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Thread: Not maximizing my potential earnings

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Not maximizing my potential earnings

    So, I'm feeling guilty lately. I work about 1 week a month (or less), in that week make about enough for two months of (very basic) living. The rest of the month I'm doing schoolwork and side projects, but neither of them are getting me anywhere in a hurry- they're just fun, I enjoy them.

    I'm putting away enough money in my investments/savings/retirement/mortgage yearly that I don't feel like I'm lagging behind my peers or anything...except some of my dancing peers. I know I could net 10K a month if I worked my ass off and really went for it, but I just...can't. Or don't want to, or something.

    I don't know, I just feel like I have this great opportunity that isn't going to last, and I'm letting it slip by. Which I guess is the case. So how do I motivate myself to work harder when I'm pretty happy as is?

    I don't want to look back and wonder why I didn't take advantage when I had the chance.

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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    I don't know what to tell you! I wish I had the opportunity to make 10K per month! I have a real job and dancing and am not making that much! I think you just need to make up your mind that you're going to do it. Maybe set goals for yourself. Like if you make x amount this week, you'll buy yourself the Manolo Blahnik shoes you've always wanted or that LV purse you're dying for or if you make x amount for the month you'll buy yourself that diamond tennis bracelet you've had your eye on for a long time. That's all the advice I can think of but remember, you're only going to be young enough for so long to do this and don't let the time slip away. And you know the older you get, the faster time flies. I'm nearly 30 and just started dancing. THe reason I'm starting now is because I've realized that I won't look like I do for a whole lot longer so I need to make the most of my time and make as much as I can while I can. Hope this helps you some.

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    God/dess Emily's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    gosh, if $10,000/mo doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will!

    But maybe that's not for you.

    You are able to live a life of leisure, which is a rarity. How many people lie on their death bed and wish they made more money.....versus the ones that wish they did more of the things that make them happy?

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Well, 10K a month would be a good month, and only if the law of diminishing returns didn't come into play...I guess 10k before tax, probably. I'm calculating based on working 6/7 days a week. That's $350-400 a night net- doable.

    I mean, we all know we could make crazy bank if we pushed ourselves hard enough... it's just getting the motivation to push!

    And quiet you- you're one of the people I wish I could emulate in terms of work ethic!

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    God/dess Emily's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    <-------*robostripper*

    hehe, I think you're doing fine. Sometimes I wish I could just chill out, but I can't think about all the money I'm missing out on if I'm not at work. I just love money. And puppies.

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    ^^^ think of your dancing earnings like an 'oil well' ... there's absolutely no guarantee that the 'well' won't run dry next month or next year, so if you pass up earnings opportunities now there's no guarantee those same opportunities will be available next month or next year when you really need them.

    Of specific relevance to dancing, all it takes is one new anti-dance club ordinance being passed, one major area employer/industry falling on tough times, etc. and the entire 'business model' and earnings potential equation of strip clubs in your city could change in short order.

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    Veteran Member showmethemoney's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Quote Originally Posted by scarlett_vancouver
    So, I'm feeling guilty lately. I work about 1 week a month (or less), in that week make about enough for two months of (very basic) living. The rest of the month I'm doing schoolwork and side projects, but neither of them are getting me anywhere in a hurry- they're just fun, I enjoy them.

    I'm putting away enough money in my investments/savings/retirement/mortgage yearly that I don't feel like I'm lagging behind my peers or anything...except some of my dancing peers. I know I could net 10K a month if I worked my ass off and really went for it, but I just...can't. Or don't want to, or something.

    I don't know, I just feel like I have this great opportunity that isn't going to last, and I'm letting it slip by. Which I guess is the case. So how do I motivate myself to work harder when I'm pretty happy as is?

    I don't want to look back and wonder why I didn't take advantage when I had the chance.
    Geeze this is a toughie. I know exactly what you mean about taking advantage while you've got the game. If I were you, I'd try to find the best balance to suit your schedule and satisfaction. -It sounds like you've done this already, but if you weren't concerned you wouldn't have posted this question. Try working more..unless it effects your GPA or extracurricular activities. Maybe like 1 extra week/month?
    Even though your peers are making more, you are just as well off as they are. You're saving and investing for one thing, but your also taking time to experience more of life and earning your education too. That's a hell of a lot more than what many people do. So..consider yourself wealthy!

  9. #8
    madmaxine
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Very easy to do. Psych yourself out with nightmare scenarioes. Long illness. Car accident & the other driver has no insurance. Your tuition bill suddenly increases. You get accepted to a coveted school but *gasp* you can't afford to go. One of your friends or family members needs help (careful on that one though.)
    "Hindsight is 20/20" on this one....

  10. #9
    Miss. Kristina Lee
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    perhaps use a reward system. if you can make 30,000 in 3 months (based on your best case scenario) youll use some of that money to go on a vacation or donate to a charity you like or something.

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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    I wish I was in your position where I would earn enough in one week's work a month to live off of for approx. 2 months!! It would definately allow me to do more with my time to increase my passive income.

    Have you thought about devoting the excess time to developing more passive income avenues such as modelling, your own website (with "merchandise" such as prints, desktop wallpapers, screensavers, calendars both desktop as print, posters, "used" clothing items, wishlist etc as well as a "members only" section??), increasing your financial literacy/knowledge, or even just volunteering... maybe look into buying a business (being the owner not necessarily the operator) etc?

    Otherwise, if you wanting to take advantage of your time: work in a strip club a couple of nights every other week ??

