This is because people who fork for a job, work on responisbilities and get paid for that, that's why it's so easy for them to be expolited, but having you're own business makes you think of scalability and you work on hte business not in it, with that having a business sure needs a smart person because you only thrive with your business when you're good to other, and I think if there is awarness for this point on social media maybe e can help more people with minum wages on developing skills instead of resposnibilities
I own an eco friendly housekeeping company and I work alongside my staff. We make a lot of money but physically is very hard on the body and I randomly have people who put me down and say I charge too much and I have a no brain job. Well I pay my staff a living wage and have to pay taxes, insurance, gas, an accountant, bookkeeper, etc and not only that we literally clean shitty toilets and nasty kitchens. I love what I do and am grateful but it’s not easy and I still would rather work for myself than anyone else
Sweet. When my former employer had clottttts all over her vessels and passed in 2021, my fellow doctors and I took over all managerial responsibilities and we gave raises across the board to everyone. We haven't had any turnover in the 3 years since! I am sick unto death of my fellow "knowledge workers" crapping on everyone else. There are far too many problems to solve in this world to waste time complaining to our fellow workers making an honest living.
I've had my own cleaning business for almost 20 years. I've never had employees. I do all the cleaning myself. My son is constantly bugging me to hire people to do the work for me but I guess I'm too much of a perfectionist. I charge quite a lot, but no one complains, especially after I've cleaned for them anytime at all. I work hard, I'm efficient, and I do an excellent job so people are happy to pay my wage. I believe I'm worth what I charge. I don't work full time, just about 25 a week. But I do have to admit it's very hard on the body and I am getting worn out so I either need to take on employees or find a different line of work. The problem is anything else I can do pays less than half what I'm used to making😒
@@Jdogg4089 There's nothing to worry about. There's is practically zero probability that hell exists at all and that any religion is true. It's all a figment of human imagination. If anything exists after death, it will have nothing to do with this nonsense. Since I realized it, I am not afraid of death or what may come after, although I think that there is most likely nothing. Enjoy your life now!
I've found that most people that actually work hard do so quietly. The people that brag about being hard workers are normally the laziest people I've ever met and really just mean that they're clocked in a lot. It isn't the same.
I've had a lot of those people NOT work with me. They're usually on a random spontaneous "smoke" break smoking least of all cigarettes, laughing at the hard working boomer drunk they keep dumping on.
The 2 truths I’ve come to know working in a very physical job 13yr for the biggest retailer in the us is: No matter how hard you work or make yourself available, you will only be promoted based on who your friends are And the more useful you are, the more you WILL be used. I’ve known so many hardworking, dedicated smart workers be denied positions or promotions because they are so useful where they are.
Sucked when I found out this was the case. Thought it was peeps just complaining now I see. If you’re reading this, it’s literally who you know. I seen it everywhere I’ve been. And I’ve been around. Learn young peeps.
Working hard is in my DNA but far too late in my career I had a smack-in-the-face realization that I have only been filling the gaps created by others that don’t work hard and creating promotional opportunities for the managers I have “served.” You are wise beyond your years.
I can relate. I'm naturally a hard worker who wants to excel but I have become jaded by having employers exploit me for that hard work. I think the solution is to channel that hard work into working for yourself. Benefit from the fruits of your own labour.
I used to work in healthcare. I realised that helping people only makes you money if you are helping people who don't need help. Now I am in finance. I see people in the office saying they are working hard and it makes me sick. None of these kids ever worked hard in their life. But neither do I any more.
Some teachers at my school put in a crazy amount of hours. I think that if they stopped for a moment and worked out their hourly wage, they would be shocked. Love your work Nicole ❤
Absolutely! I think for the first 5 yrs I didn't make above minimum wage. Later it was better but usually I was putting in 10-12 hrs days. Yes there is lots of school holidays but that is usually spent with courses and catch up work. I loved my job and wouldn't have traded it for anything.
I retired as a school counselor and would forbid it if I had children going into eduction! That career has a tendency to make ppl feel stuck, and it exhausts you so much, you just don’t hv the energy to search for something different. And bc that time off is good and you get health insurance, along with your love for the kids and coworkers, you stay stuck!
I'm watching this as I have a coffee before work ! Off to ALDI for 8 hours ( and I'll be on the go continuously ) At 61 I never thought I'd still be working having renovated properties, owned rental homes with a promising vision in sight . What I didn't plan on was my older husband losing jobs and finally ending the marriage. I'm fortunate I purchased a small apartment,however I have very little superannuation. No retirement in sight for me . I lead a simple frugal life .
@@europeanpatriot21 Yes, that is the biggest determinant of quality of life in later years. But owning your own home does reduce mobility TBH - if that's something an older person might want
By the way, it's good that Aldi recruited you at an older age. For a long time here in the UK, Aldi were one of very few employers who insisted on applicant photos attached to CVs. And there was a reason for that - not about looks, I'm sure. They had a distinct preference for younger people, who might be quicker learners & faster workers. But less reliable, more likely to do sickies & all the rest
Good observation that working "hard" doesn't mean physically or mentally exhausting ourselves, but focus on the production and value we are delivering. If we can make it easier and less demanding to deliver, then that is really how we get paid and not kill ourselves. The thing is a lot of bosses, and even ourselves, think that if you're not always busy that you're not pulling your weight. So we train ourselves to work just enough to always look actively busy as we know if we complete our tasks early we'll just be assigned more. When I was going thru college, I worked at a fast-food restaurant and made it a point keep the place clean and everything prepped for the day quickly and early. The problem is that after that, there wasn't anything to do till lunch started. Some managers would then start "finding work" to be sure we were kept busy. Not exactly a recipe for efficiency because less OCD employees would learn to drag their rears.
I worked at Burger King for $10 and hour that was hard work lol. Now I count a few boxes and write some permits then scroll on tiktok on my downtime for $39/hr. Busting your ass at your job doesn't get you paid more. Most companies see it as they just got a good worker and you offset the bad ones. Use/grow your sale skills and sell yourself. Have good communcation skills. You don't need to be an outgoing extrovert you just need to know how to keep positive attitude and stay out of drama. Rest is luck and how much effort your put in.
I have been a therapist, sales rep, bar lady, waitress, cook on commercial fishing boats, hunters assistant, barister, housekeeper and a cook 🧑🍳 now I’m a support worker and I have to say it’s the cushiest and most paying job I have ever had… Happy days! 😊 thanx for your great vids Nicole!
One clear advantage you had is knowing what you wanted, whereas so many younger people have no idea what career path they might want to take. You acquired the knowledge and skills needed to make it happen after having a taste of the drudgery and low pay of retail and service work. That accomplishment alone makes your insight and advice well worth hearing.
agree, plus even in the 'cooshy' jobs, the ones who get promoted are rarely the ones working hard, doing overtime, getting the most grunt work done, etc. because the hardest workers are 'essential in their role'. working hard may get you to an entry role, but, in many cases, it won't get you any further.
Very true. If you make yourself "indispensable" at your job, they have no incentive for you to move up the ladder. It's in their best interest to keep you right where you are. And we've all seen those that do actually move up that ladder that are the most unproductive members of the organization. Funny how that works, huh.........
This is so true. Without grocery store workers, poeple growing and harvesting our food, construction workers, people in the medical field, etc, what would society look like? You have given a lot food for thought. I only wish our government would notice this.
Yes, the main reason why people in the US stay in jobs they don’t like is for the health insurance. Healthcare costs are astronomical in the US, and you can even go broke in the US from a health crisis regardless of whether you have insurance. I see a number of GoFundMe campaigns for people in the US who maxed out their health insurance as well as their disability insurance, and they need the money to pay bills.
@@Tryp-j9dThe people who need health care most (boomers and fat, high blood pressure, trailer trash, country bumpkins) think free health insurance is free loading. So backwards
That´s something to remember. These people working hard in a specific area has not the finance to live there... You said the truth there! I really enjoy your videos. Thanks from Sweden!
There is also the mental toll a job takes on you. I used to work in a non-profit with psychological stress day in and day out. I had to deal with a huge group of Karens in my office, I had to dress up in suits a lot and attend many meetings, I had to work at "charity" events on nights and weekends regularly. Now I make more money working in the office of a manufacturing plant where I wear jeans, joke around with chill people, and NEVER have to work past 5 or on weekends. Whole different world and much better work-life balance and daily routine. A lot of people (IMO) get caught up in the "glory" of having an important title and being on the news or whatever. Not me!
