Now that I'm retired, I think I've finally got the hang of it.

Except for a few short forays into the "9 to 5" milieu, for the first part of my working life I had the good fortune to be able to do it with music. For about ten years I made a marginal but thoroughly enjoyable living singing in various venues and giving guitar lessons. Then, in 1966, I went to work for Boeing, and I began to get a clue as to the vulnerabilities of working for someone other than myself.

That was the first of a number of jobs that eventually taught me the hard way to realize that, even though I might be employed by someone else, I had to keep in mind that I was actually working for myself. Some outfits make a big deal out of "company loyalty," but somehow they seem to forget that loyalty is a door that swings both ways. Through no fault of my own, I've been laid off from a whole batch of jobs—and no, it wasn't just me. Anywhere from half a dozen people (a couple of radio stations) to tens of thousands (Boeing, Ma Bell) wound up laid off at the same time. Standard business procedure:   RIF. "Reduction in force."

By the last time this sort of thing happened, I had achieved a certain age, so I decided "Screw it! I'm gonna retire so I can do what I really want to do: play music and write!"

As I look back on my work history, a comment that an old-time radio announcer once made to me sounds out like a clarion call:   He said, "Once you've got yourself a new job, the first thing you should do is update your resumé—and keep your bags packed!"

This ties in with the First Rule of Wing-Walking:   Never let go with one hand until you have a firm grip with the other.

In short, never settle in. Always, always, once you have a new job, start planning your next move. Keep your finger on the pulse of other jobs you might be interested in. Learn a new skill if need be. You may not actually have to make that next move, but being prepared assures you of two things. First, you won't be at a loss if the unexpected happens; you can immediately go into action. And second, you know that, since you do have an escape route, there is a limit to the amount of crap you need to take off your current employer.

Even if you're employed by someone else, be your own boss.

Don Firth