This Season of Lent, I’m reflecting on what happened to me in the past. How I endured those past miseries from the time I finished my college up to my last employment. I prayed that as much as possible, I can continue being self-employed for the rest of my life because I know that being employed, no matter how long you stay in the company, you will still leave it. Yes it’s true you can get another job but for the reason that the business that you were employed with is not yours, you will still have to leave it either by retrenchment, retirement or termination.
After I finished college, I was helping my mother’s business being a delivery driver and a store keeper and sometimes I’m a cook when no one is around to help. My father has his own business, a foundry, which he doesn’t want us to mess around so my mother decided to make her own. Although my father is still the bread winner, my mother started her own business because she wants to sustain her expenses. She started a hollow block machine fabrication shop, The Atlantic Machinery Hollow Block Machine fabrication in our front yard. Aside from that, a small hardware and general merchandise store. We were living in Valenzuela City that time. I’m the only one who was really helping my mother run her business even though I have a younger brother still living with us. I was a delivery driver of hollow block machine and if there were no orders a store keeper in our hardware store. I also help buy the materials for the machine fabrication and assisting and attending the workers needs.
I wasn’t born in an harmonious family and there many problems that time, including financial problems. I endured all those problems but there is one thing that my mother did to me that made me think that it’s “the last straw”. I decided to get a job just to escape the problem and find a quick way to get on my own. After that I got married and left our house. Maybe that is the right decision but come to think of it, if only I focused on pursuing my dreams instead of running away from the things I hate, I might be a successful businessman right now. This is our common fault. Because of our haste, we make wrong decisions of taking anything our hands could get just to run away from the things we hate. Afterwards, when we come to our senses, we realized that we don’t really like what we get into.
That’s what happened to me when I hopped from job to job seeking career advancement and ended up in hell hole. It was my third employment which I pray, should be the last. I thought the company I was employed with will make a dramatic increase in my career advancement and will became my dreamland. Since it’s a multinational Swiss company, I was expecting a lot of change for the good. Like the saying goes, “Not all that glitter is gold” is true. The disappointment was aggravated when a manager was hired for our engineering department. He was like an express delivery from hell sent by Lucifer himself all wrapped up in a nice package for me as a present. I was a slave for ten years with the wicked manager and after ten years I finally ended up being included in their latest retrenchment. Although I really wanted to leave that company since that little gremlin came, because of fear of loosing a job and ending up with a moron like him even if I change my job, I was bound in shackles and can’t leave the company.
Although I have this fear, I also have the focus in attaining freedom by thinking of having my own business someday. The internet helped me a lot in pursuing my dream and that time I was also earning beside my salary. Maybe I have to thank my persecutor, because of him I’m motivated to pursue my dreams although his intentions are bad. Again the saying “The end doesn’t justify the means” is true. They set me free by force, and it creates a lot of heart ache and vexation because of fear, but still, on the other side of the coin, I will leave them anyway if I won the lotto or with a stroke of luck succeeded on my online ventures. I always thought that all bad things that are happening to us are blessing in disguise.
So the bottom line is, we should move on, forgive and forget the past for us to see the clear picture of the present and the future. All the things that are happening to us is for our learning. So with that let me leave you with this verse:
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-5
Posted by Manuel
Manuel Montala was an online entrepreneur who enjoys blogging about entrepreneurship and gathering information for his blog to help budding entrepreneurs. You can also reach him on twitter: http://twitter.com/mmontala
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Hi,
Thank you for sharing this to us. We have the same experience from family, finances and work. I have also left the work force and started my own, but later folded up due to a lot of factors. Because of what had happened to me, I found myself lost with what to do next. I really wanted to be self employed but I can’t find a viable business. I am thinking of going back to work force to sustain my everyday expenses. I have always dreamed of running a business of my own. I hope someday I can be like you in fulfilling my dreams.
@geraldine
I think that is the right decision. Never stop dreaming and even if you are employed you can think of some money making ventures on your spare time. To be honest I’m also thinking of going back to the work force and go abroad but my greatest problem is the non-employment gap on my resume and how will I be able to explain those unemployed years. Most employers consider self-employment as no employment.
