I had a close call on my last shift at work …
A scary incident, that I am grateful for … NOW … I was shaken at the time… but it has led to some important thinking and essential action-taking.
Near Miss
It was busy, it was late, I had been on shift for a while, and when the goods in desk said I could go,
I was ready!
I was in my cab, off that dock, out and shutting my doors!
I was on the near side door when a shunter brought a trailer into the next bay to mine … I was on his blindside.. didn't have a clue I was there … My hazards were on and the cab was obviously empty… but without a care, he poured that trailer straight in and down on me.
He missed me … I just flattened my self against my trailer and closed my eyes, but he was close.
I didn't report it and would not I am not into getting people into trouble, especially this close to Christmas, but it woke me up … I do not mean I was tired and sleepy at work … much more to my circumstances, which I am sure are not unique to me.
Self Employed Even Zero Hours Contracts
Whichever of the above suites you or even if you are employed, how long will your sick pay last?
When I was last employed, I was with A bluechip company and even though I had sick pay it was not infinite.
Straight away I lost a third of my monthly income as I lost my overtime, and then the company sick pay only lasted 12 months, and I was off for a serious shoulder injury for over 12 months, and then prevented from returning by the employer as they did not want me to re-injure myself … they would NOT even let me start on light duties.
It very nearly bankrupted us, I still do not know how I did NOT lose our house honestly… it was a very distressing time.
That was a Major Wake Up Call I can assure you and as a result of that I decided to take control of my income and build something that I was in control of ( Check out what I did back in 2012 to start my own business from Scratch )
But… as the other night demonstrated, even having my own business in of and in itself is no guarantee of security.
I had visions of my being hospital, unconscious and Judi ( My long-suffering wife ) Not having any idea of who to contact, how to go about securing incomes, making sure that banks did what they were supposed to do, and that she had all the information needed to make sure that the edifice did not die and crumble around her.
What are You Building and Is It Secure?
As that trailer bore down on me in that bay, in the middle of the night, I saw everything I was doing in a very different light.
This wasn't self-pity or even morbid gloom… just the flaming obvious that I had dropped a bollock!
Here I was a coach to many very successful people, dishing out advice on:
- business planning,
- Life Hacks,
- self-awareness,
- Weightloss
Yet in all that skill and wisdom … I was totally BARE-ARSED, a simple crushing incident could, in the blink of an eye, destroy the last 15 years work
What Was The Solution
The Last 72 hours or so has seen some pretty frenetic activity from yours truly.
I have had to establish a route map in effect so that Judi and two of our children can, in the event of me being indisposed, and unable to talk even ( Think Comma, Not even Death!)
Online access, To What and How… simple step by step documents to bring her control or even access to prevent self-destruction…
I have started the process of instructing my solicitor to get her Power Of Attorney, with two of the kids, so that if something happens to Both of Us the whole thing does NOT collapse.
Now …talking this through with Judi, I thought I was going to encounter some sort of sloppy resistance… but no … she was on it in an instant.
Some of the ongoing payments that could stop and damage the business that I have painfully put together, all done with her in mind, it suddenly dawned on me that if I am not here doing what I do, then nothing gets done, the banks freeze the accounts and the business collapses.
So letters of authority are in the process of being written and affidavits, sworn, etc.
This gives both of us protection in the event of anything untoward happening
It Will Never Happen
I am not sitting here being the harbinger of doom … I really truly hope it NEVER happens… and I must be genuine here, I resent paying solicitors for anything… but sometimes, you know … it is best to get that arse securely covered.
Wake Up Call
Look, if you are self-employed, a contractor, or maybe you are on a zero-hours contract, or if your income is in any way dependent upon you performing whatever task you do in order to get paid… then I seriously recommend you take a look at what would happen if you had to stop.
Would you be safe? would your loved ones be safe?
I get the fact that if we are NOT here we really do not give two shits what happens next… I hear you … but is that really you, and what if you need ongoing care and you do not actually want your wife out on the streets in order to keep you fed and watered, then perhaps we should have a chat..
I would be really happy to help you get some security…
( Understand I really thought I had my shit together, and it is only the fact that I nearly had that head-on argument with a 40-foot double stacker, that brought me this awareness!)
The difference is I am Taking Action to correct the oversight … just maybe I can help you do the same.
Finally
Remember you can email me anytime at steve@steve-greenhalgh.com
I am always happy to hear from you and to help you with genuine weight challenges, business enquiries, personal coaching, or even just a chat because you are in a depression…
Here's to your continued success…
BUT let's NOT kid Ourselves
