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You cannot "DEMAND" your way to wealth unless you are DEMANDING better performance from yourself!

Our economy and society has recently been, and is still being, damaged by strike action. I think that this is very sad.

Not so much because of the damage to the economy, we can recover from that. Although the long term damage will still be felt. Have you ever noticed how, every time there is a strike, employers become more reluctant to employ and start to look for ways to mechanise, or at least minimise their labour component. There are already far too many people who do not have, nor can get, work and every strike just adds to that number.

Not so much because of the damage to our society, we can recover from that too, not so easy but it can be done. It's not so much that you go on strike, although that is very confrontational and sends a clear message to your employer that you have no loyalty to, or respect for, the place where you are employed. (Which makes me question why you stay there. If they treat you so badly why don't you leave and find a better job, or better yet. Why don't you start your own business and show your ex-employer how it should be done?) The damage to society is mostly caused by the way you behave whilst on strike. The tendency these days is for strikes to be very violent as those on strike try to force their employers to accede to their demands. What you must realise is that even though you may have had good cause to go on strike, your behaviour causes us, the public, who bear the brunt of your hooligan behaviour, to turn against you. And how you can expect anyone to ever respect you again is beyond me.

No. My real concern is the damage that those who partake in the strike are doing to themselves and their self development.

You see, if you have a sense of entitlement you won't deem it necessary to improve your services. You will believe that it is your right to get paid more for doing the same work, or perhaps even doing less work. This is pure "victim" mentality and is the road to poverty.

Sure you might feel like you gain in the short term but it is a very hollow victory.

Money demanded does not have the same value as money earned so you are likely to waste it. (Often in "celebrating" your "victory")

Normally the wages you lose while on strike (no work-no pay) are irrecoverable and your increased wages are soon eroded by increased costs. (The money for your wages has to come from somewhere.) Soon you feel "underpaid" again and off you go to demand more wages. Strikes are mostly Lose-Lose situations and the biggest loser is you.

Now my questions to you are.

> What have you done to increase the value of your services?

> What have you done to add value to your employer and place of employment?

> What have you done to become better at what you do?

> What new skills have you learned? (and no, new toi-toi steps don't count, unless you want to open a toi-toi aerobics class)

> What have you done to increase your value to the market place?

> What have you done to ensure that there is a demand for your services?

The only way to sustainable wealth is to improve the value of your services. You must do what you can to make sure that you provide the services that the market demands. Accept that it is the market that determines the value of your services. It doesn't matter how well you can do what you do, if no-one is prepared to pay you to do it then you have to find something else to do.

A basic principle of business is this. If what you do is easily done and can be done by many people that you will not be paid a premium rate for it as there is much competition for your job. But if what you do is not easily done and can only be done by a few people and there is a demand for what you do then you can demand a premium rate as there will be much competition for your services.

No-one owes you a living. You owe it to yourself to provide quality services that ensure that you earn your living. So from today start demanding the best from yourself. Do whatever you do as well as you can. Learn the skills that are needed by the market and realise that STRIVING to improve your services is a far better strategy than STRIKING to increase your wages. Because while you can demand higher wages You cannot "DEMAND" your way to wealth unless you are DEMANDING better performance from yourself!

To live your best life be true to the YOU, that you want to be.

Live with passion. Change your life from making a living to making a difference.

Live up to the reputation that you want to have.