My truckers view might be a little different than some drivers out there. I’m one of those people that needs and craves constant change in my life. I need to be challenged both physically and mentally, or I quickly become bored.
I’ve worked the highways, the oilfields and the Ice Roads. I guess I should also include city work in that mix, because that’s where I started my career. Come to think of it, It was a few months of yard shunting where it really all began. I don’t regret the yard shunting for the valuable backing up skills I gained although it didn’t align with my idea of a truckers view.
I was moving between 50 to 100 trailers a shift with a large company using day cabs and bunk trucks. The yard was tight and we kept a gap of about 18 inches between the trailers. I didn’t have a hydraulic shunt truck, so I learned how to back up quickly while getting a good workout.
There are ways you can turn your time into money if you want something more out of life. Maybe you can share your truckers view of work and life?
Trucking was not my original career choice. It was something I picked up later in my life after going through a layoff from another career. I always enjoyed driving and felt it would be a good skill to fall back on when I needed it. I had no idea I would stay in it as long as I did.
The good thing about trucking is it’s such a vast industry with so many choices. There are so many different jobs and places to go that it met my needs of constant challenge and change. I still felt there was something more for my life like many of us feel. I wanted to have a little more money, freedom, success, and challenge.
Over the years I’ve run across many other drivers not satisfied with truck driver pay. That’s ok. It’s normal to want more out of life. You’re not alone in feeling the squeeze. I’ve had some pretty high paying truck driving jobs in the oilfields, but found that total dependency on someone else was not the answer for me.
We all have a unique truckers view on work and life in general. Maybe you are happy, content settled, or maybe you were like me and needed a little inspiration to get a little more out of life?
Do you want more out of life?
My truckers view is meant to inspire anyone that believes there is something more that awaits them.
“If you aren’t willing to build your own dreams, there’ll always be someone happy to hire you to help
them build theirs.”
I found a way to use my off duty time effectively to follow my own dreams and add some mental stimulation to my life. I realized that you can succeed with little or no investment. It’s not about how much money, how smart you are, or how much education you have. People that succeed are “Resourceful”. With wifi for truckers so readily available, there are many resources available to build passive, or residual incomes.
As drivers, we really are the thinkers of the world. Driving down the road gives us countless hours to think about anything and everything.
Truck drivers come from all walks of life, and have an incredible knowledge base. We have solved the world’s problems, invented great things, and come up with some pretty amazing business ideas. I’ve heard many a truckers view of life, business, politics, and just about everything else over the CB and VHF radio. They start as conversations to pass time, but can develop into dreams.
So why then do these ideas or dreams never make it past a conversation or thought? There are a number of reasons, so let’s look at four of the biggest reasons.
Why do we fail to follow through on our dreams?
Time
Most drivers work excessive hours, and have a limited amount of time at home with their families. This makes it very difficult to start any time consuming venture.
You have to make a plan to use your time effectively on the road. If you have waiting time, delivery time, shut down roads, or any other opportunity, use your time effectively. I was fortunate to have lots of paid downtime as a driver in the oil and gas industry in northern Alberta and British Columbia. The bottom line was, I used my time wisely.
Involving other family members in your goals or dreams can also help you overcome the time issues. Working as a team is important in any relationship. Your family becomes your team, and strengthens your relationship when you’re on the road.
Fear of failing or losing financial investment
Many people are comfortable working for others, and enjoy that safety net employers can provide. With any new venture there’s always risk. This means a general fear of being a failure, along with the fear of losing money. Remember these two quotes below when it comes to fear and money.
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure does”. Unknown
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill.
Fear and money kill far too many dreams. The truth is, there are numerous ways a person can start a business, or earn a passive income with little or no investment. Remember that time IS money. If you lack financial resources, than stick to ideas where you can spend your “time” over your money.
The smaller the financial investment, the less fear you should have.
