The human aspiration is the master key to any human accomplishment. If you aspire to become prosperous and do something about it, suddenly you will find countless income opportunities around you.
The preoccupation of the unemployed man and woman in this country is about getting a job with good pay and benefits. You need a job to make money. If you can make good money from other sources such as self-employment, do you really need a job? We have been told for generations that getting a job is a milestone in our life and it is the foundation of our future security, marriage, family and prosperity. This idea has shifted our focus and aspiration from making money to getting job. Do you know anyone who has become rich and prosperous through a job?
"I aspire to become prosperous. My bad luck destroys my wishes. None of my expectations has ever been fulfilled. What is the use in talking about the human aspiration and accomplishment?" Karthick asked me in an unhappy voice. "You expect life to make you prosperous without an active will to do what you can. You mistake your expectation for aspiration. They are different. Aspiration means you want to achieve or accomplish a thing and you have a strong will to do something about your aspiration. Expectation means you want to receive without a willed effort and there is no determination to act in order to accomplish. Active aspiration unleashes your energy. Passive expectation drains your energy," I told Karthick.
"I was not aware of the difference. What is the relationship between energy and prosperity?" Karthick asked me. "If you observe any successful self-made man, you will see that he is full of energy. We think he is energetic because he is successful and makes money. Actually, because he is full of energy he is successful and prosperous. There is a direct and visible relationship between energy and money," I told Karthick.
"Now I understand that if I want to make money I must be full of energy. Can you please tell me what I must do to become energetic?" Karthick asked me. "Our attitudes, aspiration and habits are some sources of energy. If you replace passive expectation with active aspiration, immediately you will become energetic. If you change a wrong attitude into a right attitude, you will unleash energy that will help you make money. For example, you are a graduate in BA English and have not been able to get a job for years. Though there are many self-employment opportunities in this country, you insist on getting a job that meets your qualifications, interests and needs. Your stock answer is that you don't know anything about self-employment and so you seek a job. But, whose fault is it? In the last six months how many hours did you really spend in learning about self-employment, entrepreneurship, new developments and new opportunities? If you replace such wrong attitudes with right ones and take a firm decision to aspire to become prosperous, learn new things and work hard, you will know what energy is," I told Karthick.
"I understand your point. I often hear stories about people making money on internet. I don't know what to do on internet," Karthick said. "Make out a list of all your strengths, problems, habits, hobbies and interests. Then do some research on internet to know whether people in this country or other countries make money based on the items in your list. If someone does, you can modify that concept to suit your unique circumstances and start making money," I told Karthick.
Karthick replied bitterly, "It's easy for you to advise others. But, if you were in my situation, you would understand my problem. Take a simple issue. My elder sister is pregnant and has come home for delivery. She will stay with us for the next six months. As she does not have any work, she spends all her time on the only computer we have. Only after she sleeps, I would get access to the computer. Even though I need continuous access to the computer to do research to find out a suitable internet project, she would never think about my future. She is bothered only about her yet-to-be-born baby all the time and spends her time on internet learning about baby care. She is the source of all my trouble."
"I think your sister may be the source of all your prosperity," I told him. "Sometimes I am unable to make out whether you are talking seriously or joking at my expense. Even a blind man can see that she is a nuisance," Karthick said. "Our vision is our real problem. Most of us have healthy eyes and yet don't have clear vision. What you see with your physical eyes does not matter at all. The secret that lies behind what you see is more important than what you actually see. Instead of seeing you sister as an individual woman, think of her as representative of all the pregnant women in the world. Observe everything she does and find out her interests and problems. Develop a solution for her problems. A solution that is useful to your sister will be useful to most pregnant women because your sister represent them. You can sell that solution to others and make money," I told Karthick.
"Can an individual represent the universe or the world? I find it difficult to believe," Karthick replied. "I am sure you know how medicines are developed. At trial stage, a medicine is administered on a few sample patients and the results are noted. Only when the trial is successful, the medicine is made available for the public. When a company wants to launch a product, usually they market it in a small area that represents the entire market. Only if the small area responds positively, the company takes the product to the general market," I told him. "That's very interesting. Just now you have given me an important clue on how to discover hidden opportunities. In my case, you suggest that I can create a website, a manual, a software tool, a service or a product to help pregnant women. I am able to understand the market potential for such products," Karthick said to me. "I am happy to see that you have begun to make progress," I told him.
"I know it is easy to learn about computer, internet, web development and ecommerce with the help of good self-help books and tutorials. How much will it cost to start a web business?" Karthick asked me. "If you already have a computer and internet, the expenses will be less than Rs. 3,000," I explained.
"I see ads about free web sites and free web hosting. What do you think about them?" Karthick asked me. "You can sell your products through a nice show room and grow quickly if you pay rent for the premises. Alternatively, you can choose to be a street hawker or a platform vendor, if you don't want to pay rent," I told him.
Karthick smiled and said, "Okay, I will go for professional web hosting. I will go home, do research about the idea, prepare a business plan and come back to you. I will have a chat with my sister, the angel of opportunities, and develop specific ideas for my web business." After a few minutes of general discussion, Karthick took leave and left my place.
We met after a fortnight. "I discussed the idea with my sister after making things clear to myself. She contacted her husband and told him about my idea. My brother-in-law is a businessman and he immediately understood the value of the idea. With his guidance, my sister and I have formed a partnership firm to develop products for pregnant women and sell the products through a web site. He has agreed to invest the required money. I will be the working partner and I will get Rs.4,000 a month as salary. When we make profit, I will get a share of 40% of net profits," Karthick told me. "I am very happy to know about the positive development," I told him.
"My aspiration for self-employment has got me not only a business opportunity but also a regular salary without being an employee," Karthick said happily.