And some jobs are paid for your availability and the work you've put in for credentials. I'm a manufacturing engineer paid salary around $100k. Multiple degrees on my own dime with loans to be paid back, so the salary compensates for this. Also there's the availability. If the assembly line goes down and the maintenance manager can't solve it, I'm the person who gets that 3 am call (sometimes literally) and have to pull myself out of bed and drive in to tell them what to do. But on the whole, I've also noticed what Nicole is saying too ever since I graduated.
Right and remember folks corporations are ruthless leaches, except for the upper management, When working hard and giving 110% effort, they will want 200% and it never ends, so Never ever give them your full knowledge and effort. Also HR is not your friends, They have to ensure the company's best interest above all. Not very many cushy jobs remain, except for Government jobs, and even @ the Gvrmnt level you see the most incompetent ppl on top. It's who you know, especially in Canada! I gave up on those mega-corps long time ago and doing my own thing now. A good side-hustle and smart investments will get you further, quicker and in relative peace. It may mean hard work, but you will manage your own time and most importantly you can avoid the A-holes with ease. Nothing worst than going to work every morning to a place where there is a lot of resentment, tension and favoritism. Companies will want you whenever it's convenient for them or their consumers and care lill about your personal availability. Remember the time you spend at work, making someone else rich is time you will never get back, ever! Just my 2 cents, Thanks Nicole
Being retired now, I lament the Hard Work I did for Corporate America, And Family owned Businesses both, because I was Underpaid for the time, passed on costs, and effort that made them Rich(er) and wore me out prematurely. You've hit the nail on the head that working hard is a losing bargain.
I asked my operations manager to name three things that he has accomplished at our company that didn't break down to yelling at people who were already working and then taking credit for their results. He doesn't even come down to my department anymore. My company also knows that I treat my money like a business. It took a long time and the love of someone truly wonderful to learn it, but I finally learned the importance of protecting myself financially against bosses who use your fear of your bills to take advantage of you. Once your boss knows an unpaid sick day won't put you in panic mode, they lose their strongest bargaining chip and power finally shifts. I hope everyone understands just how much power an emergency fund and strong savings/investments habits put in your hands. A paycheck can be your handcuffs, or it can be the key that unshackles you. It just depends on how you use it.
Advice to all who are reading this-don't go into the nursing profession. You may hear that nursing salaries are good, but as a retired nurse I will tell you that every penny you make will take a piece of your body mind and soul. There's no amount of money that is worth constantly being exposed to deadly diseases, (AIDS, covid, hepatitis, ect) forced to work long hours under crushing patient loads (you will never have enough time to properly care for your patients-there are too many to take care of) that if you make a mistake due to being overwhelmed, will get you sued and possibly lose your savings, your home, and future earnings. You will have to give up every other weekend to work, and may have mandatory overtime. Finally, you will deal with combative, violent patients, their crazy families, and worst of all, abusive and mentally unstable co-workers. Bottom line is, you will not be rewarded for your hard work and dedication. Don't do it. You have been warned.
@@AccordingtoNicole Start with retention rates. According to many studies, there are enough nurses, but many leave the profession long before they are due to retire because of the issues mentioned above. Bring back 3 year "diploma schools" of nursing, where practical, hands on nursing skills are taught from almost day 1, as opposed to requiring nurses to have a 4 year college degree (you don't need to take art education, p.e. classes, music classes, literature classes to be a nurse), legally prosecute and punish violence against nurses by patients and their families and establish a work culture where nurse on nurse harassment is not tolerated. Allow nurses to unionize. I appreciate your kind words, Nicole. Your thank you for my service means so much - I wish more people felt this way. ❤
Chris, I love your comment ! It’s been almost ten years since I retired after 25 as an RN and I still have nightmares about my former job. Money were good but they are gone , but horror movies while sleeping still here.
I've seen a bunch of people working nonstop, ruining their health and barely affording a normal life. It's insane to me that this situation can still exist in our modern 21st century countries. Advances in automation and efficiency should help us all not only a few selected people.
Hey Nicole. You’ve pulled yourself out of the lower end of middle class into the comfortable part of middle class through your hard work, focus and being strategic. It is great to see that you have done that and still have empathy for the people who haven’t (yet) been able to make that journey. Some people forget the people that they have left behind but instead you are giving them knowledge and understanding. Thanks for sharing and being a good example for others. The most punk rock thing we can do is to fight unfairness and inequality.
Hey Nicole! I just wanted to say that I really love your videos! I am a 27 year old veteran that graduates college in 2 months. I have been watching all and feel better off and even have your stuff on notify so I know when you post!!
nicole love the wisdom from your videos. What you say resonates with me here in the uk. The low pay jobs that you refer to all lack a good union. Here in UK many low paid jobs get a tax payer funded top up. So essentially the employer paying the insulting wages is robbing the employee as well as tax payers in general.
My definition of hard work is work that goes to the core of something and establishes a system that will keep working, efficiently, in the long run. It is thoughtful, deep reaching work rather than being long hours of grueling labor that you have to constantly repeat. Thinking of it as a deepcleaning and organizing and putting systems in place. You work "hard" in the beginning so you have to work less and less over time.
Im a senior manager in tech. The only people getting rich while working for a company are board members, anyone below that can only hope to raise their comfort level, you're still not going to be able to retire.
@@tomblewomble3369 tech wages seem a lot higher in the US etc than UK but living costs seem higher & there's far more "keeping up with the Jones' " stuff regarding all the materialist nonsense. America is Capitalism gone mad. They're just in denial
I don't think it is getting much worse, it's always been like this. Except we haven't had such a large middle class before, and people weren't getting degrees left and right. At least where I live, nurses get a pretty good salary, nowhere near what they deserve compared to doctors of course, but still. A much bigger problem is the housing and rental market and its politics. It takes 15+ years to save (not investing) for a house where in the 90s l it took about 3 years for an equivalent house. That is insane. At least where I live this is all to do with government and bank policies
Thanks for the video! I agree wholeheartedly. FWIW....something I learned a long time ago is, like so many things, it's not the value you bring, it's the perceived value that determines the pay. That and replace-ability. We collectively have to not buy into the scam that says the people doing the work are not valuable while the CEO is the most valuable person in the company.
The grind to provide a meaningful service to society, people have retired to the fact that it’s all they will have to offer and it keeps them waking up each day and try to have another good day at work. Not having the ability to take an entrepreneurial risk. I admire your side hustle and have a lifestyle that you’re happy with. I would feel personally happy if my future entrepreneurial direction enables me to sit on a beach in the Caribbean under a palm tree with a cold drink and fresh seafood most of the time. It’s the life I daydream of.
Always enjoy your videos. So true that all the hardest workers get paid less than people that don’t do much, and it sucks that’s reality. My goal is to do something I enjoy and help those in need too *fingers crossed I can even find what I wanna do at my big old age lol*
I intentionally organised my life to avoid mornings which I keep clear for short time occasional intensive contracts where I get more of the money quicker. I normally go to bed at 1:30 and wake up when I want. Then I do my side stuff till sometimes late at night. It doesn’t really feel like work.
Growing up in Nigeria, I used to hear a saying that “the higher you go, the cooler it becomes”. This saying means that the higher you climb socioeconomically, the less work you do, and the more you get paid for doing less work. I always understood that intellectually, but I REALLY gained a whole new level understanding of that concept once I joined the corporate world where I often did way more work than any of my managers ever did while getting paid significantly less. At my current position, for instance, my manager works SO HARD that she has enough time to pick her daughter up every day from daycare, meanwhile, one of my colleagues had to change jobs because she wasn’t allowed to do the same. I no longer believe being successful is is synonymous with working hard. In fact, I think it’s the opposite. I also don’t believe most people who brag about working hard actually do. Why? Because REAL hard work is not glamorous and the people actually doing those jobs don’t feel there’s a lot to brag about.
You are so right. First off there is no reciprocated loyalty in the workplace anymore. Also, the pay you receive is not relevant to your observations. I worked a 6 figure/year job and when the situation changed during covid, the company I worked for had no problem finding "rationale" to let people go in the name of profitability. The only place where hard work pays off is when you have your own business. Sadly, most successful business people over time adopt the same attitude that they disliked when they have their own employees and treat them similarly. Change jobs frequently and position yourself for new learning opportunities. Changing jobs often allows you to better negotiate salary, it has been shown that employees that change jobs have higher salaries than those that remain at one company. Once you can build up a skill set, use that experience to forge out on your own.
Nicole, this may be your best ever! I always learn much and enjoy all your posts. Thank you for what you do! (I'm probably an atypical follower; turning 81 this month. Keep venturing! And sharing, please.)
Before the pandemic laborers were told "learn to code" to adapt towards a change in the economy, then just over five years later they were told again "learn to weld" because AI was sweeping office jobs. We are at a point in history where entire financial system can shift how the economy works in less than ten years, a span of time that leaves no room for companies to adapt and produce adequately paid employment.
