$15 Minimum Wage

I went to a local coffee shop this afternoon (17/5/2015) before I sat down to write some books and had an interesting encounter. The cashier incorrectly input the amount I gave her and became confused, and then proceeded to ask me what my change should be. I told her the correct and honest amount and as she was counting it out to return to me, she said, "I'm not very good at math (chuckle)."

My eyes grew wide and my thoughts were going a mile a minute:

• Why in the world is she on the register?
• How many other customers or transactions has she messed up and caused loss to either party?
• Why is she speaking death over herself and celebrating her weakness?
• Who hired her?
• Is she not trained in presenting the positive?
• Wasn't she trained to perfection before being released as a cashier?
• And people have the nerve to ask for $15 minimum wage?

Seriously ... my mind was going a mile a minute. I work toward and teach principles of excellence. Everything I produce isn't perfect I know, but I continue to work on things as necessary because continued growth is the only guaranteed path *to* excellence. 

This is the problem I have with minimum wage, unions and organizations such as school districts that pay everyone the same based on some system. Everyone doesn't have the same competence as everyone else so why do they all get paid the same? It's not logical at all. I'm able to garner the fees that I garner because of my difference and competence in my area(s) of expertise to date. A year from now, I'll be worth more per hour than I am now because I'm constantly learning more, breaking through in new areas that were previously blocked and adding more skills to my toolbox that set me farther apart from the average mass.

The same day I had the above enounter I read this headline from Tucson's newspaper, The Arizona Daily Star:

Pima Community College: Most local high school grads need remedial help

and the subtitle:

Nearly 90 percent of local grads entering PCC are deficient in reading, writing or math.

That's a shame. And they want $15 an hour as a minimum wage. How do you deserve $15 an hour if you can't read, write or count? Minimum wage was set up on the theory of possessing basic competence with no college education or specialized training required. If you're deficient in RWM, you're below minimum competence and therefore, by minimum wage's own principle you shouldn't really expect to be gainfully employed.

It's interesting that as a certified teacher, you can't make enough to support more than one person without a graduate degree. On top of that these days you can't even get a job in many places without additional education to receive some type of English as a Second Language or Structured English Immersion certification.  These are things that increase competence - and should increase ability - but don't afford you an increase in pay unless you're in a district where having that certification puts you in the minority. And that's getting an increase for your difference.

I haven't always believed this way. Up until a few years ago I was in the matrix and was happy-go-lucky understanding that I'd never make more than $60K a year after 20-something years as a teacher. My mind wasn't renewed until I got fed up with someone else determining what I could I have, do and what my income cap would be. Being homeless will do that for you. I got to the point where my eyes opened to see that money was being made and transferring hands daily and all I had to do was enter the marketplace with a product(s) that met a need. Once you enter the marketplace there's no more limit to your income potential.

Minimum wage and income caps aren't my destiny, and I truly doubt that's yours. If you're in the matrix and want to get out make up your mind to exit and schedule a call or book a package today. In 20 minutes or so I can pinpoint the areas that are holding you back from where you want to be and give you strategies to leap over those walls and succeed. 

Zari