers, Technology, Gadgets, Wildlife, Anything to do with Flight, Yoga, Martial Arts, Weight Training, Cooking and a few more. If it wasn’t for my family commitments I would have left my current job for some other meaningless work. However this time I don’t want to go for just anything, I have a few ideas from Barbara Shers book and as you have wrote need to up date my CV, but all to this takes time, and I get impatient. I would like in the near future to make money of my blog but who knows. I haven’t got much content at the moment but quite enjoy writing in it. Regards.

[skannie]

Hi Jezee That’s definitely a scanner’s blog, (I’m an information addict too), and you also have a very scannerish list of occupations and interests. The only job for you that springs to mind immediately is IT and multimedia person in an aircraft museum. I suppose it’s sometimes possible to get an interesting job without a good CV, but in most cases it’s a necessity, unless the employer prefers an application form, which needs the same kind of information anyway. There are lots of sites where you can post a CV online, or you could add a static CV page to your Wordpress blog.

this takes time, and I get impatient

Sure it takes a bit of time to prepare yourself properly, but it will save a lot of wasted time later. Think of it as marketing, with you as the product. I saw the mind maps on your blog. Have you tried mapping all your skills, talents, interests, achievements, businesses, jobs, dreams, etc? It would help you work out what you want to do, and it would also be an enjoyable way of gathering the information for your CV. Have you come across this free open source mind mapping software? http://freemind.sourceforge.net I wonder how it compares with the commercial ones. To start making some money from your blog try Amazon Associates and Google Adsense. I’m intending to put them on my blog. But it's something that builds up slowly. You probably won't get rich quick from it. Cheers Skannie

[Jezee]

Hello Skannie, Thank you for replying, in answer to your question no I haven’t mind mapped all my skills, talents, interests etc, this seems a good idea. Will have to try this one and see what I come up with. As to using the free open source mind map it is a little basic for my liking I find Imindmap the most true to the mindmapping laws but I appreciate your suggestion. If I get plenty of interest on my blog site I will try Amazon and Google Adsense. Getting rich quick is only a dream. Thanks. Jezee

[skannie]

Hi Jezee

this seems a good idea

Glad you liked my suggestion. I'm very interested in mind mapping software, it looks like a great tool for scanners. But so far all I've done is download Freemind. I haven't installed or used it yet. Can you tell me more about the laws of mind mapping? Sounds fascinating. I'd also like to know what features the different programs have and what they lack, What makes them true or not true to the laws, any tips for using them etc etc. But I don't wnat to hijack this thread which isn't specifically about that. Perhaps you could start a new mind mapping thread, or put it on your blog. skannie

[Jezee]

Hello again Skannie, Firstly you must try Imind map its the best software out there, you can trial it for 30 days. Secondly what I will do is put some information on my blog site about the laws etc, but as I am off on holiday now it will not be on until next week I hope that you can wait that long, i will let you know when I have done it. Thirdly have a look at my blog on productivity, if you are like me and never have enough time I highly recommend this one. Regards.