There are plenty of sleepwalking SOMBIEs when you look around, I know because until recently I was most definitely one of them.
These folks think that they can do what their parents did and just work hard in a job, pay into their pension, don’t take on too much debt, and all will be fine when they retire.
Which is basically sleepwalking into a situation where you run out of money long before you depart this world.
Our parents had more or less jobs for life, companies (or unions) made sure they had a final salary pension waiting for them, and their houses went up between five and ten times in value during their working life.
The reality over the next thirty to forty years (until SOMBIEs retire) is that they will be made redundant at least once, won’t have a final salary pension at retirement, and their house will not go up between five and ten times in value – oh and it’s highly unlikely the generation below will be able to afford to buy said house when they want to downsize.
As I say, sleepwalking.
If you’ve never been made redundant then it’s hard to imagine you’ll ever be taken into that room by HR and told you have a few months (tops) to get yourself another job.
Anyone who isn’t preparing themselves (especially if they have a family) for a redundancy is very naïve. Those who have already been through it will know exactly what I mean.
But all is never lost, it just requires a reframe.
Sometimes that happens when the thing you’re not expecting to happen, happens.
Other times, you can take advantage of an opportunity right in front of you, and take control.
Acquiring new skills can position you for new income opportunities. However, those skills need to be opened up to a marketplace.
We know of one such anti get rich quick opportunity, but you’ll need to be quick as the deadline is tonight.
