Don’t Just Get a Job—Create One
:
Dear Son,
I know the world’s going to tell you to play it safe.
“Get a good job.”
“Stick with the plan.”
“Work hard, retire someday.”
They’ll say it like it’s the only way to live.
And for some, maybe it is.
But I need you to know this:
You don’t have to just get a job. You can create one.
Nobody told me that when I was young. I wish they had.
I grew up thinking freedom was something you bought at the end of 40 years of grinding, if you were lucky.
Now I know the truth:
Freedom is built, little by little, through what you create—
not just what you earn.
That doesn’t mean you have to be the next Steve Jobs or start some big fancy company.
It means you can take your skills, your story, your quirks—and find a way to turn them into value for someone else.
And when you do that, money follows.
Because the real economy isn’t just paychecks and pensions.
It’s problems and solutions.
If you can spot a problem people are struggling with—and offer a way to help—you’ve got yourself a business.
Even if it’s just you, a laptop, and a Wi-Fi signal.
I want you to understand this, especially if life ever knocks you flat (and it will):
You are not helpless.
You are not stuck.
You are not too old, too young, too anything.
You are capable of building something that pays you back—not just with income, but with dignity and purpose.
Look around.
People are making money sharing what they know.
Fixing what others can’t.
Coaching, creating, flipping, writing, designing, building, marketing, coding, farming, crafting, even just talking and teaching and being real.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a degree.
You need curiosity. Grit. And a bit of courage.
And one day, if you do it right, you’ll wake up with no boss to answer to and no alarm clock screaming at you to go build someone else’s dream.
I’m not anti-job. I’m just pro-freedom.
So if you ever wonder what you should “do with your life,” remember this:
Don’t just chase a job title.
Create a life that fits you.
Build something that can’t be taken away.
And never forget—you’ve got more power than you think.
Love,
Dad
(if I had one to hand this to)
📌 This letter was written by Fred Ferguson (GeezerWise). If it spoke to you, I’d love to hear back—just hit reply.
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