The best way to get rid of an idea is to put it in a box. The advantage to writing a book online is that readers can misunderstand (or mock) your ideas 24/7, and let you know about it for good measure. One common misconception: this book is for business owners, so if you’re not inclined to start your own business, then it has no relevance. That’s a convenient way to box this book up, but I don’t agree.

Earlier in this book, I made the argument that the working world has been turned on its head, and that the real risk is putting your future in the hands of 9-to-5 “pink slip culture.” If this argument is correct, then there is indeed a case for starting your own thing now, but let’s put the idea of starting your own business aside and see if my argument has broader relevance.

To do that, we’ll start with this book’s basic assumption, that the global economy has shifted the economic prospects of most modern workers, spreading from blue collar to white collar and “information economy” workers whose jobs are now vulnerable to outsourcing. It’s hard to argue against this point, so I won’t bother with much supporting evidence. The unprecedented discrepancy between the growth of the U.S. economy and the morale of the American worker is one exhibit in a pile of evidence.

My next assumption: something should be done about this. Not all agree. Some believe that as long as the economy grows, their own job security will remain strong. But I find that more and more people are disconcerted by a feeling that their economic fate is now out of their control. They’d like to go to work without wondering when the hammer is going to fall.

If you’re with me so far, then there are two kinds of responses to these economic trends (and you don’t have to choose between them).

One response is a political one: regardless of your political orientation, you could pursue a course of action that attempts to shift the balance of economic power more to your liking. I have no problem with a political response, except to say that martyrdom is too high a price for most folks to bear. These trends are powerful enough to humble anyone who thinks that they can change them before the next ice age, much less in time to pay the rent.

The second kind of response (and the one this book is concerned with) is a personal response. The premise: “These trends may or may not end up hurting my future, but they seem to be irrevocable. There must be a way to feel more economically powerful and professionally secure. I want to have a lot more control over when, how, and for whom I work.”

Within the context of that personal response, there are a range of choices. At the extreme end: start your own business immediately. This is something only the most financially secure (or desperate) should consider. A less extreme response is to start a “side business” financed by your current employment. When the side business starts generating income, a transition to that business can be made. But starting a business (one way or the other) is just one possible response. It is not the only one.

The mindset we are after can be utilized even by someone who is dug into a long-term career path in corporate management. We are talking about two shifts here:

The first is a shift in how to approach the “salaried employee” part of a career. You should view your career as a series of pro-active moves that focus on building your own skills and your own brand equity as much as your employer’s. I’ll cover this in more detail later in this book.

The second shift: whether or not we are happy with our career prospects, we need to be developing assets outside of the corporate basket. We need wealth of our own that is not dependent on a company’s goodwill towards us, or even on a 401k.

You don’t need to open your own business to develop valuable assets. I have a friend who sold a screenplay for six figures. He didn’t have his own company. He developed his asset (a screenplay) and found a broker – an agent in this case – to sell that asset for him. So it’s possible to create assets that attain a market value without hanging up your own shingle.

Whether you rely on an outside broker or not, it’s helpful to have a grasp of the sales and marketing side of things. Either way, you can adopt the “asset mentality” I am advocating without formally declaring yourself an entrepreneur. It sure feels a lot better in the cubicle Monday morning when you’ve spent part of your weekend putting a different economic iron – one that you own and control – into the fire.

There are some limitations to any one approach, but I hope we’ve laid to rest the perception that this book is only for those who want to start their own businesses. Having said that, the narrow definition of “personal assets” most Americans have bought into (build up your 401k, own your own home) is not what I am talking about either.

Granted, the enforced savings of a mortgage payment is preferable to the slot machine, but those who think that they are set because they’ve already set up an IRA or bought a home are not exactly getting my point. We’ll need more than a pink flamingo in our lawn to have a chance at real autonomy.

I’ll be taking more swipes at 401ks and home ownership, so pretty soon you’ll have a better idea of why I see these “assets” as insufficient. An effective personal response to the global economy requires a different approach to careers and asset management. It may or may not mean opening your own business. It will mean thinking more like an owner thinks. Thinking like an employee means working for people who don’t have your best interests at heart.

Ownership as a concept makes obvious sense, and not just because the deck is stacked for owners in this economic system. Ownership, to me, implies taking full responsibility for your life, claiming the upside of what you can be and enduring the risk that is required to have a shot at something special.

Want to buy Free From Corporate America or see reviews of the final published version from readers like yourself? The printed book is now available on Amazon.com with product reviews.

You can also get a discounted version of the final book in eBook (PDF) format, or you can pick up a copy on the Kindle. The published version of the book is significantly enhanced from the web version available on this site.