Hi,
Have you tried applying? I am having a hard time. At first, every time I am on interview my mind says “I want to be entrepreneur.” Actually I have developed a phobia of going back to work force because of my experience. That is one big problem why I am having a hard time looking. Form my experience, some employers are hesitant to hire people who are former entrepreneurs for fear they will not last long in the company because they have experience to be their own boss. Another reason is that I can’t find a job that I am good at and scared that I might screwed up. Again, this is the phobia I got from my previous job. There was one time I enter company’s office for an interview, I felt a fear inside me. Fear that I might meet monsters in the office. I always tell myself to have the courage but I have developed this fear inside me. Fear that I might meet the same kind of person. I am fighting over my fear, it is very hard to fight phobia. I have been thinking of going to singapore to look for job. What stopping me is the investment I am going to make only to end up jobless and be back home. I can’t afford to lose money at this point. Sorry if my answer has been this long. I have no one to talk to. I have always looking for mentors in business to guide me through but I can’t find one. I have been thinking of choosing my professor in school, but I was too shy.
@geraldine
Yes after I left the company I tried looking for a job again not because I like to but because of company benefits like health card or other fringe benefits. Your story is similar to mine whenever I apply and fear that I will be having a bully manager again. Maybe what is happening to us is, destiny is guiding us to become entrepreneurs. Maybe the book “The Power of Concentration” might help you. Check this post I made: http://www.thefilipinoentrepreneur.com/2010/06/03/concentration-business.htm
There is topic in the book about looking far ahead and not looking at our situation now however hard it is. Look at what you will become after you overcome your hardship.
And about mentors you mentioned, personally I don’t believe on it. What I know is, what mentors do is just awaken out senses, motivates and encourage us. It is still us who decide and do whatever makes us successful. And about your professor, is he still a professor? no offense meant but if he is an entrepreneur and don’t work for someone else maybe I’ll believe him.
Thank you for the ebook. I got your point on concentrating. Honestly, I can’t concentrate on my goal on becoming a successful entrepreneur. My Aunt’s house where I lived freely was sold and I am now living with relatives. As we all know sharing a house means that every move you make is numbered and you are not free to do whatever you want. Aside from that I have family problem that is a novel if I wrote them down here. Because of that, I am pressured to look for a living so I could save again and rent my own. And So I would result to going back to work force for the speedy solution of my immediate problem. That’s what bothering me so I can’t concentrate.
About the mentors, I just need someone to guide me in every step of the way. To know if I am doing things right. When I still had my business I was confused if it still worth fighting for or is it mean that I have to throw in the towel.
My professor used to own the Coney Island Ice Cream and a franchising guru. He has been teaching subjects like Service Marketing, Business to Business Marketing, Franchising among others at grad school for so many years. I like his wit and his business sense. He had retired from teaching now. I think he is around in his 70′s.
Thank you for responding to my comments as not all authors do that. I appreciate it. I feel that you five importance to your readers.
@geraldine
I think you are still young and having a job is an instant solution. I’ve also been though a lot of family problems too when I was in my teenage years and to adulthood. So I decided to find a job instead of continuing our family business. I started from scratch, looked for a job and got married. Up to now I’m still dreaming of being successful someday and envy those lucky guys but what is more important to me is peace of mind.
Well, I my family problems started when I was a kid and up to now. I am not getting any younger. And my dream is to start young so if you fail you can start over. Also, you can do a lot of things when you are young than old and weary that you can’t even lift a chair. I am not that old but, I feel my body has been deteriorating through the years. Before, I can walk a day without being tired. But, now let me walk for few hours and I will feel aching body, legs and feet. Not to mention I am accumulating sickness as I get older
.
@geraldine
It’s all in the mind, I still feel like in my 20′s even that is twice my age (just kidding, but sometimes it true) . Stress and anxiety is a number one factor that makes us sick and feel old. I thought walking every morning for at least 30 minutes is not important but it really helps. Anyway there is an interesting article I’ve read that might encourage you. It is about moonlighting as an entrepreneur while you are employed. Check this link: http://wealthbuildingdaily.com/2011/11/23/how-moonlight-as-an-entrepreneur-before-you-go-full-time/
hahaha! I feel young but my body says not
. thanks for the article. will them. good luck to us 
Hi,
do you know where to find “The Master Mind” published by Advanced Thought Publishing Co.?
Hi,
do you know where to find “The Master Mind”?
@geraldine
I haven’t seen or read the book. Try national book store may be you can email them or see their website.
ok. thanks
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