I believe in the AI era people will need to figure out how to work smarter not harder. I had an epiphany from working as an IT consultant that I could work to develop a simplified RPA solution that could be used by non-tech individuals to get data entry side hustles using an automation tool that they could set it and forget it while it runs.
Yes, as AI gets more sophisticated, it’s going to be a great tool to help people work smarter. The downside will be that people in entry level positions (like customer service reps) will eventually become irrelevant.
Excellent points, Nicole, I agree in general. Cost of living is absurd and good folks are really struggling; this has to be corrected. We can all help to make positive things happen when we put our minds to it. But I have observed something over the years... People who work hard in service industries, construction, public works etc., imo, usually still have life in them at the end of the day to share with loved ones. The high rollers are often so stressed out and preoccupied, they wouldn't notice a gorilla in a pink tutu sitting in their offices. I would not change places with them for anything. Thanks for your thoughtful video; it's much appreciated.
I took a trade in western Canada. I say that because getting a trade where I live isn’t like a place like Ontario. I got a job at a service company and showed them I was an intelligent and hard worker and they gave me an apprenticeship. This was non union so I had to pay for my schooling and only got EI. But I made it work. But the trade off was $50/hour with almost unlimited hours. 50-60 hour weeks were the norm. Sometimes 80-90/week. With overtime. (No BS on that in my industry) I have got up at 2:00 AM to be at a meeting at 6:00 AM 230 kilometers and one time zone away. I once got a call at 6:00PM on a Sunday for a job 200 kilometers away that night. I got home the next morning at 11:00AM. Plus it was so cold the temp guage in the rearview mirror of my work truck went from -40 to OC. The trade off was making $25K in two months, not in a year. I retired at 57 and spend a bunch of every winter in Mexico these days.
@ I would go west and try to get into a smaller town that has some kind of thriving industry. I live in a small town (20,000 - 30,000) that has a thriving oil and gas industry. Usually trades are achievable if you really want one, but even if you have another skill, these towns are affordable and need many skills. The median home price in my community is $400K. You can get a solid starter on a 50x150 lot at $300K. Taxes are lower, your insurance is lower, many costs are a lot lower than larger urban centers. That gives you a leg up right from the get go. My $0.02 worth. By the way, I ended up with three viable trades. Instrument Mechanic and Steamfitter/Pipefitter (those are InterProvincial or ‘Red Seal’ trades) plus I have a provincial Gasfitting ticket. I could go back to work if I wanted to with a single phone call. (I don’t)
Great vid, thanks. I'm comfortably retired, so in spite of my many failures, largely due to ADHD and getting fired from more jobs than most people have in a lifetime I"ve obviously done something right. I'm a "comeback" musician, got back into it after many years absence, and now I'm having a ball. I often get paid for my efforts, BUT: that's icing on the cake. It strikes me that what you're doing is, obviously, working smarter, not harder. You're a great example, Nicole, and I wish you all the best.
At 66, I’ve been self employed most of my life, in landscaping and tree service. I do mostly trees and know the difference between doing a good job and shoddy workmanship. One thing I’ve learned is, customer service is a misnomer. The quest for good customer service only goes so far. Society has gotten to believe they are entitled to perfection without paying for good service. You get what you pay for, literally. Customers think good service is a sign of desperation.
Oh this is so true! I make more money than ever and I’m working less than I ever have. For ME, however, I did actually work hard to get to this point. I needed the time and experience to get to the point that I can basically sit back and “advise and consult” with authority now for businesses willing to pay the big money. So I one hundred percent agree that the big earners aren’t working as “hard” as lower wage earners, but in my case I did actually work hard to get here (and I know you suggested this as an option at the end as well). I’m happy for the path I took because I think I have a healthy perspective from both sides and I can genuinely appreciate my current situation because I know what I did to get here. 😊. Thanks for another excellent video, Nicole!
I had to put in the hours too, I started a business with nothing and it took a while to make money but it did. But then divorce and my ex effectively took it. I started again and now I have several side hustles. None of them pay very much but the customers I got for myself I charge double and the gigs are much easier.
@@gingerfellah5665Funny thing I've noticed about business is if you want to slow down and not work so much, you raise your prices, thinking it will slow things down. Truth is, in most instances, it only increases your business. Never understood that.
I was telling my wife this today, which also covered a GenZ complaint. I worked my ass off in my 20s and early 30s on my career skills and education to get to a point where I’m relaxed now as a c-suite exec making the big bucks. But I was broke and knew that it will take time but once I worked at the right things I’ll be alright. You’ve got to put in the work first in life to build yourself to relax as you progress. I’m switching jobs again in Jan and I know it would require me having to focus early on to get up to speed but my delegation skills is top tier at this point in my career…I want to encourage the younger staff to learn the skills I did at their level so they too can progress so that I can focus on the “high level task” (relaxing lol)
George Harrison also wrote a song in 1968 called '''Within you and without you''. Also, Colin Hay of men at work- on his solo record wrote a song about these issues. P.S. Special Suggestion to Nicole, being a musician please become a fan of the group Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, I hope you like them. ❤🩹❤🩹❤🩹!
The only thing hard work ever got me was more hard work. Using your head and working smart will get you much further. Mine was investing and making my money work hard for me and not the other way around. It make life so much better and easier.
“Cushy” is definitely relative. I’ve had manual labor, jobs and retail jobs that yes have sucked physically, but haven’t been even nearly as stressful or time intensive as my desk bound IT position.
I work in retail here in the UK on minimum wage, but am lucky in the fact my job is a breeze. However before my back went and had heart issues I worked on a farm for just above minimum wage and it was proper hard work. I didn't mind the graft but it ruins your body over time and the wage doesn't reflect that. People wonder why young folk don't want to do it, but I get it.
@ My time at the farm was at a pig farm. Mucking out 75 pens a day with one other person or on my own. I liked working with livestock (better than working with the general public 😂) but the lack of health & safety and graft was a bit much. But better that than no job lol. It was a 6 am start, lovely in the summer, but bummer in the winter.
My problem for all of my career as a factory electrician/mechanic, was in how people said I was too slow, although I was not all that slow, and there were others worse than me. I never had an abundance of personal energy the way most other people do. So the only way I could keep a job, was to buck up. I had to work 2 or 3 times harder than everybody else, and still, even then, to my aggravation, I was fired off jobs for allegedly being too slow. Some people hated me, other people made fun of me, and nobody ever understood or took up for me, when I was the hardest worker they had and always got the job done.
It's true that many top tier senior workers have flexible work regimes but you don't see the conference call at 8pm on a Saturday night or arriving at an airport on Christmas Day. Not wanting to sound sycophantic, but companies don't pay people six figure salaries for fun. A lot of people get paid for what they know, not what they physically do.
It’s a common and unfortunate reality in many workplaces: those who focus on self-promotion and visibility often get ahead, while diligent workers who keep their heads down might be overlooked. The phrase "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" rings true here. This dynamic can be particularly frustrating when employees spend significant time observing and reporting on their peers, essentially doing managerial work without the corresponding recognition or pay. It highlights a workplace culture that values visibility and perceived contribution over actual hard work and dedication. Effective management should strive to recognize and reward all employees fairly, balancing the contributions of self-starters and those who excel in their roles quietly. A healthy work environment would ideally value both types of contributions.
Let me break this down for you: if a job is doable by almost anyone, the pay isn't going to be high. IF a very few people know how to do a job, it will pay a lot more. It has nothing to do with how 'hard' you worked. Human beings are not farm animals, our greatest value is our brain, not our hands or our backs. Not to disrespect people who don't have the capacity to do anything of more value. Also, everyone SHOULD be able to earn enough to live. However, yes, you Marxist you, we are NOT all equal. Some people make decisions which impact millions of people. They don't break a sweat or do physical labour. There are millions of people that can clean or work a cash register.
You hit some good points. This is exactly right. I've pinned myself up in a niche career in civil engineering without an engineering license and somehow make more than some actual licensed engineers. I can't say how, but it's about knowledge and industry.
It's not just about "restricted supply" of a niche skillset, also about demand for the services, & creating that demand counts for a lot. You could be the only person in France who can speak Navajo, & so what. Being niche-skill dependent can mean a need to relocate etc as need for your services can vary regionally, nationally & internationally. Relocation sucks re: home ownership/transaction costs, & having to rent sucks even more. And if you're reliant on such niche knowledge etc you have to keep aware of trends (and re-train even while "the sun is still shining") or your niche skills can go out of fashion quickly. I know. Retraining whilst you're already working 10 hrs a day & have a family is not for everyone
Here’s how I help, even if only a little: I tip service persons very generously, usually 50%. I’m blessed that my income allows me to do that, not everyone can. But everyone can tip something. (By the way, the issue you described regarding affordability near work is world-wide. I just returned from Lisbon and heard that refrain often from the people who took care of us, such as drivers.) As Nicole exposes, “be kind and generous.”
