STOP WORKING FOR UNCLE SAM SUNDAY ADELAJA Sunday Adelaja Stop Working For Uncle Sam ©2017 Sunday Adelaja ISBN 978-1-908040-34-3 Copyright © Golden Pen Limited Milton Keynes, United Kingdom. All rights reserved www.goldenpenpublishing.com This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise — without prior written permission of the author. Cover design by Alexander Bondaruk Interior design by Olena Kotelnykova © Sunday Adelaja, 2017, The Mountain Of Ignorance — Milton Keynes, UK: Golden Pen Limited, 2017 All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 6 PART I UNDERSTANDING UNCLE SAM SYSTEM 21 Chapter One WHO IS UNCLE SAM? 22 Chapter Two LIFE CYCLE IN UNCLE SAM SYSTEM 41 Chapter Three UNCLE SAM’S BAIT 61 Chapter Four RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY 81 Chapter Five MORTGAGING YOUR CHILDREN TO UNCLE SAM 99 PART II WORK: GOD’S VIEW VERSUS UNCLE SAM’S VIEW 109 Chapter Six WHO IS YOUR LORD? 110 Chapter Seven ARE YOU A MASTER OR A SLAVE OF MONEY 123 Chapter Eight WORK SHOULD BE KINGDOM BUSINESS 133 Chapter Nine THE PURPOSE OF WORK IN GOD’S ECONOMY 149 Chapter Ten IF YOU MUST WORK FOR UNCLE SAM 159 PART III STRATEGIES AND WAYS TO SET YOURSELF FREE FROM UNCLE SAM SYSTEM 171 Chapter Eleven GET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT 172 Chapter Twelve DISCOVER AND DEVELOP YOUR PASSION 187 Chapter Thirteen ADD VALUE TO YOURSELF AND BEGIN TO OFFER YOUR SERVICES 205 Chapter Fourteen BUILD STRATEGIES FOR KINGDOM LIVING 227 Chapter Fifteen KNOW AND PERFECT THE LAWS OF MONEY 237 Chapter Sixteen HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY 257 PART IV STOP WORKING FOR UNCLE SAM 265 Chapter Seventeen WHAT IT MEANS TO STOP WORKING FOR UNCLE SAM 266 EPILOGUE – TAKE ACTION 274 INTRODUCTION Although man throughout history has had to work to meet his needs, modern society wants people to believe they have gained economic freedom, when in actuality they are bound in servitude. Modern society is structured and characterized by a form of slavery almost unknown to a lot of people. Modern day slavery manifests in many forms and it is largely self-inflicted. People ultimately make the choice to come under oppressive conditions in order to survive in today’s consumer driven economy. Millions of people in employment today wake up every day unhappy, unfulfilled, like drones with zero motivation, just going through the motions all in the name of survival. It is obvious that people are selling themselves; their time, talents and sacrificing family happiness just for mere survival and an illusory sense of financial security. As you pick up this book, I want you to know that your life is too precious to end up in mediocrity. No single human being was created to just find employment, earn a salary, retire and die. Every human being is born to answer a particular cry of humanity. You too were born for something big. Instead of putting maximum, best effort and energy into discovering, harnessing and developing the potential within and finding freedom through self-expression, unfortunately, many people are going around looking for employment. Looking for jobs that trap them for life and they can’t do anything about it. They are looking for employment that robs them of a rewarding and meaningful work experience. “Only you are responsible for your life and for making it a happy life” therefore quit blaming other people or the system and take control of your life. Let’s take a look at a bible snapshot of two brothers found in the book of Genesis. Born from the same father and mother, two brothers with two different destinies, the story of Esau and Jacob is simply intriguing. Isaac was a very rich and wealthy man. After much waiting, Rebecca, Isaac’s wife had twins, Esau and Jacob. The Boys grew. Esau became a cunning hunter, a wild man loving the outdoors. His brother, on the other hand, preferred the familiar surroundings; he simply kept the family flocks. One day Jacob was cooking a local delicacy soup when Esau came running in from his hunting expedition. And he was very hungry. The aroma of the soup Jacob was preparing was simply irresistible; Esau just had to have some of that soup. Jacob saw the desperation in Esau’s eyes. Nothing else mattered at that moment to Esau but the need to fulfill his hunger. As Jacob dillydallied, Esau shouted, “Quick, give me some of that soup”. Realizing an opportunity, Jacob asked, “What will you give me in return?” Jacob went on with his demand and said, “How about giving me your birthright in exchange for my soup?” The birthright was a potential of ownership of all of a father’s wealth. This was an entitlement of the firstborn son. The firstborn would access his father’s wealth only upon the death of his father. And as long as the father lived, the firstborn like every other child worked for the father. Potentially the firstborn owned everything. He had to grow up and mature before he could command the