    Don't burn yourself out just because you are greedy. Work as much as you can... tap into that potential to earn more... then get to a point where you have enough money coming in thanks to your passive income (and/or investments) that you really don't HAVE to work more than one week each month and do so "for fun" not income... and just use that income as you please.

    My ultimate goal is to be where you are.. dancing a couple of nights one week a month and eventually give it up altogether so I can concentrate on being an entrenpenaur (sp?) via buying businesses (which will provide me income and make me feel productive as I wouldn't mind being a business owner) as well as investor (property and off-shore).


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  12. #11
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Scarlett, you sound happy to me. You're saving up, you're pursuing your own projects, you've got schoolwork which will presumably lead to another career when you're ready to retire from dancing... so what's the problem??

    You might make more money if you worked your ass off all the time, but would that make you happy? Or would you lament the time you missed from doing what really makes you happy?

    Work to live. Don't live to work!

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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    sometimes i struggle with the same issue that you have. motivation is a problem. however, as others have stated, you seem happy; also, it's great that you have hobbies. too many people fail to find time to set aside for themselves and only themselves. having interests in life that don't revolve around only making money are much more important than having money, itself. sure, having a comfortable amount of money saves people great amounts of stress that they may have due to financial problems...but you said that you already have a comfortable amount. so yeah...you only live once and you never know when you're going to die. morbid, but true. will that money really matter then?

    i ramble too much...my basic point is...you seem like you have a good balance

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Thanks all. I think I will make an effort to add some extra work into my schedule. I feel like a brat even complaining about the situation, but it's hard to let money flow by in an effort to live life, lol.

    Maybe 2 weeks a month would be a good balance. 1 week of hard hustling, and 1 week of stage-only would be good.

    Does anyone else just have this constant, nagging feeling that the bottom's going to drop out of all this (stripping) soon? I think that's what's giving me the anxiety about motivation/not working enough.

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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    ^^I know the feeling...Every night I make a lot feels slightly miraculous, and I think "these won't keep happening...". Then every night I make not as much I think "that's right you twit, the good times are over and you've pissed away your opportunity...".

    I most definitely do not maximize my earning potential, and I'm trying to crack down harder on myself. This is altogether too easy of a job to have, what with being able to skip out basically every second shift if I feel like it, experiencing no reprimand at all. I wish I knew how to be my own boss a little more responsibly...I'm trying to resolve myself and plan better. It's been almost of year of dancing, and considering how much I damn well *could have* saved, well...it's a little disheartening.

    You seem to have it together though Scarlett. Saving money while going to school is pretty good, I think. (and if you do make it to Ottawa this summer let me know! though my club is a little too depressing to be truly recommendable, still there's some money to be made if you want to brave it!)

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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    I think working 2 weeks a month is reasonable, but I'd work somewhere where you can hustle too or pick a week to do stage when you have lots to do for school so between your shoes you are doing your schoolwork and maximizing your time that way. That's when I start to think about all the money I am missing out. I look at the stage girls at Mugs who just go upstairs between their shows and make their 200 a day and think that they could be trippling what they make. Take those 2 weeks and work hard, and you'll enjoy the other two weeks more because you will feel that you deserve them.

    ...kudos to those dancers who work 5 or 6 days a week every month, but I know that I couldn't do it without burning myself out and I would definatetly see my income twindle. I am good for about a month of hard hustling and then I have to take a break. Remember that year that you worked every week including Sundays? You were making money, but were you happy? Did you feel that your life had balance? Did you have time for anything else?

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    Featured Member london's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    Maybe work the one full week and then a half week...and save half of those earnings and dont touch it! If you already have a savings/retirement account use all of that money from the extra 2 of the 4 days that you work during that half week and keep track of how it adds up. That will keep you motivated. Then, maybe put a percentage of what you make on the remaining two days into a 'fun' fund that you will use at a certain deadline....and reward yourself!
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    I feel you Scarlett and have often felt the same over the years. I have done a lot of travel, study, had some great experiences and while I am still debt free I often kick myself for not having "something to show for it".

    When I started I had things in mind and knew I didn't want to come out of the industry empty handed - however when I really knuckled down and worked and saved hard I would just burn myself out and get so head fucked that I would have to take a few months off to rebalance myself and in the meantime I spent what I had worked so hard to save.

    For me it comes down to slow and steady wins the race. I still wish I could be one of those hardcore strippers that can work 5/6 nights a week consistently and be ok with that, I know it is just not me and have to respect that. I am cool with working 2/3 nights, saving more than the average, living life as I please, coming and going as I please ... at the end of the day it is about experiences and quality of life. Not about how much "stuff" you can accumulate.

    So ask yourself ... are you happy with you? Where you are at, what you are doing and what you can achieve? Do YOU really want to change your work habits or is it just that you feel you SHOULD? Doing things cos you feel you SHOULD is never a good idea in my books. Stick with the life and flow that makes you happy, that makes you grow/glow!

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    God/dess shasta's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not maximizing my potential earnings

    The circut thing in BC can be a lot of work. For girls that don't know dancers like Scarlett are booked for 6 straight days at a particular club. You have to work the full week. I am wondering though... can you share your bookings with another dancer? It would get tricky with promos... just a thought.
    I don't think it is your style, but does your agency have a rule about dropping in, lets say at the penthouse for vip?
    One week bookings and intense travel can burn you out if you do it too much.
    I just got back from a travel job and worked 2 weeks with one day off. The stage work was intense. I miss Tucson where I could regularly work 3 nights a week.
    I still think this topic is a difficult one b/c of the syle of dancing/bookings in BC and for travel jobs.

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