Yes, yes and yes. Very true about the leveraging, keep looking for new, better and different opportunities. I went from bagboy to certified teacher, I still work hard, but no longer physically. I have to use my brain power constantly, and the responsibility and expectation aspects of the job are exceedingly high. Interestingly, taking one of the least desirable teaching roles has provided the best compensation, pension, contract fridge benefits and shockingly working conditions. Great video.
Do you even understand the message? Hundreds of millions of people have to work hard because they cannot be replaced. Moreover, many people enjoy this hard work. The problem is they earn far too little to be able to live comfortably after returning home.
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Thanks for making this video, as someone who has done all of the menial jobs, but also been my own boss, I concur. Look at how billionaires tend to congratulate themselves on how smart they are and how hard they've worked without acknowledging how much they inherited and what clubs they were handed membership of at birth. If anyone points this out it's "the politics of envy". We had that stupid show "The Apprentice" in the UK, the main guy was called Alan Sugar, who mostly got rich off being one of the first people to retail home computers (they were called Amstrad and they were shite computers). He loves to perpetuate the myth that he started as a "Cockney barrow boy" selling fruit in the open markets in London, and built his way up from nothing. He fails to mention exploiting sweatshop labour in the far East before his competitors and marrying women for their father's money rather than love, as well as some other highly dubious practices. This seems to be a common thread amongst men who love to tell people that they are a "self made man".
Agreed! Meritocracy is utter and complete bullshit. So much of your take home is based on likeability, luck and timing. My job is the easiest it's ever been by 90+% and I earn considerably more than I ever have, towards double that of my hardest roles. Sure, I tell myself stockpiled some karma, but frankly it's all just chaos. I drained myself the bone, starting early, finishing late, putting off bathroom breaks to obliterate efficiency targets and none of it really mattered because the right people weren't watching and/or willing to elevate me. Now I have so much flexibility and and my actual output isn't material, I don't have KPI's, and my boss is too senior to have the time to really check them if I did anyway. It really made me realise corporate, particularly technical and niche "work" as a construct is so malleable and different to what I knew it could be. To me, though, I still get the things that regardless of money and low stress are absolutely necessary for fulfilling work (stolen off a Harvard guy on Big Think whose name I forgot!) - Earned success and service to others.
Hi Nicole, I hear what you are saying yet you are still quite a distance away from reaching the ultimate goal, that would be to not work but do what you want, when you want and can afford to do it. Of all the analysis you mentioned, I never heard the word "Investments". Until you get into some kind of investing, you will never get to your capitalistic goal. I remember the first week time I had a bang up week in sales and made the same amount of money that week in my investments! So when you get into the point where you work for 1/10th of what you make, the rest comes in from investments, you need to keep working at it! It is really a snowball effect, and if you can take a few chances and win a few big victories you can set yourself up quite quickly! Remember, the rule of thumb, money doubles in value making 8% in only ten years!!! There are a lot of ways to make money very quickly if you think outside of the box. Congratulations on being a self starter. Fall forward everyday! Moonpie .
here in Germany I ve seen workers from East Europe countries sharing their appartements, lets say by four people, splitting the rent by four, thats how it works. Well I wouldnt like to share my flat with three others but thats the way it works.
I agree with the points in the video. What strikes me most in these days - and very few people point it out like you do - is that everyone is being priced out of their own neighborhood and where they work. So many jobs are getting more and more demanding due to technology and greed and because it is a trend to make everything convoluted - and additionally people have to commute to work instead of walking over or going 1-2 stops with public transport like it used to be (at least in Europe - in my childhood noone commuted to the neighboring small town even if they had a car, if their job was in the next town, they would move to that next town even if it was just 15 miles away)
When it comes to the housing issue, there is a concept where you have a condo, but it’s a cooperative. And with a condo cooperative you can even limit the sale price should someone leave. There are a lot of levers in our systems that we could use as small groups. But getting a group of 100 people to agree enough and stick with something long enough to make a foundation is way more difficult then just pushing and doing it yourself. Good content. I don’t think we need an “overhaul” as much as we need large enough groups of people to take the time and effort to take advantage of the systems in place. Decentralized cohorts.
Abso-fucking-lutely! I've been saying this for decades. More respect is needed for the service workers and those doing the "grunt" jobs in life. It's honest and hard work!! And we cannot live without their services any more than we can live without doctors, lawyers, and over paid CEOs.
Lawyer here in my pajamas. I’m resting from playing (winning) a hockey game last night. I have court for an hour today after lunch. Then back to the ice rink I go! I hardly spend much time actually working. Working out- yes! Working on law cases- not so much. I’m ecstatic and content. I quit the law firm downtown job last month because the commute was over an hour each way, and it’s easier to work for myself, remotely, and at my own pace. Not fattening the fat cow more (my former boss).
It's often the lowest paying jobs that strictly monitor productivity. Because you are just a machine to them. Those higher in the corporate world often don't do anything meaningful. They mostly make up unnecessary rules then enforce them to act like they are doing something.
Get your .Online Domain for $0.99 at get.online/nicole4 with code 'NICOLE'
Okay, what do I do?
I'm almost done making my home studio and project room.
This is because people who fork for a job, work on responisbilities and get paid for that, that's why it's so easy for them to be expolited, but having you're own business makes you think of scalability and you work on hte business not in it, with that having a business sure needs a smart person because you only thrive with your business when you're good to other, and I think if there is awarness for this point on social media maybe e can help more people with minum wages on developing skills instead of resposnibilities
I own an eco friendly housekeeping company and I work alongside my staff. We make a lot of money but physically is very hard on the body and I randomly have people who put me down and say I charge too much and I have a no brain job. Well I pay my staff a living wage and have to pay taxes, insurance, gas, an accountant, bookkeeper, etc and not only that we literally clean shitty toilets and nasty kitchens. I love what I do and am grateful but it’s not easy and I still would rather work for myself than anyone else
Sweet. When my former employer had clottttts all over her vessels and passed in 2021, my fellow doctors and I took over all managerial responsibilities and we gave raises across the board to everyone. We haven't had any turnover in the 3 years since!
I am sick unto death of my fellow "knowledge workers" crapping on everyone else. There are far too many problems to solve in this world to waste time complaining to our fellow workers making an honest living.
I've had my own cleaning business for almost 20 years. I've never had employees. I do all the cleaning myself. My son is constantly bugging me to hire people to do the work for me but I guess I'm too much of a perfectionist. I charge quite a lot, but no one complains, especially after I've cleaned for them anytime at all. I work hard, I'm efficient, and I do an excellent job so people are happy to pay my wage. I believe I'm worth what I charge. I don't work full time, just about 25 a week. But I do have to admit it's very hard on the body and I am getting worn out so I either need to take on employees or find a different line of work. The problem is anything else I can do pays less than half what I'm used to making😒
@@shannonscheffel7366you definitely need help!
Hopefully you are investing that money otherwise you are giving money away with no ROI
No one laying on their death bed has said "I wish I had worked more"
But they do say.. Why the F didn't I work to save more? Why don't I even have a death bed? No free rides hombres.
AMEN I say this to dudes I work with all the time
Well, if you are dying in poverty, having led an unfulfilled life due to not taking advantage of opportunities you might
@@b-id5wqThe thing I will probably regret the most is not accepting God because then I know I'm going to hell.
@@Jdogg4089 There's nothing to worry about. There's is practically zero probability that hell exists at all and that any religion is true. It's all a figment of human imagination.
If anything exists after death, it will have nothing to do with this nonsense. Since I realized it, I am not afraid of death or what may come after, although I think that there is most likely nothing.
Enjoy your life now!
I've found that most people that actually work hard do so quietly. The people that brag about being hard workers are normally the laziest people I've ever met and really just mean that they're clocked in a lot. It isn't the same.
Nothing but Facts!
Very true. I've worked with people who were "so busy", they never actually did anything because they were "so busy".
B-b-b-but I get up at 5 am every day! 😤
I've had a lot of those people NOT work with me. They're usually on a random spontaneous "smoke" break smoking least of all cigarettes, laughing at the hard working boomer drunk they keep dumping on.
Every place I’ve worked for has their kind. Completely delusional. Usually friends of the management or relatives.
The 2 truths I’ve come to know working in a very physical job 13yr for the biggest retailer in the us is:
No matter how hard you work or make yourself available, you will only be promoted based on who your friends are
And the more useful you are, the more you WILL be used.
