April 27, 2010 149 Comments

Escape Velocity

rocket launch Since I spoke at Disney a few months back to the “social media moms” group ( Murray Newlands has a write-up), one thing has been on my mind more than anything else: people are hurting out there, economically. Financially, folks in the US (and probably everywhere) are doing a lot worse off than we used to be. Families are cutting into their savings to cover bills. Many people have been out of work for 18-24 months, instead of the typical few weeks that used to be the norm. It’s rough out there. I’ve been thinking a lot about escape velocity.

It’s Hard to Achieve Escape Velocity

My definition of “escape velocity” is “the ability to leave a situation that isn’t helpful or desired.” So, in lots of cases, this can be applied to the jobs people take. If you’re not happy where you are, but you need the money, that means you’re not able to reach escape velocity. (You can use this in lots of ways, such as having trouble with relationships, with a change in your habits – it’s the same mindset).

With financial matters, it’s really hard. Money tensions impact a lot of other things. If you hate your job but you need it, you’re kind of stuck. Or, in lots of cases, financial problems cause us to make “deals with the Devil.”

For instance, I once had to get out of a car loan in a hurry, and had to roll it into a new loan. That new loan was horrible, and I ate that bad decision for about four years. For a while, I also chose to be late on a mortgage payment here or there, in service of attending conferences, where I hoped to make connections that would bring in more money. My credit had (has?) some serious dents in it, but the strategy paid off after a few years (a few itchy-scary years, mind you).

Some Future Positioning

Over the next few months, there will be some changes to my business. (Nothing will change at New Marketing Labs, just to be clear.) I’m going to work on helping people understand how to make human business – and by this, I define “human business” as sustainable, relationship-minded business practices. I’m building a whole bunch of information to that effect, and I’m also retooling my outreach and coverage methods to ensure that we talk here about the various businesses that we think are doing a good job at “human business.”

Part of this will be to help families and smaller businesses achieve escape velocity. I want to help you understand how I found my way out of the trap, and I want to help you find ways to add a little more to your own efforts. It won’t be a very hard turn in the road. I don’t think you’ll run away from the site if you’re a marketer from a huge company. But instead, you’ll see even more that you can do for yourself along the way.

Does this make sense? Are you struggling with those challenges in some way or another? What do you think?

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Photo credit Steve Jurvetson

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  • http://www.LibreriaBerea.com Edwin Soler

    Very, very helpful. Love your stuff. Too many people make “knee jerk” reactions and pay a BIG TOLL for their decisions. Leaving a stable job is not n easy decision but not impossible either.

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  • dancingbaglady

    Thanks for linking back to this post today. I'll be hanging out for the escape velocity focus upcoming. Money yes money. ying yang, apples organges, good evil. Perhaps the razors edge. Walking the tight rope and jumping for joy at the same time.

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  • http://twitter.com/tjandfred TJ Gronewold

    I beg of you to address the entrepreneur/small business audience. I have worked for a few privately owned gigs that are in their “teen” years of growth and just can't make it into maturity without lots of turnover and drama. And it stems from a promise on paper from the self-appointed CEO to “provide work/life balance” and “respect for all employees” yet decision they make for their business ignore discussions and requests from their employees. We just want to feel safe at work and get a meaningful payoff for all the energy, passion, time we invest in their dream. The CEO tends to try to set up business like a big corporation and recruit decisionmakers from these settings too. And I don't think those models work for start-ups and small businesses in teenhood. They ride the long tail of
    “oh what a good idea” as long as they can and fail to set up their support crew with other entrepreneurs and small business conductors. New business is a new tune and so many leaders need to take dance lessons. I applaud your words, your clarity, your human business model. Please bring it to life. I am am another voice in your chorus of new marketers who lead with the human in the work we produce and project.

  • Katiebean

    I love the description and the concept of escape velocity! I find something to think about every time I read you. The first time I think about it, I think, “That's cool.” And then the layers begin to emerge. Thanks so much for your practical, thoughtful postings.

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  • lauraclick

    Thanks for turning me on to this post today, Chris. I love this idea and I think a lot of people really NEED this. I know I can count myself as one of those people. I think there is a real shift happening that people no longer want to work in soul-less jobs just to make ends meet. Life is way too short and it's not worth it. However, we still have responsibilities, bills to pay, mouths to feed. It does present quite the conundrum.

    While there is certainly no quick fix, I think there are plenty of eager readers and people out there who desperately want some guidance on this topic. Thanks for listening to a need and responding to it. I look forward to seeing what you have in store.

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    This is awesome, Chris. Very eager to see how things continue to evolve at chrisbrogan.com. After reading through some comments below, though, I gotta say – Holy spamments, Batman! I'd stick around and read more, but I feel the irresistible urge to go buy some shoes.

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    I have to say, I agree that the spam is crazy! I know you are experimenting with keeping the spam filter off, Chris, but it makes me not want to subscribe follow-up comments since so many of them turn out to be spam. Have you considered turning it back off?

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    Chris

    Great Post about Escape Velocity gives me a lot to think about, I'm about half way through Trust Agents, Great Book , I recommend it to everyone

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  • http://www.thewoodenhub.com Heidi Wooden

    Hello Chris,

    Thank you for sharing some very poignant points.

    I recently made the decision to press the “escape velocity” button by tapping into my purpose–evidenced through the business venture I recently launched.

    I am of the mind that your Purpose is a must-have intention. More than defining yourself by your vocation or career, the knowledge of Purpose invites you to recognize and understand your core abilities and how to contribute. And this perception has led to much happier circumstances, and a better balanced life.

    Like others, I was faced with the dilemma of continuing to work just for a paycheck in a state of misery, or embracing my purpose and contributing in a way that yields a true win/win scenario. I recognize that each individual has to weigh the pros and cons of taking a bold stance, and in the final anaysis–despite economic hurdles–it's critical to follow your purpose and live a life of authenticity. Scary….initially, rewarding….you bet.

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  • http://heartmatters.pro Robinmallery

    Hello Jeremie,

    I am touched by your comment and inspired to honor the shift in perceptions that you and your wife are experiencing. The joy of recognizing your personal wealth in terms of spirituality, relationship, and time, is enriching and of a quality that will keep your rich forever.

    After resigning a long-term, conventional job to build and grow a new business for which I have a deep passion, my financial resources have become quite limited. One of the blessings of this life change however has been to come to an understanding that all the “things” I was used to buying, all the “things” I thought I needed or at least knew I wanted–were so trivial–especially in comparison with the sense of self I have gained in exchange.

    I wish for you and your wife an ongoing appreciation for each other and a belief that through your love, honesty, commitment, hard work, and mutual support, that your lives will work out exactly as they were meant to. Best to you both…

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  • http://twitter.com/cirklagirl Amy Putkonen

    I love this article. You were one of the first speakers I found on the web when I first got started learning this stuff a couple of years ago. There was a panel of people speaking and I believe you were the moderator and the video opened my eyes to a new world. Now, a few years later, I am still working to get that escape velocity. I believe it will happen though. Thanks for all you do, Chris!

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