I just got a FedEx delivery. This was a new driver, and as always, I talked to him about his work – did he love it, did he have any dreams for something else, etc. I asked if he was an employee or an independent contractor as I know FedEx has both. Just the normal conversation I have with everyone I meet!!
He said his boss has 15 trucks and is an independent contractor. The young driver said that keeps them from unionizing – a fact that he dislikes. He’d like to be in the union so they could force FedEx to keep paying them more. He does like that with this model he can tell a customer it’s too much work to come back their drive so they have to meet him at the road. And the work isn’t very hard – he can slack off and still get paid.
And then he told me his real dream is to have his own hot-rod building shop. We talked cars for a few minutes and I gave him a copy of the new 48 Days to the Work You Love – for which he was truly grateful.
So what do you think the chances are that he’ll ever have his own shop? I think it’s pretty close to zero. When someone has that strong sense of getting paid more for doing less, when they are looking for ways to avoid work and to serve the customer less, they are never going to make it in a venture of their own. Those attitudes will sabotage any possibility of being successful on your own. Theoretically, having your own business is a great way to have more time, freedom and more income – but it doesn’t line up with your work ethic – at all. Keep getting that paycheck Dude because you’re lucky to be getting paid at all. You would absolutely fail in your own business.