I’ve known so many hardworking, dedicated smart workers be denied positions or promotions because they are so useful where they are.
Exactly! It's not what you know, it's who you know.
Sucked when I found out this was the case. Thought it was peeps just complaining now I see. If you’re reading this, it’s literally who you know. I seen it everywhere I’ve been. And I’ve been around. Learn young peeps.
Working hard is in my DNA but far too late in my career I had a smack-in-the-face realization that I have only been filling the gaps created by others that don’t work hard and creating promotional opportunities for the managers I have “served.” You are wise beyond your years.
What are you going to do, Leona?🌻
Same...and wow, it hurts to realize. Sadly, I'd probably repeat the same if I was working now. I'm happy to be retired so I can rest.
I can relate. I'm naturally a hard worker who wants to excel but I have become jaded by having employers exploit me for that hard work. I think the solution is to channel that hard work into working for yourself. Benefit from the fruits of your own labour.
I used to work in healthcare. I realised that helping people only makes you money if you are helping people who don't need help. Now I am in finance.
I see people in the office saying they are working hard and it makes me sick. None of these kids ever worked hard in their life.
But neither do I any more.
Some teachers at my school put in a crazy amount of hours. I think that if they stopped for a moment and worked out their hourly wage, they would be shocked. Love your work Nicole ❤
Absolutely! I think for the first 5 yrs I didn't make above minimum wage. Later it was better but usually I was putting in 10-12 hrs days. Yes there is lots of school holidays but that is usually spent with courses and catch up work. I loved my job and wouldn't have traded it for anything.
I retired as a school counselor and would forbid it if I had children going into eduction! That career has a tendency to make ppl feel stuck, and it exhausts you so much, you just don’t hv the energy to search for something different. And bc that time off is good and you get health insurance, along with your love for the kids and coworkers, you stay stuck!
I'm watching this as I have a coffee before work ! Off to ALDI for 8 hours ( and I'll be on the go continuously ) At 61 I never thought I'd still be working having renovated properties, owned rental homes with a promising vision in sight . What I didn't plan on was my older husband losing jobs and finally ending the marriage. I'm fortunate I purchased a small apartment,however I have very little superannuation. No retirement in sight for me . I lead a simple frugal life .
At least Aldi are reckoned to be good payers, & depending where you are based (country) the terms & conditions might be better than the opposition.
Is the apartment paid off? If so, then there is still hope of retiring early.
@@europeanpatriot21 Yes, that is the biggest determinant of quality of life in later years. But owning your own home does reduce mobility TBH - if that's something an older person might want
By the way, it's good that Aldi recruited you at an older age. For a long time here in the UK, Aldi were one of very few employers who insisted on applicant photos attached to CVs. And there was a reason for that - not about looks, I'm sure. They had a distinct preference for younger people, who might be quicker learners & faster workers. But less reliable, more likely to do sickies & all the rest
Hopefully you bough some bitcoin
Dear Cage Rattler, thank you for the weekly dose of motivation. Sincerely, Us.
Good observation that working "hard" doesn't mean physically or mentally exhausting ourselves, but focus on the production and value we are delivering. If we can make it easier and less demanding to deliver, then that is really how we get paid and not kill ourselves. The thing is a lot of bosses, and even ourselves, think that if you're not always busy that you're not pulling your weight. So we train ourselves to work just enough to always look actively busy as we know if we complete our tasks early we'll just be assigned more.
When I was going thru college, I worked at a fast-food restaurant and made it a point keep the place clean and everything prepped for the day quickly and early. The problem is that after that, there wasn't anything to do till lunch started. Some managers would then start "finding work" to be sure we were kept busy. Not exactly a recipe for efficiency because less OCD employees would learn to drag their rears.
Hard work= More work
LoL..... Truth!!!
Sadly true.. you just get more seatwork!
I worked at Burger King for $10 and hour that was hard work lol. Now I count a few boxes and write some permits then scroll on tiktok on my downtime for $39/hr. Busting your ass at your job doesn't get you paid more. Most companies see it as they just got a good worker and you offset the bad ones. Use/grow your sale skills and sell yourself. Have good communcation skills. You don't need to be an outgoing extrovert you just need to know how to keep positive attitude and stay out of drama. Rest is luck and how much effort your put in.
NO ONE at ANY Burger King has EVER WORKED HARD!!!!
@Tryp-j9d Sheltered
I have been a therapist, sales rep, bar lady, waitress, cook on commercial fishing boats, hunters assistant, barister, housekeeper and a cook 🧑🍳 now I’m a support worker and I have to say it’s the cushiest and most paying job I have ever had… Happy days! 😊 thanx for your great vids Nicole!
I agree - be kind and polite to other people - you never know when you're really going to need their help in a car crash, etc, etc, etc!!!
One clear advantage you had is knowing what you wanted, whereas so many younger people have no idea what career path they might want to take. You acquired the knowledge and skills needed to make it happen after having a taste of the drudgery and low pay of retail and service work. That accomplishment alone makes your insight and advice well worth hearing.
agree, plus even in the 'cooshy' jobs, the ones who get promoted are rarely the ones working hard, doing overtime, getting the most grunt work done, etc. because the hardest workers are 'essential in their role'. working hard may get you to an entry role, but, in many cases, it won't get you any further.
Very true. If you make yourself "indispensable" at your job, they have no incentive for you to move up the ladder. It's in their best interest to keep you right where you are. And we've all seen those that do actually move up that ladder that are the most unproductive members of the organization. Funny how that works, huh.........
@@bigd3104 not funny when the whole work culture is about kissing asses. it's about how you blow, not who you know.
Good girl Nichole. I mean that in the most genuine way. Your parents should be proud of you. If I was your father I would be 100%.
"Good girl Nichole" - patronising b'st*d
This is so true. Without grocery store workers, poeple growing and harvesting our food, construction workers, people in the medical field, etc, what would society look like? You have given a lot food for thought. I only wish our government would notice this.
I think you're in Canada? In the US, A LOT of people are sticking with jobs for the health insurance.
Disappointed that you CAN’T go 100% FREELOADER???
Yes, the main reason why people in the US stay in jobs they don’t like is for the health insurance. Healthcare costs are astronomical in the US, and you can even go broke in the US from a health crisis regardless of whether you have insurance. I see a number of GoFundMe campaigns for people in the US who maxed out their health insurance as well as their disability insurance, and they need the money to pay bills.
@@Tryp-j9dThe people who need health care most (boomers and fat, high blood pressure, trailer trash, country bumpkins) think free health insurance is free loading. So backwards
How you have so much wisdom at your still youthful age is remarkable. Go You!!!
Youthful?
was thinking the same
She is AMAZING!
I was thinking the same thing! She's incredibly intelligent.
@@Torgo1969 well, I am 66 so, yes, youthful!
That´s something to remember. These people working hard in a specific area has not the finance to live there... You said the truth there! I really enjoy your videos. Thanks from Sweden!
There is also the mental toll a job takes on you. I used to work in a non-profit with psychological stress day in and day out. I had to deal with a huge group of Karens in my office, I had to dress up in suits a lot and attend many meetings, I had to work at "charity" events on nights and weekends regularly. Now I make more money working in the office of a manufacturing plant where I wear jeans, joke around with chill people, and NEVER have to work past 5 or on weekends. Whole different world and much better work-life balance and daily routine. A lot of people (IMO) get caught up in the "glory" of having an important title and being on the news or whatever. Not me!
"I had to dress up in suits a lot and attend many meetings"
And this somehow took a mental toll on you?
@@Torgo1969 absolutely 😂 it was such a big pointless show.
@@seltzermint5 Are you being sarcastic?
And some jobs are paid for your availability and the work you've put in for credentials. I'm a manufacturing engineer paid salary around $100k. Multiple degrees on my own dime with loans to be paid back, so the salary compensates for this. Also there's the availability. If the assembly line goes down and the maintenance manager can't solve it, I'm the person who gets that 3 am call (sometimes literally) and have to pull myself out of bed and drive in to tell them what to do.
But on the whole, I've also noticed what Nicole is saying too ever since I graduated.
@@Torgo1969 bro has never learned basic empathy
Right and remember folks corporations are ruthless leaches, except for the upper management, When working hard and giving 110% effort, they will want 200% and it never ends, so Never ever give them your full knowledge and effort. Also HR is not your friends, They have to ensure the company's best interest above all. Not very many cushy jobs remain, except for Government jobs, and even @ the Gvrmnt level you see the most incompetent ppl on top. It's who you know, especially in Canada! I gave up on those mega-corps long time ago and doing my own thing now.
