PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
In 2014 parts of the Australian Defence Force were offered a 1.5% pay rise. This in effect was a pay cut, as they could buy less the following year when compared to the prior year. We all want more, but to get it we
need to start increasing our earnings by a multiple of inflation, otherwise we are going nowhere and fast. Paying in line with inflation doesn’t
make businesses evil, bloodsucking corporations, as generally, they can only increase the cost of their goods and services by the same amount. If a business increased everyone’s pay by 10 or 20% each year it would be a sure way to have no businesses left! Have you ever wondered why some
people tend to have all of the luck? Or why people, who are not necessarily smarter or more talented than you, happen to win promotions and do well in business? I’ll let you into a little secret: it’s
HOW TO get ahead
By Christopher Dean
MOST PEOPLE’S PAY increases by approximately 3%. This is in line with inflation. Inflation, or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), is the rate at which the cost of living increases each year. It factors in food, energy, property and health costs, for example. The cost of living is a silent assassin.
It eats away at the middle class’s savings, earnings and, eventually, dreams. If I were to earn $100K this
38 AUGUST 2015
year and qualify for a 3% pay rise next year, I may initially be happy about $3K more pay. However the cost of rent, bread, milk and medicine have all risen by an average of 2-3% as well. That means my $103K can only buy me what $100K could this year, and therefore I have failed to get ahead. That’s why the word JOB is a little
known acronym standing for Just Over Broke.
nothing to do with luck. Successful people have been taught how to behave in professional settings, how to make opportunities and how to improve themselves so they leave their peers in their wake. I have worked with, trained and
in the rat race
To get ahead in the rat race we need to get better at focussing and key tasks, and take steps to do things over and above what we are paid to do.
managed successful professionals all over the world. I’ve found that success leaves clues. Successful people form and share habits which they stick to and follow.
When I started in my career I enlisted a mentor who asked me a question, one that has stayed with me and is one that I repeat almost weekly when I train my teams: If you are not investing in yourself, does that mean YOU are a bad investment?
I realised I wasn’t investing in myself at all. As far as I was concerned the property or stock markets were the only ways to invest. I started reading books, which was a bit of a shock to the system. I didn’t grow up reading unless I really had to and if I was studying, I was cramming to the last minute. I now found
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