Empty Pocket – 10 Things I Learnt and Filled my Pockets Again

Empty Pocket is a situation when you can’t even afford one of the basic necessities. And in basic necessities, I only want to put Food, Cloth and Shelter. It’s my story when I missed 1 out of the 3. I faced it due to my bad financial management. I hope you will surely learn many things today about what not do that may lead to the financial crisis in your life.

Warning!!! You might feel bored in the beginning because I have explained my tough time which I have faced when I was not having money in my pockets. And everyone knows struggles are never shiny, they are always dull, dim, shabby, dark and dumb. It’s a story where I missed my food on many days due to the insufficient amount of money.

But I promise you that as you reach the 4^th point you will get excited and you will learn many new things to fill your empty pockets again, but please don’t make a mistake of going directly on the 4^th point; as a base is necessary to make a foundation.

Till now it’s been two times when I literally faced the situation of empty pockets or you can say situation of no money, not only pockets but even my bank accounts were also empty in those days; but thanks to those days because those days taught me how to react and how to behave during days of empty pocket.

1^st time- it was during my referral marketing days when I was in the Hyderabad (Indian City) to lead my group.

2^nd time- it was during the struggling days of Monarch Streak when we were not able to make any sale as Real Estate market was at its lowest in those days in India and we were very new.

1. Empty Pocket Never Come Alone

You might have heard that empty pocket, hungry stomach and broken heart teaches us a lot.

Yeah that’s true they really teach you many things but the worst out of these is Empty Pocket.

Why?

Because Broken Heart and Hungry Stomach can come alone in your life but Empty Pocket will never come alone. Empty pocket will surely bring atleast 1 out of the two with it. Either Broken Heart situation will come just after the Empty Pocket or Hungry Stomach will come. And yeah both can also come together.

My 1^st Empty Pocket situation brought Empty stomach. I was not at my home; I was in a city which was 1576km (979 miles) from home. I was having Rs2700 and I had to be there for 15 days.

Return Ticket was- Rs 650

Daily Travelling Charges- Rs50

Daily Meeting Charges (lowest) – Rs50

Daily Food Charges (lowest quality) – Rs100

Many times I remained hungry because it was practically 2700-650= Rs2050 and I had to live for 15 Days. I survived by eating only 1 time a day for most of the days.

2. Empty Pocket is a Situation Which can Hit You Anytime

Perhaps you won’t believe but I was Manager of a company when I faced Empty Pocket for the first time. That time I was studying in my college with a scholarship of Rs 40000 annually and earning 30K/ month as network marketing can be done as a part-time. After so much of cash flow also I faced such situation because I never believed in saving till that date. Actually, I used to say,

I will earn so much that I never need to save money in my life.

Because of that foolish thinking, I faced empty pockets 2 times in my life.

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3. Increase Your Observing Power Towards People

Before I will start explaining this point, I would like to say that I had approx 40 friends in college out of which 20 were close.

I learnt this thing during the 2^nd time of my Empty Pocket. It was actually the 6^th month at Monarch Streak and till now we completed 3 sales which were giving us 2lakhs. It was more than sufficient but that money had to come in the future, around 2 Years later. That time I had 7K(which I couldn’t use) in my one bank account and 3K(which I could use) in another bank account, my 2^nd business partner had 1K and 3^rd had 20K in his account.

We had to pay the following amount:

Office Rent of 2 Months- 60K

Maintenance Expenses of office- 8K

Marketing (as we have to generate leads for next month) – 10K (minimum which we opted)

So each of us had to pay 26K each

I called each my college friend whom I helped once financially during their days. And I was 1000% that anybody will give me money as I too helped so many people.

But…..

You know what I mean. Each of my friends refused, 1 friend said Yes with a very minimal amount of 2K.

Not only friends but even my cousins also refused giving money with so many excuses.

That time I was observing people for the first time and that too closely and started valuing people who are true from their heart not only from their face.

And Yeah thanks to Prateek and Kapil Pruthi my cousin and one of the friend. They were the only persons who helped me in those days and gave me money.

So I would say that you must learn to observe people. Don’t make 100 friends who are not true instead make 2-3 friends who can stand with you in every situation.

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4. Understanding of Emergency Funds

After the two situations of Empty pockets, I started reading books and articles on the same topic.

I read “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and “Think and Grow Rich.”

After reading books, articles and due to the self-realisation I started believing in the quote of Benjamin Franklin,

A penny saved is a penny earned.

So always remember, always have some emergency funds (60% of Annual Earning) which you have to keep safe till your peek of emergency.