A good side-hustle and smart investments will get you further, quicker and in relative peace. It may mean hard work, but you will manage your own time and most importantly you can avoid the A-holes with ease. Nothing worst than going to work every morning to a place where there is a lot of resentment, tension and favoritism. Companies will want you whenever it's convenient for them or their consumers and care lill about your personal availability. Remember the time you spend at work, making someone else rich is time you will never get back, ever! Just my 2 cents, Thanks Nicole
AMEN!!!! Truth!
Couldn't agree more!!
Being retired now, I lament the Hard Work I did for Corporate America, And Family owned Businesses both, because I was Underpaid for the time, passed on costs, and effort that made them Rich(er) and wore me out prematurely. You've hit the nail on the head that working hard is a losing bargain.
I asked my operations manager to name three things that he has accomplished at our company that didn't break down to yelling at people who were already working and then taking credit for their results. He doesn't even come down to my department anymore.
My company also knows that I treat my money like a business. It took a long time and the love of someone truly wonderful to learn it, but I finally learned the importance of protecting myself financially against bosses who use your fear of your bills to take advantage of you. Once your boss knows an unpaid sick day won't put you in panic mode, they lose their strongest bargaining chip and power finally shifts. I hope everyone understands just how much power an emergency fund and strong savings/investments habits put in your hands. A paycheck can be your handcuffs, or it can be the key that unshackles you. It just depends on how you use it.
partly agreed, partly not. When self-employed you need self-discipline. You have to be there for customers.
It's not how much you make that matters, it's how much you keep.
I LIKE THE NEW PART THAT YOU WERE TALKING TO YOURSELF IN B&W, MORE OF THESE PLS 🤭🤭🤭
Advice to all who are reading this-don't go into the nursing profession. You may hear that nursing salaries are good, but as a retired nurse I will tell you that every penny you make will take a piece of your body mind and soul. There's no amount of money that is worth constantly being exposed to deadly diseases, (AIDS, covid, hepatitis, ect) forced to work long hours under crushing patient loads (you will never have enough time to properly care for your patients-there are too many to take care of) that if you make a mistake due to being overwhelmed, will get you sued and possibly lose your savings, your home, and future earnings. You will have to give up every other weekend to work, and may have mandatory overtime. Finally, you will deal with combative, violent patients, their crazy families, and worst of all, abusive and mentally unstable co-workers.
Bottom line is, you will not be rewarded for your hard work and dedication. Don't do it. You have been warned.
Thank you for your service. 🫡
For real though, this is so tough. I agree with everything you said, but we need nurses.
What’s the solution?
@@AccordingtoNicole Start with retention rates. According to many studies, there are enough nurses, but many leave the profession long before they are due to retire because of the issues mentioned above. Bring back 3 year "diploma schools" of nursing, where practical, hands on nursing skills are taught from almost day 1, as opposed to requiring nurses to have a 4 year college degree (you don't need to take art education, p.e. classes, music classes, literature classes to be a nurse), legally prosecute and punish violence against nurses by patients and their families and establish a work culture where nurse on nurse harassment is not tolerated. Allow nurses to unionize.
I appreciate your kind words, Nicole. Your thank you for my service means so much - I wish more people felt this way. ❤
Become a doctor!
@@Torgo1969
I am sure you are not a doctor.
Why don’t you go to a medical school ?
Chris, I love your comment !
It’s been almost ten years since I retired after 25 as an RN and I still have nightmares about my former job.
Money were good but they are gone , but horror
movies while sleeping still here.
I've seen a bunch of people working nonstop, ruining their health and barely affording a normal life. It's insane to me that this situation can still exist in our modern 21st century countries. Advances in automation and efficiency should help us all not only a few selected people.
Hey Nicole. You’ve pulled yourself out of the lower end of middle class into the comfortable part of middle class through your hard work, focus and being strategic. It is great to see that you have done that and still have empathy for the people who haven’t (yet) been able to make that journey. Some people forget the people that they have left behind but instead you are giving them knowledge and understanding. Thanks for sharing and being a good example for others. The most punk rock thing we can do is to fight unfairness and inequality.
I appreciate what you are doing here. Thank you.
Just picking up on how it works at 53, oh the stories I have of struggle...
Welcome, brother! 54 yo male here. Still learning how it works.
Another 53yo here. I’m so annoyed with myself for giving it my all for no good reason. I’m retiring at 55 because I am worn out! 😂
Hey Nicole! I just wanted to say that I really love your videos! I am a 27 year old veteran that graduates college in 2 months. I have been watching all and feel better off and even have your stuff on notify so I know when you post!!
Are you earning a REAL degree? Or did you choose a JUNK major???
This is the single most important UA-cam video I have ever viewed. Not to mention the most true.
nicole love the wisdom from your videos. What you say resonates with me here in the uk. The low pay jobs that you refer to all lack a good union. Here in UK many low paid jobs get a tax payer funded top up. So essentially the employer paying the insulting wages is robbing the employee as well as tax payers in general.
My definition of hard work is work that goes to the core of something and establishes a system that will keep working, efficiently, in the long run. It is thoughtful, deep reaching work rather than being long hours of grueling labor that you have to constantly repeat. Thinking of it as a deepcleaning and organizing and putting systems in place. You work "hard" in the beginning so you have to work less and less over time.
Im a senior manager in tech. The only people getting rich while working for a company are board members, anyone below that can only hope to raise their comfort level, you're still not going to be able to retire.
Senior mgmt in tech sounds like > 400K USD/yr. You must have some wild costs and a lot of dependants.
@okgreat2573 No idea where you get that figure from but here in London you're way off.
@@tomblewomble3369 ahhh, California. I guess I'm in a bubble.
@@tomblewomble3369 tech wages seem a lot higher in the US etc than UK but living costs seem higher & there's far more "keeping up with the Jones' " stuff regarding all the materialist nonsense. America is Capitalism gone mad. They're just in denial
All you are to them is a number that will be rubbed out and replaced by another number.
Nicole......you are really on to something here. 100% agree with EVERYTHING you are saying. Fantastic video. Cheers.
I don't think it is getting much worse, it's always been like this. Except we haven't had such a large middle class before, and people weren't getting degrees left and right. At least where I live, nurses get a pretty good salary, nowhere near what they deserve compared to doctors of course, but still. A much bigger problem is the housing and rental market and its politics. It takes 15+ years to save (not investing) for a house where in the 90s l it took about 3 years for an equivalent house. That is insane. At least where I live this is all to do with government and bank policies
Thanks for the video! I agree wholeheartedly. FWIW....something I learned a long time ago is, like so many things, it's not the value you bring, it's the perceived value that determines the pay. That and replace-ability. We collectively have to not buy into the scam that says the people doing the work are not valuable while the CEO is the most valuable person in the company.
If I could 'like' this comment twice I would. It took me years to learn to blow my own trumpet! And finally get recognised for the hard work I did!
The grind to provide a meaningful service to society, people have retired to the fact that it’s all they will have to offer and it keeps them waking up each day and try to have another good day at work. Not having the ability to take an entrepreneurial risk. I admire your side hustle and have a lifestyle that you’re happy with. I would feel personally happy if my future entrepreneurial direction enables me to sit on a beach in the Caribbean under a palm tree with a cold drink and fresh seafood most of the time. It’s the life I daydream of.
Love this video because it is true and the actionable steps at the end! Have a great week Nicole!
Always enjoy your videos. So true that all the hardest workers get paid less than people that don’t do much, and it sucks that’s reality. My goal is to do something I enjoy and help those in need too *fingers crossed I can even find what I wanna do at my big old age lol*
I intentionally organised my life to avoid mornings which I keep clear for short time occasional intensive contracts where I get more of the money quicker. I normally go to bed at 1:30 and wake up when I want. Then I do my side stuff till sometimes late at night. It doesn’t really feel like work.
Growing up in Nigeria, I used to hear a saying that “the higher you go, the cooler it becomes”. This saying means that the higher you climb socioeconomically, the less work you do, and the more you get paid for doing less work. I always understood that intellectually, but I REALLY gained a whole new level understanding of that concept once I joined the corporate world where I often did way more work than any of my managers ever did while getting paid significantly less. At my current position, for instance, my manager works SO HARD that she has enough time to pick her daughter up every day from daycare, meanwhile, one of my colleagues had to change jobs because she wasn’t allowed to do the same. I no longer believe being successful is is synonymous with working hard. In fact, I think it’s the opposite. I also don’t believe most people who brag about working hard actually do. Why? Because REAL hard work is not glamorous and the people actually doing those jobs don’t feel there’s a lot to brag about.
