Knowing your worth

[PapaBraus]

Here at the 405th, worth isn't typically discussed. We are here to discuss just that.

How do you define worth? Do we put a dollar amount on it? Do we slap an emotional value on it? Do we go with tangible value? Can we put a price on knowledge?

Worth is a funny thing. Its a perceived notion. A diamond to me isn't worth much, but on the right market it has value. If you try to sell a snow cone in the dessert it could be worth more than that little rock you got in your hand. Worth is all about what someone else is willing to pay for when money is involved.

But what are YOU worth. Is that a definable? Have you taken a good hard look at what you can accomplish in your day to day activities and put YOUR value on it. You obviously matter, and what you do can obviously matter to someone else.

But Braus, why are you bringing this up??

I made a few decsions in the past two weeks (for fun) that have landed me several opportunities. My list of possible employers just got really big because I don't know when to stop having fun. My indutry is weird like that. I handed a job to a company and I was told I would be paid for the opportunity. I told the company I was doing this just for giggles. I wanted to see how big my network has grown. I was gut punched with "YOU need to know what you're worth".

I'm 35 y'all. I've had more people in my life tell me this than I can remember. I had someone put a dollar amount on it this week. He didn't just put a dollar amount on it, he gave me goals. I hope I can be half the man my mentors are.

Show the world what you are worth, and don't ever settle for less than that. Survive if you have to, but know that you can rise above and be better. You can craft beter, you can sell your wares, you can youtube your crafting. Get paid for what you know. Don't be me, don't dismiss what someone else says because you don't think you can or you aren't good enough.

Be the best that you can, because to me, all of you are worth it, and so much more.

 

[PlanetAlexander]

My friend just reposted this post on Instagram and I think it does well at building on what you've said. Original post by @jessicasmalls

 

[Dreamster]

You keep your eye on the ball and watch out for #1. If your employer isn't taking care of you, but you are always taking care of him, then maybe you should be looking.

Keep your resume updated always, and keep a list of pros and cons always. Whether or not your employer gives you reviews, review yourself every 6 mos. Ask yourself how you are doing. Ask yourself if you deserve a raise.

Compare yourself with the best guy(s) in your company and try to see what your weaknesses are, and work towards being the best. Give yourself the opportunities to learn new skills, and get better at the skills you have. Learn the latest technologies, learn the latest codes. Stay in demand, then you can demand the best compensation.

 

[FANGS]

All. Of. This.

Listen folks....I'm older than most of you. A LOT older than some of you. This whole figuring out what to do with your life stuff is hard. And you're going to make mistakes along the way at every age. But listen to your heart. Happiness is always more important than money.

I'm at a time in my life were I'm starting to thinking about retirement. I'll be the big 5 0 this year and if I ride it out where I'm at I can retire in about 9 years with full pension. I've often dreamt about that day when I can shut down my work computer for the last time and never have to deal with the ickiness that sometimes gives me nightmares again. I want to start a home based business surrounding my hobbies so it's on solid ground before I retire and I can transition right in to that second "career". We'll get to do what we want when we want and it all sounds wonderful, right?

This pandemic has been full of lessons and lots of them have surrounded this particular situation. I didn't realize just how important my convention vacations were until there were none. I didn't realize how much having those come up motivated me to work on costuming. I didn't realize that I was soley doing this particular job entirely for the money to do these things and that I had zero job satisfaction. That certainly was a big eye opener. Obviously money is important . I want to be comfortable for the rest of my life. I don't want to have worked this hard for this long only to struggle in my senior years. But, I should have listened long ago to people who told me my skills and talents were wasted on this job. I should have taken chances when I was younger. I have a lot of regrets about not continuing my education over the years and spreading out my "on paper" skill set to make my resume look less ridiculously specialized. I guess I grew up with parents who very much believed that you finished high school, immediately went to college, got a job and there you stayed. And basically, that's what I've done.

Life is FULL of opportunities if you only listen to them knocking. Certainly you have to be smart about things and you have to consider if it's the right time to take a chance and make a change. But the point is, never stop considering! And for Pete's sake, don't stay in a job that isn't bringing any satisfaction to your life. As they say, tomorrow isn't promised. Take care of your whole self and live live to the fullest each and every day! Just the other day a potential opportunity presented itself to me and I made sure it was known that I would be interested if it came to be. That's scary stuff at this age - especially in this economy. But life is just too dang short to not have adventures! And then I built myself a new computer. I nearly had heart failure at least once but I did it and I love my computer so much because I DID IT. Next up I'm learning all of these programs that I've wanted to for so long but didn't have a computer that allowed me to use them well - Photoshop, Illustrator etc. etc. Even if I end up staying in this same job for the next 10 years, I'm bringing new things in to my life to make my hobbies better and who knows what doors that will open!

 

[Shadowshail]

Heres a little something i wrote last night. Just some insights on what we learn and how we use that information. Take it as you will.

Knowledge.

The space of time in which one aquires knowledge is vast. Knowledge is power. Knowledge has limits. Limits that can be surpassed by the simple act of motivation and self determination. Nothing gets done if one does not have this within themselves. The knowledge for basic humans is passed down, how to eat, how to clean oneself, how to take care of each other on a basic level. Knowledge beyond that can be passed down from generation to generation or the knowledge written amongst history that is but a book or video away. What we do with this knowledge is up to each and everyone of us, good, bad, or the pursuit of our own happiness. But without that basic drive knowledge is nothing.

Push yourself to achieve the most basic human instinct, curiosity. Within curiosity come self reward and self sacrifice, but in the end comes with a result. With the knowledge of the path to get to the result and the curiosity that moves us to try new things or perfect a craft, comes the reward and self motivation to keep moving on.

It doesnt have to be anything big. It could start with doing basic chores more often or on a schedule, but either way do something. Even in the darkest of days or mental state accomplishing even one task to its fullest is a glimmer of hope for the future, whatever it may be.

 

[Sierra Charlie]

So my view of worth and self worth is kinda skewed by the military. My worth for the past 6 years was my ability to do my job and accomplish the mission, even being told that my job was to get blown up! I'd like to think I'm worth more than that, and that it's really not able to be deciphered. Experiences? Knowledge? Talents? Personality? I think all that figures into your worth, and that everyone is worth 100x more than what they sell themselves as. Everyone is capable of anything, and that in itself cant be measured, and there are opportunities out there for you, if you look

 

[tkraptor]

I was looking for a new job recently cause I felt underpaid and overworked. I got a couple interviews pretty quick and they would ask, "what salary are you after?" I think i gave them a figure five or 10 thousand a year more than I was currently making feeling like even that was a stretch. I was shocked when they offered me the job at 15k more than what I was making. I knew I was underpaid but I still wasn't even aware of what range I should be in.

It is still pretty hard to assign value to my hobbies and interests. Like everyone here is cool with cosplaying but I feel like its hard to explain the value of it to my other groups of friends.

 

[Dirtdives2424]

I was looking for a new job recently cause I felt underpaid and overworked. I got a couple interviews pretty quick and they would ask, "what salary are you after?" I think i gave them a figure five or 10 thousand a year more than I was currently making feeling like even that was a stretch. I was shocked when they offered me the job at 15k more than what I was making. I knew I was underpaid but I still wasn't even aware of what range I should be in.

It is still pretty hard to assign value to my hobbies and interests. Like everyone here is cool with cosplaying but I feel like its hard to explain the value of it to my other groups of friends.

The trick is to ask high, they will counter low and you go back and forth till you meet somewhere in the middle. The fact that they went higher indicates that they are in need of your services and are afraid they you will go elsewhere and get your price, which apparently should be a bit higher.....don't sell yourself short.