Advice- Never use that emergency money in biggest Emergency too, because you never know which situation is the worst. Moreover, it will always give you confidence that you have something at your back.

5. Attitude Plays a very Important Part

When everyone refused me to give money in the 2^nd time I had 2 options:

a) Run away from the situation by shutting down the business

b) Earn money by doing some urgent sale(had to pay back to Prateek and Kapil Pruthi and for future growth)

I chose the 2^nd one

My lines which I said to myself were-

Now I don’t have to deal with the shit of world and now I will show who the Lokesh Tanwar is, I will see who will stop me now.

I get into the field with all my positive energy and did a sale.

I have sold an apartment which had given me Rs 1.25 lakh within a month.

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6. You Never Need Anyone to Deal with Your Problems

Within few months both my partners refused to work as both were very getting inclined towards family business as the market of the Real Estate was at worst in 2014. Stats were stating that market is at its worst after 1990 in NCR (National Capital Region- Delhi and surrounding).

I had to bear all the expenses and I was alone in my office. It was not possible to close the office all of a sudden. I needed to think as I didn’t have any family business and I didn’t have any backup option. But again I had to choose 1 out of 2 possibilities:

a) Close the office right away as I was the only one remaining

b) Again sell an apartment to earn money and got time to think properly what to do then in life.

I was again confident and sold one more apartment within a month. This time I earned 80K within a month. After that I learnt that though we look for help every time but GOD has made us enough capable that we can fight with any situation all alone. So never feel bad during bad days if you are alone, just remain positive. GOD really helps those who help themselves.

7. Empty Pockets Practically Taught me that You Must Have a Shark

First, let me clear you what does” have a shark” really means. It means having a fire at your back to make you run fast. Shark and Fire represent the strong reasons or you can say the True Why of your life. Before the 2^nd time of empty pocket, I only heard this thing. But when I faced the situation I Practically had only one good solution i.e. to sell any apartment if you want to survive then that thing worked as a shark/ fire to me. I worked really hard with my 100% energy with great positive attitude and made the things happen. So it’s advisable to always have a shark at your back which will make you run/ swim fast and fast with good productivity.

Advise 1– Start investing with a definite amount every month in any investment opportunity where there is a penalty for not investing in that month that will surely work as Shark to you.

Advise 2– Spend the whole money within the 10 days when you get it, put max amount in investment which is not allowed to take off before 2-5 years.

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8. Empty Pocket Taught Me To Be More Generous

During my college, I used to help people with an intention that I am helping in their hard time so that they will help me in my hard time.

But after my bad days, after watching the movie” Eraser” and Reading the Book “Think and Grow Rich” I started helping with the Intention of only Helping with no intention of getting anything back in return. I also started doing small donations according to my income so that at least I can save 2-3 people from sleeping hungry at nights. I usually become retrospective because whenever I recall them I get more generous towards the world, I get a feeling of happiness and I feel strong about how audaciously I faced those days.

9. Ye Waqt be Gujar Jaega (This Time will also Move On)

I have picked up this line from Old Stories of Akbar and Birbal. (Akbar ruled India, Birbal was his Minister)

Akbar- Tell me any line which can make anyone sad if he listens to it during happy days, and bring a smile to the face if he listens to the same line during bad days.

Birbal- hmmm(Thinking)

Akbar- Tell me within 24Hours otherwise I will kill you.

Birbal- Smiled

1minute before 24 Hours, Akbar was sad as he had to kill Birbal according to his order.

Akbar- Birbal Tell me the line otherwise I have to kill you.

Birbal- smiling

Akbar- sweating, sad, Birbal say it only 30 minutes are remaining

Akbar- Speak up only 1 minute remaining

Birbal- smiled

Akbar- completely sad, Please say something Birbal, only 15 Seconds left

Birbal- Ye Waqt be Gujar Jaega (This Time will also Move On)

This line is really the most healing line during your bad days which I use to tell myself. You can also give a try if you are also in this situation.

10. What have I Earned?

As the topic was concerned with filling your pocket again, you might be thinking I haven’t told you any method of earning money till now.

But my dear friend my greatest learning was, “It’s never the money which fills your pocket, it’s always your Indomitable Will to stand up again to fight back with the situation.”

Money is a byproduct of your work and mind. Sometimes the combination of work and mind will make depth, sometimes it will make profits. So whenever in your life you fill your pockets with money they will surely get empty. But when you will fill that pocket with Your Indomitable will along with desire, reasons, ways, positivity then your pocket will never get empty. Instead, they will start getting filled exponentially with time.