You are so right. First off there is no reciprocated loyalty in the workplace anymore. Also, the pay you receive is not relevant to your observations. I worked a 6 figure/year job and when the situation changed during covid, the company I worked for had no problem finding "rationale" to let people go in the name of profitability. The only place where hard work pays off is when you have your own business. Sadly, most successful business people over time adopt the same attitude that they disliked when they have their own employees and treat them similarly. Change jobs frequently and position yourself for new learning opportunities. Changing jobs often allows you to better negotiate salary, it has been shown that employees that change jobs have higher salaries than those that remain at one company. Once you can build up a skill set, use that experience to forge out on your own.
Nicole, this may be your best ever! I always learn much and enjoy all your posts. Thank you for what you do!
(I'm probably an atypical follower; turning 81 this month. Keep venturing! And sharing, please.)
Life's too short to work for money.
Simple world view. It depends mostly on supply and demand. You have to see the consumer view on this, not only the labour view.
Before the pandemic laborers were told "learn to code" to adapt towards a change in the economy, then just over five years later they were told again "learn to weld" because AI was sweeping office jobs. We are at a point in history where entire financial system can shift how the economy works in less than ten years, a span of time that leaves no room for companies to adapt and produce adequately paid employment.
My dad always said, work smart, not hard. AMEN
Assets that can make one successful in life
I. Forex
2.Stocks
3.Shares
forex is profitable and lucrative investment online
@@MrsWhite390You are right.
But I don't know why people remain poor due to ignorance
I believe in the AI era people will need to figure out how to work smarter not harder. I had an epiphany from working as an IT consultant that I could work to develop a simplified RPA solution that could be used by non-tech individuals to get data entry side hustles using an automation tool that they could set it and forget it while it runs.
Yes, as AI gets more sophisticated, it’s going to be a great tool to help people work smarter. The downside will be that people in entry level positions (like customer service reps) will eventually become irrelevant.
Excellent points, Nicole, I agree in general. Cost of living is absurd and good folks are really struggling; this has to be corrected. We can all help to make positive things happen when we put our minds to it. But I have observed something over the years... People who work hard in service industries, construction, public works etc., imo, usually still have life in them at the end of the day to share with loved ones. The high rollers are often so stressed out and preoccupied, they wouldn't notice a gorilla in a pink tutu sitting in their offices. I would not change places with them for anything. Thanks for your thoughtful video; it's much appreciated.
Ecclesiastes 5:12: “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep”.
I took a trade in western Canada. I say that because getting a trade where I live isn’t like a place like Ontario.
I got a job at a service company and showed them I was an intelligent and hard worker and they gave me an apprenticeship.
This was non union so I had to pay for my schooling and only got EI. But I made it work.
But the trade off was $50/hour with almost unlimited hours. 50-60 hour weeks were the norm. Sometimes 80-90/week. With overtime. (No BS on that in my industry)
I have got up at 2:00 AM to be at a meeting at 6:00 AM 230 kilometers and one time zone away. I once got a call at 6:00PM on a Sunday for a job 200 kilometers away that night. I got home the next morning at 11:00AM. Plus it was so cold the temp guage in the rearview mirror of my work truck went from -40 to OC.
The trade off was making $25K in two months, not in a year.
I retired at 57 and spend a bunch of every winter in Mexico these days.
What would your advice be to someone who is young in Canada right now
@ I would go west and try to get into a smaller town that has some kind of thriving industry.
I live in a small town (20,000 - 30,000) that has a thriving oil and gas industry. Usually trades are achievable if you really want one, but even if you have another skill, these towns are affordable and need many skills. The median home price in my community is $400K. You can get a solid starter on a 50x150 lot at $300K. Taxes are lower, your insurance is lower, many costs are a lot lower than larger urban centers. That gives you a leg up right from the get go.
My $0.02 worth.
By the way, I ended up with three viable trades. Instrument Mechanic and Steamfitter/Pipefitter (those are InterProvincial or ‘Red Seal’ trades) plus I have a provincial Gasfitting ticket. I could go back to work if I wanted to with a single phone call. (I don’t)
Great vid, thanks. I'm comfortably retired, so in spite of my many failures, largely due to ADHD and getting fired from more jobs than most people have in a lifetime I"ve obviously done something right. I'm a "comeback" musician, got back into it after many years absence, and now I'm having a ball. I often get paid for my efforts, BUT: that's icing on the cake.
It strikes me that what you're doing is, obviously, working smarter, not harder. You're a great example, Nicole, and I wish you all the best.
At 66, I’ve been self employed most of my life, in landscaping and tree service. I do mostly trees and know the difference between doing a good job and shoddy workmanship. One thing I’ve learned is, customer service is a misnomer. The quest for good customer service only goes so far. Society has gotten to believe they are entitled to perfection without paying for good service. You get what you pay for, literally. Customers think good service is a sign of desperation.
Oh this is so true! I make more money than ever and I’m working less than I ever have. For ME, however, I did actually work hard to get to this point. I needed the time and experience to get to the point that I can basically sit back and “advise and consult” with authority now for businesses willing to pay the big money. So I one hundred percent agree that the big earners aren’t working as “hard” as lower wage earners, but in my case I did actually work hard to get here (and I know you suggested this as an option at the end as well). I’m happy for the path I took because I think I have a healthy perspective from both sides and I can genuinely appreciate my current situation because I know what I did to get here. 😊. Thanks for another excellent video, Nicole!
I had to put in the hours too, I started a business with nothing and it took a while to make money but it did. But then divorce and my ex effectively took it. I started again and now I have several side hustles. None of them pay very much but the customers I got for myself I charge double and the gigs are much easier.
@@gingerfellah5665Funny thing I've noticed about business is if you want to slow down and not work so much, you raise your prices, thinking it will slow things down. Truth is, in most instances, it only increases your business. Never understood that.
@@bigd3104 That's the phrase "you get what you pay for" in action. People think "it's expensive, so it must be better."
I was telling my wife this today, which also covered a GenZ complaint. I worked my ass off in my 20s and early 30s on my career skills and education to get to a point where I’m relaxed now as a c-suite exec making the big bucks. But I was broke and knew that it will take time but once I worked at the right things I’ll be alright. You’ve got to put in the work first in life to build yourself to relax as you progress. I’m switching jobs again in Jan and I know it would require me having to focus early on to get up to speed but my delegation skills is top tier at this point in my career…I want to encourage the younger staff to learn the skills I did at their level so they too can progress so that I can focus on the “high level task” (relaxing lol)
George Harrison also wrote a song in 1968 called '''Within you and without you''.
Also, Colin Hay of men at work- on his solo record wrote a song about these issues.
P.S. Special Suggestion to Nicole, being a musician please become a fan of the group
Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, I hope you like them. ❤🩹❤🩹❤🩹!
There is a Hungarian saying "People, who work a lot, don't have time to earn money."
The only thing hard work ever got me was more hard work. Using your head and working smart will get you much further. Mine was investing and making my money work hard for me and not the other way around. It make life so much better and easier.
“Cushy” is definitely relative. I’ve had manual labor, jobs and retail jobs that yes have sucked physically, but haven’t been even nearly as stressful or time intensive as my desk bound IT position.
I work in retail here in the UK on minimum wage, but am lucky in the fact my job is a breeze. However before my back went and had heart issues I worked on a farm for just above minimum wage and it was proper hard work. I didn't mind the graft but it ruins your body over time and the wage doesn't reflect that. People wonder why young folk don't want to do it, but I get it.
I bet the farm work was long hours ... round here (Staffordshire) the tractors are out driving stupidly long hours it seems to me
@ My time at the farm was at a pig farm. Mucking out 75 pens a day with one other person or on my own. I liked working with livestock (better than working with the general public 😂) but the lack of health & safety and graft was a bit much. But better that than no job lol. It was a 6 am start, lovely in the summer, but bummer in the winter.
@@stephenflowerday4038 "better than working with the general public " - better class of pig 🙂
My problem for all of my career as a factory electrician/mechanic, was in how people said I was too slow, although I was not all that slow, and there were others worse than me. I never had an abundance of personal energy the way most other people do. So the only way I could keep a job, was to buck up. I had to work 2 or 3 times harder than everybody else, and still, even then, to my aggravation, I was fired off jobs for allegedly being too slow. Some people hated me, other people made fun of me, and nobody ever understood or took up for me, when I was the hardest worker they had and always got the job done.
It's true that many top tier senior workers have flexible work regimes but you don't see the conference call at 8pm on a Saturday night or arriving at an airport on Christmas Day. Not wanting to sound sycophantic, but companies don't pay people six figure salaries for fun. A lot of people get paid for what they know, not what they physically do.
It’s a common and unfortunate reality in many workplaces: those who focus on self-promotion and visibility often get ahead, while diligent workers who keep their heads down might be overlooked. The phrase "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" rings true here.