wealth. Jacob was playing a dangerous game but Esau was so famished, he hardly knew or cared what was going on. “Look here,” said Esau, “Can’t you see I’m dying of hunger? What use is my birthright to me?” Jacob, who was a master in this negotiation, demanded that Esau gives his word to seal the deal. Esau, without even thinking about the implications of his decision, hastily swore the oath. Pushing his brother aside, he devoured the soup with some bread to go with it. He ate and drank his fill. Then he got up, satisfied and simply walked away. That is how little Esau cared about his birthright – his father’s special blessing that would see him inherit his father’s wealth. In life, you are either a Jacob or an Esau. The ‘Jacobs’ produce goods and services while the ‘Esaus’ consume. These two characters define two classes of people in an economy, those who work to produce goods and services, and those who work to consume. Jacob used the implements in his environment skilfully to produce a finished product while Esau just hunted and never produced a consumable product. Consumerism is defined as “the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of goods and service”. We live in a world that in the literal analysis is driven by three words; eat, drink and cloth. To respond to consumerism people in most cases have to go and look for a job so that they can earn some money. Like Esau, many people today act instinctively by just looking for employment. They don’t take the time to critically think about what matters most to them. The rat race of life is that the more money you earn the more you can buy and satisfy your daily needs, and the circle repeats day in day out. Remember in the story of Esau, all he cared for was satisfying his immediate need. He despised his birthright. Consumerism is pushing millions of people to sell out their birthright. Do you know that you too have a birthright? How much do you care about your birthright? Do you know what your birthright is? Take time to think, what is the value of your birthright? Are you despising your birthday by getting a job? GET TO KNOW YOUR BIRTHRIGHT You may have nothing today. You may even be stranded in unpleasant circumstances but you have the potential to become whatever you were created to become. Human potential is the ability of a person (individual) or humanity (a group of individuals) to put their theoretical abilities into practice. The word “potential” comes from the Latin word “potentia” which means “strength”. We can think of potential as a hidden opportunity, ability, strength, that can be displayed under enabling circumstances. Your potential is your birthright. You are loaded with great abilities, talents, gifts, strengths by which you can become all you need to become in life. What you need to move from where you are to where you want to be is already in you. The method God designed for man to actuate his potential is work. Through work, men manifest their potential. But like Esau and Jacob the type of work you do will either make you manifest your potential or inhibit it. The most important work you can do in life is the one which unveils to the world what God deposited in you. That’s why you should begin to think seriously about your job. Let’s see how this story of Esau and Jacob further exemplifies two typical work and income systems. TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED WORK AND INCOME SYSTEMS In most cases, people just work jobs without much thought of the underlying systems governing their field of work. The first and most popular system goes something like this; Go to school, get good grades, so you can get a “good” job, make lots of money, get a house mortgage, a car and get married, keep up with the Joneses, and be “successful“. People in this system never pause to ask if what they are doing is an expression of their full potential. What matters to them is getting salary and settling immediate needs. This group of workers is just engaged in jobs merely for the salary. The point I am making here is that those people who work in this system are the “Esaus” that damn their birthright for a bowl of soup. That salary you are being given is the bowl of soup while you throw your potential in the trash can. The second system is one in which people work to fulfill their potential. This system goes something like this; discover self, develop self through value addition, work in a job of your passion and earn money to work for you. People in this system discover and make use of their potential to produce goods and services. The motivation for people in this system is not survival but fulfillment. It is sad to note that only about 3% of the world’s population work in this system. Allow me to share a story that illustrates these two systems in modern day situations. It is a fascinating story of one of America’s accomplished entrepreneurs. Robert Kiyosaki tells his life story in his book “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, where these two systems are exemplified. Robert went through 30 years learning journey about money. Robert’s best friend Mike was an all-weather companion and the two of them went on this learning journey together. Robert had two dads; his biological father and his best friend’s father. Mike’s dad is the character Roberts refers to as “rich dad” and his biological father as “poor dad”. His poor dad was a highly educated man, commanding a successful career with good earnings but yet poor. On the other hand, rich dad never finished eighth grade and had no college degree. But through ardent hard work and a sound wealth mindset rich dad went on to become one of Hawaii’s richest men. Just like many parents, both of these men gave genuine advice to young Robert. But they advised different principles. Even on the same subject matter the two presented different advice. They presented two diametrically opposed work and income systems. For example, one would advise saying, “Study hard so you can find a good company to work for”. The other dad recommended, “Study hard so you can find a good company to buy”. Poor dad’s advice, unfortunately, is what a lot of parents advice their children and it is killing their dreams and aspirations in life. At age 9, Robert had to make a painful decision. That decision is the reason Robert is an icon of wealth today. Robert decided to listen and learn from his rich dad, consequently rejecting the advice of his poor dad, even though he was the one with all the college degrees. Having made the decision Robert’s journey about money begun, lasting for 30 years till he was 39 years old. Having been educated in the school of mastering money, Robert retired at 47 and went on to do what he enjoys most; investing. Like most people in the Esau system, poor dad died living bills to be paid while rich dad died living millions of dollars to his family, charities, and church. You see, it not just a matter of working. You need to study the system under which you are working. Reader, are you aware of these two systems that govern work and means of income? Many people are so naive that they suspend critical thought about their jobs thus condemning themselves to employment servitude for life. Are you among the poor and middle class who work in a system that never promotes or allows financial freedom? The poor work in a system that takes away from them the little they earn while the rich work in a system that multiplies what they earn, bringing them joy and according to them opportunities to engage in their passions and hobbies. Can you confidently say you are in that clique of the rich who work in a system that produces wealth? Despite all the degrees poor dad, like millions of people out there had no clue of the systems of work and income that exist. He was simply going through the motions. The rich employ money to sponsor their passions and hobbies while the poor work their whole life for money. With the obsession of finding employment, you could be abandoning the things you are passionate about into enslavement. Don’t end up in a job that will bore you to lunacy. Let me ask you the following questions: 1. What is your philosophy (belief and value system) regarding work and money? 2. Do you find security in just finding a job or you are free spirited and take risks? 3. Do you see your salary by itself as a means to your financial freedom? 4. Does your work accord you the freedom to think of new ways of doing things better? 5. Are you planning to retire early or you are only looking forward to retiring at the constitution stipulated age? 6. What dreams, passions and hobbies have you given up to do the job you are doing? 7. Do you wake up every morning thinking you could be doing something else than going to your current job? 8. Given another chance would you choose to do a different job? I want you to take the time to honestly answer these questions before proceeding to read. Answering these questions will help you make meaningful benefit of the fore coming information. By the end of this reading, you should be able to comfortably answer the above questions and draw conclusions that will help you be free from employment servitude. WHY STAY IN A JOB YOU HATE Myopia characterizing the workforce is lamentable, millions are led into willful slavery to a system that cripples their God-endowed ingenuity. In a 1968 issue of Harvard Business Review, Frederick Herzberg published a now- classic article titled “One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?” Herzberg wrote, “People are more satisfied with their jobs (and therefore must be motivated) when those jobs give them the opportunity to experience achievement. Thus to say a person must find something beyond mere work. That something is an achievement. People are motivated if they are able to evaluate their job in terms of achievement rather than salary.