Consider someone like myself – who has experienced delusions, detachment from reality, voices in my head, clinical depression and a struggle, before painting, to earn an income – how discussion about safety can be a really touchy subject. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not scared of heights, although I was allowed to take my time and grow into that task on my own paint outs. Is painting to Safety a financial venture? If you earn so much money are you then safe? Do the bills stop coming or is it experience that makes you safe? Only to turn almost 50 and realize that the game of life is at least half way over and things don’t change that much for everyone else either. Are the rich or retired safer? Not by my count. They die of boredom or ramp up to ‘get more’. The proverbial more never enough.
So what makes it safe? Am I teaching you to fish? No and the ability to find work, do the work and get paid only goes so far itself. I think safety means to me, a resilience of sorts. There are so many ups and downs throughout each and every day that it seems tragically endless. However, over time I seem to be less and less stressed about it. It’s not that I don’t suffer or feel pain anymore, but it’s simply harder and harder to inflict the damage on my psyche. Sure I still complain when I am pushed too hard by a couple jobs. In fact that was the test of the last 3 paint jobs. How far would I go to prove a point to my students?
I took on 3 paint jobs. A Residential Exterior Stucco paintout, an Office space with a grand opening deadline and a small job – 2 rooms for my neighbor, a repeat customer. I completed most of the stucco job in the first two weeks and then had to start the office job to meet the grand opening. Now best case scenario I could do this in prime health with one helper in 4 – 5 weeks. Well, he got sick. The homeowner insisted I continue and that coming back in two weeks was unacceptable. So, are you ready? Here we go, fun time. I worked mornings for the stucco job, maybe 2-3 hours, took a rest in the afternoons and worked evenings on the office job for 2 whole weeks. In which I rarely saw my family to please others. After 4 weeks and one grand opening later I sent an email outlining my issues of health and the duress of taking on the 3-story walk-out, a 3600 square foot office space and my neighbour God bless her. It took 2 more weeks of evenings to complete the office space and my neighbour felt that she simply wanted the rooms complete before the furniture came on Wednesday, could I help. It was after all a small job. We’ll touch the stucco job again in our 2nd Video Series – Paid Pro Painter. All is not what it seems. In summary I worked 6 weeks, going on 7 now and the Office is done, the stucco is as done as it going to get and my neighbour is waiting a little longer. I figure it will take me about 2 more weeks to regain my health. But I earned $ 7500 on the Stucco job, about the same for the Office’s and $ 1200 from my neighbour. In 10 weeks including recovery I earned $16 200 in gross revenue.
So what is safety and what the hell does it have to do with painting of all things? Believe it or not, the struggles to overcome my illness have taught me that within my grasp is a tremendous power to do a good job. The degree to which a job is perfect and complete is completely in line with if you pay enough for me to do the job correctly, treat me properly on the job AND really come through when you say you have more jobs. But if you lie, cheat or steal (time mostly), from me and disregard my health or my family time then you’ll hear from me.
In fact it’s really a nonverbal communication because I only do what I can do each day and I no longer let anyone push me past what I can do. Except this time I did. You see I am still as fragile as when I began painting 14 years ago and it takes weeks to get back to functioning. But we’re okay enough to do this. My ability to push on and complete jobs was learned one room at a time back when I was very ill. What others perceive as laziness or a disregard for the job, it’s more a learned lesson that if I do not stand up for myself then nobody will. That is a kind of resilience safety valve if you will. I can be pushed so far then I have to say no.
Some will argue that I took the money, I’ve been paid, I HAVE to work. I’ll tell you how to avoid all these issues by playing it straight in our second course, 2. Paid Professional Painter Video Series, available for you today. In the meantime grab the first series 1. Basic Skills and learn to manage and cope with your illness as we learn the techniques we use everyday to paint 1 room at a time. Still not convinced, we are also completing our introductory workshop to give you a overview of what painting to safety for you would look like.
In summary, safety is what you need it to be. How about consistent income, then spread these jobs out more. How about more income in less time? How about a rest if you are ill? All these things are possible if you trust me and grow.
Cheers!
Kurt Killen