This dynamic can be particularly frustrating when employees spend significant time observing and reporting on their peers, essentially doing managerial work without the corresponding recognition or pay. It highlights a workplace culture that values visibility and perceived contribution over actual hard work and dedication.
Effective management should strive to recognize and reward all employees fairly, balancing the contributions of self-starters and those who excel in their roles quietly. A healthy work environment would ideally value both types of contributions.
Let me break this down for you: if a job is doable by almost anyone, the pay isn't going to be high. IF a very few people know how to do a job, it will pay a lot more. It has nothing to do with how 'hard' you worked. Human beings are not farm animals, our greatest value is our brain, not our hands or our backs. Not to disrespect people who don't have the capacity to do anything of more value. Also, everyone SHOULD be able to earn enough to live. However, yes, you Marxist you, we are NOT all equal. Some people make decisions which impact millions of people. They don't break a sweat or do physical labour. There are millions of people that can clean or work a cash register.
You hit some good points. This is exactly right. I've pinned myself up in a niche career in civil engineering without an engineering license and somehow make more than some actual licensed engineers. I can't say how, but it's about knowledge and industry.
It's not just about "restricted supply" of a niche skillset, also about demand for the services, & creating that demand counts for a lot. You could be the only person in France who can speak Navajo, & so what. Being niche-skill dependent can mean a need to relocate etc as need for your services can vary regionally, nationally & internationally. Relocation sucks re: home ownership/transaction costs, & having to rent sucks even more. And if you're reliant on such niche knowledge etc you have to keep aware of trends (and re-train even while "the sun is still shining") or your niche skills can go out of fashion quickly. I know. Retraining whilst you're already working 10 hrs a day & have a family is not for everyone
Hey, pig, I’m a Nazi not a Marxist
Here’s how I help, even if only a little: I tip service persons very generously, usually 50%. I’m blessed that my income allows me to do that, not everyone can. But everyone can tip something.
(By the way, the issue you described regarding affordability near work is world-wide. I just returned from Lisbon and heard that refrain often from the people who took care of us, such as drivers.)
As Nicole exposes, “be kind and generous.”
I am glad everything has worked out for you with how much you worked and how hard you worked.
Doctors get paid for the knowledge they have, not the amount of things they do with their hands.
Basically, your correct. Except when the many times in which your knowledge is wrong / or incorrect. Nutrition Over Pharma.
Doctors pay is actually decreasing because they are being replaced with mid-level providers
As usual, another excellent video Nicole. The truth told directly and in an accessible, truthful way.
Scapegoating is our favorite pass time. A universal audit and inventory will work wonders.
Yes, yes and yes. Very true about the leveraging, keep looking for new, better and different opportunities. I went from bagboy to certified teacher, I still work hard, but no longer physically. I have to use my brain power constantly, and the responsibility and expectation aspects of the job are exceedingly high. Interestingly, taking one of the least desirable teaching roles has provided the best compensation, pension, contract fridge benefits and shockingly working conditions. Great video.
Work smart not hard
Are you working hard or hardly working?
Do you even understand the message? Hundreds of millions of people have to work hard because they cannot be replaced. Moreover, many people enjoy this hard work.
The problem is they earn far too little to be able to live comfortably after returning home.
Thanks for making this video, as someone who has done all of the menial jobs, but also been my own boss, I concur. Look at how billionaires tend to congratulate themselves on how smart they are and how hard they've worked without acknowledging how much they inherited and what clubs they were handed membership of at birth. If anyone points this out it's "the politics of envy". We had that stupid show "The Apprentice" in the UK, the main guy was called Alan Sugar, who mostly got rich off being one of the first people to retail home computers (they were called Amstrad and they were shite computers). He loves to perpetuate the myth that he started as a "Cockney barrow boy" selling fruit in the open markets in London, and built his way up from nothing. He fails to mention exploiting sweatshop labour in the far East before his competitors and marrying women for their father's money rather than love, as well as some other highly dubious practices. This seems to be a common thread amongst men who love to tell people that they are a "self made man".
I always wondered why people wanted to be on this show, why would anyone want to work for him?
Agreed! Meritocracy is utter and complete bullshit. So much of your take home is based on likeability, luck and timing. My job is the easiest it's ever been by 90+% and I earn considerably more than I ever have, towards double that of my hardest roles. Sure, I tell myself stockpiled some karma, but frankly it's all just chaos. I drained myself the bone, starting early, finishing late, putting off bathroom breaks to obliterate efficiency targets and none of it really mattered because the right people weren't watching and/or willing to elevate me. Now I have so much flexibility and and my actual output isn't material, I don't have KPI's, and my boss is too senior to have the time to really check them if I did anyway. It really made me realise corporate, particularly technical and niche "work" as a construct is so malleable and different to what I knew it could be. To me, though, I still get the things that regardless of money and low stress are absolutely necessary for fulfilling work (stolen off a Harvard guy on Big Think whose name I forgot!) - Earned success and service to others.
Stocks, ETFs, mutual/index funds, crypto, etc. pay a lot.
Very well said.
Hi Nicole, I hear what you are saying yet you are still quite a distance away from reaching the ultimate goal, that would be to not work but do what you want, when you want and can afford to do it. Of all the analysis you mentioned, I never heard the word "Investments". Until you get into some kind of investing, you will never get to your capitalistic goal. I remember the first week time I had a bang up week in sales and made the same amount of money that week in my investments! So when you get into the point where you work for 1/10th of what you make, the rest comes in from investments, you need to keep working at it! It is really a snowball effect, and if you can take a few chances and win a few big victories you can set yourself up quite quickly! Remember, the rule of thumb, money doubles in value making 8% in only ten years!!! There are a lot of ways to make money very quickly if you think outside of the box.
Congratulations on being a self starter. Fall forward everyday!
Moonpie
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where'd you buy your basic shirts?? I like them
old navy
I appreciate this 👍
Agreed. I'm a school teacher in Vancouver and can barely afford to live here. Rent is 1/2 my salary.
Do you live in shitsilano i mean kitsilano
here in Germany I ve seen workers from East Europe countries sharing their appartements, lets say by four people, splitting the rent by four, thats how it works. Well I wouldnt like to share my flat with three others but thats the way it works.
what is it with canada exporting ecelebs
I agree with the points in the video. What strikes me most in these days - and very few people point it out like you do - is that everyone is being priced out of their own neighborhood and where they work. So many jobs are getting more and more demanding due to technology and greed and because it is a trend to make everything convoluted - and additionally people have to commute to work instead of walking over or going 1-2 stops with public transport like it used to be (at least in Europe - in my childhood noone commuted to the neighboring small town even if they had a car, if their job was in the next town, they would move to that next town even if it was just 15 miles away)
When it comes to the housing issue, there is a concept where you have a condo, but it’s a cooperative. And with a condo cooperative you can even limit the sale price should someone leave. There are a lot of levers in our systems that we could use as small groups. But getting a group of 100 people to agree enough and stick with something long enough to make a foundation is way more difficult then just pushing and doing it yourself.
Good content. I don’t think we need an “overhaul” as much as we need large enough groups of people to take the time and effort to take advantage of the systems in place. Decentralized cohorts.
I absolutely agree on it all!
you are on the correct path . now waiting for your courses. i know nurses that can not afford to live in areas close to their work site .
Well said!
Abso-fucking-lutely! I've been saying this for decades. More respect is needed for the service workers and those doing the "grunt" jobs in life. It's honest and hard work!! And we cannot live without their services any more than we can live without doctors, lawyers, and over paid CEOs.
If that happens in Canada, consired as a country where social justice is important, imagine how it is in third world countries ( where I live)
Great insights and solutions!
Exactly. 💯 Wealth and merit are unrelated.
Lawyer here in my pajamas. I’m resting from playing (winning) a hockey game last night. I have court for an hour today after lunch. Then back to the ice rink I go! I hardly spend much time actually working. Working out- yes! Working on law cases- not so much. I’m ecstatic and content.
I quit the law firm downtown job last month because the commute was over an hour each way, and it’s easier to work for myself, remotely, and at my own pace. Not fattening the fat cow more (my former boss).
It's often the lowest paying jobs that strictly monitor productivity. Because you are just a machine to them. Those higher in the corporate world often don't do anything meaningful. They mostly make up unnecessary rules then enforce them to act like they are doing something.
In healthcare, you will never make enough to balance the stress and responsibility. I have learned that the hard way!!
"I work good Not cost a lot." Hey, I would have kept my cartoon Simpson's job!
"Grease Salesman, Carney, Mayor, Grifter, Bodyguard for the Mayor, Country Western Manager, Garbage Commissioner".