This is a new addition to Jundism, and I wanted to back this precept up with plenty of historical reference. From Bushido or the Boy Scout Law, to Col. John Boyd and Miyamoto Musashi. As you can see, being thrifty is a concept that needs attention.
For your personal life, being thrifty means you can survive in between your gigs because you saved your pennies. In my experience, you need to be able to last for up to a year to two years without a contract sometimes. You just cannot depend upon a job to be there for the long term, despite what your employer or contract might say. The smart contractor saves their pennies so they can weather the down times.
Being thrifty also means being fiscally responsible, and not creating a situation in your life where your decision making process could be impacted by debt. It absolutely kills me to hear guys say ‘man, I would leave this crappy contract tomorrow, if I didn’t have a house payment to make’. With that said, how many guys are out there, that are a slave to a poorly managed contract and don’t say anything to make it better, all because they owe money back home and fear employer reprisal?
So strategically speaking, if you could focus on saving your money and entering into contracts from a position of strength, then that makes sense. Boyd recognized the power of being frugal, and it certainly allowed him to not be influenced by others and be free from the constraints of debt. Imagine being able to say ‘If these guys do not do the things necessary to properly manage this contract, I am leaving’, all because you have enough money back home to survive through the unemployment. Of course I always recommend that folks have a new job lined up before leaving a crappy contract, but if you cannot put up with the shenanigans, then leave. Having money saved up at home, gives you that freedom to be able to do that. (having retirement money, allows you never to work again, but good luck getting to that level-lol)
Also, if your brain is clogged with negativity because you have bill collectors or ex-spouse pressing down on you all the time, then how does that mindset translate to your decision making process out in the field? If you are stressed out from money issues, and have your finger on a trigger of a weapon in a war zone, how is that helpful in your shoot or no shoot situations? Money and poor relationships seems to be some of the main culprits of adding stress to an already stressful job. A good strategy is to get your finances in order before a contract overseas, so you can think clearly and have one less thing to worry about.
Then there is the IRS and getting a clearance for work. Financial problems are the one thing that really screw up a lot of guy’s chances for getting a clearance, and thus a job. Especially if you lied about problems, or didn’t know everything about your finances when you submitted a SF 86 form. I recommend getting a background check done on yourself, and know all the little financial secrets about your life. It’s called ‘being prepared’, and having that information will help you when applying for jobs that require clearances. And if you owe the IRS money (or whatever tax collector agency in your country), you will only hurt your chances for work, and that kind of debt will yet again impact your mental stability. Pay your debts, clear your mind. It’s that simple.
There is no retirement plan with this stuff either. How you play your cards now, will influence how you do later on in life. Put your money in a Roth IRA, or some Index Fund and feed them both with dollar cost averaging. Compounding interest and time are your friends, when it comes to saving money. Invest in your health, and insure you have a good health plan. Get a good CPA during tax time. Enlist the help of a financial advisor, and get a good strategy going for saving your money. Most importantly, make sure you have covered all the loose ends with supporting your family. Especially if you get wounded, or worse yet, if you get killed. All of these items will help to put your mind at ease, if you put the proper time into researching and building your financial strategy.
Finally, there are so many good reasons for saving your money and living modestly. Of course the recession is forcing many to re-evaluate their finances, but even during the good times, it is important to just keep saving. I want your brains to be clear of any kind of negativity associated with money. Go ahead and treat yourself every once in awhile, and that is only human. But for the true professional, saving your pennies is a key life and work strategy. It also equates to a clear head, which will help in your decision making processes out there in the war.
I also think if you can get your money matters in order, it will also influence the quality of your relationships at home, which will also impact your mental state out in the field. This industry needs you to be thinking straight and ‘Saving your pennies’ is another excellent addition to Jundism. I look forward to your thoughts on the matter. –Matt
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Sonshi.com: Boyd believed Sun Tzu’s The Art of War was the only book he read that didn’t have any flaws. He was known to own several translations and encouraged close associates to read it. We believe the greatest testament to his understanding of the work was his remark, “My goal was not personal. My work was for the best interest of the country. I tried to do it the Air Force Way and was refused at every turn. Then I did it my way.” Sun Tzu said, “The general who does not advance to seek glory, or does not withdraw to avoid punishment, but cares for only the people’s security and promotes the people’s interests, is the nation’s treasure.” Do find this to be the underlying theme in his life?
Chet Richards: Boyd might not agree that it didn’t have flaws. It is, after all, the creation of mortal human beings. However, he never critiqued Sun Tzu as he did Clausewitz or Jomini, where he identified fundamental problems with their underlying approach to strategy. I’ll go into this in more detail below.
As for doing it his way, by the end of his life, this was certainly true. After he realized that the Air Force was not going to promote him to general, he restructured his life style to fit his colonel’s retirement pay. By doing this, he freed himself from any need to make more money. This produced an almost Zen-like detachment from material desire.
From an interview between Sonshi and Chet Richards.
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Dokkkodo
By the Ronin, Miyamoto Musashi
The Dokkodo “The Path of Aloneness” or “The Way to be Followed Alone” was a work written by Miyamoto Musashi a week before he died in 1645. It is a short work, consisting of either nineteen or twenty-one precepts; precepts 4 and 20 are omitted from the former version. It was largely composed on the occasion of Musashi giving away his possessions in preparation for death, and was dedicated to his favorite disciple, Terao Magonojo (to whom the earlier Go rin no sho had also been dedicated), who took them to heart. It expresses a stringent, honest, and ascetic view of life. Musashi is also the author of The Book of Five Rings.