I have a small confession to make … I applied for a Controller job last week :O
Okay that’s a lie, I applied for TWO Controller jobs last week. One was completely random; a friend passed along a job she saw online, so my chances are slim to none, at best. The other however I heard about through a friend, and it would be working for a former boss and old friend, and it seems like a really cool opportunity :)
Last week I attended a 5 part webinar series on Entrepreneurship through that career transition services company, and they stated that a large proportion – close to 90% - of new business owners have a full-time job elsewhere. This helps to supplement their income while they are growing the business. This makes a lot of sense to me; while I’d love to just dive in head first into a business of my own, I don’t really have all the resources (read: money) needed. And being a single income earner, I do need a regular cash flow to help pay the bills. A girl’s gotta eat !!
So needless to say, I am not giving up my dream of a new career or being my own boss, but I’m keeping my options open.
As promised I went over my sad little list of passions in life, and tried to think about each one and whether I’d rather just leave it as a passion/hobby, or try to pursue a career or business idea out of it somehow. I know this is contrary to what I read in “A Lazy Man's Guide to Success”. He suggests to simply follow your dreams and not worry about how you might make money or a career from it just yet. Well I’m sorry, but I really don’t work that way. I’m a very organized, detail oriented person, and I like to have a plan. Plus at my age I don’t think I have this luxury – I don’t want to waste years following a dream that might get me nowhere.
I do agree completely with his other advice though, to follow your bliss or get pissed. If I'm going to negotiate a 180˚ turn with my future, I want to either do something I LOVE or do something that will make me feel I’m making a difference in the world … or both :)
My number one passion if you recall (or if you’ve ever met me) is sports. I think we already decided I need to think on a smaller scale when it comes to my future in sports.
General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings = NO
Owner/operator of a sporting goods store or gym = MAYBE ?!?!
Next on my list was my love of animals. I do love animals, and when I was in high school I had a summer job at a boarding kennel. To date, this stands out as one of the most favourite jobs I’ve held, and I’ve held many !! People dropped off their dogs and cats while they jetted off on vacation or business trips, and our job was to care for the animals in their absence. We fed them, groomed them, cleaned their cages, and tried to make their time there happy and stress free. I always enjoyed telling people how much I loved my job, and when they asked what I did, I told them I shoveled shit for a living ;) However even though I loved that job dearly, today I don’t know that I want to work with animals for a living. I have a friend who at this moment is looking into opening a doggy day care and asked me if I was interested in getting involved. I can’t say that I was, and I can’t honestly say why. It just doesn’t feel right.
Further down on my list, I mentioned my love of food and cooking. While being a cook for a living seems like a pretty cool career choice, there are a lot of reasons why I’m nixing that idea. For starters, I don’t think I have what it takes. I love watching those cooking related reality shows on television, like Hell’s Kitchen or MasterChef. But when I watch the way they create dishes and handle food and present their masterpieces … I’m in complete awe. Certainly with some training I think I could become a damn good cook since, like the rest of my siblings, I do have some natural ability (thanks Mom !!) But I don’t know that I could ever do what these people do. Another reason I don’t think I could have a career in the food industry; cook, food critic, waitress, etc … is because I’m pretty sure I would eat and drink most of my profit :)
Further down the list I mentioned writing … I’m gonna back track on my dis of that book on success I made a moment ago. This is one thing I think I will pursue without knowing if or when it could ever make me money. I’m enjoying writing this blog and will continue to do so, and hey, you never know.
My love for talking however is something I’m pretty certain I could never pursue. People who know me well often find this hard to believe, but when it comes to speaking publically, I’m freakishly shy. I had to do a presentation in front of a very large group of people at a conference I attended in the spring, and while I was told I did a very good job and got some great feedback, it was pure torture for me. In a small group or one on one, you can’t shut me up, and I’m quite often the big mouth in the room. But stand me up in front of a crowd and ask me to do a speech or presentation … HORROR !!!!!
That leaves 3 things on my list, and all of them are very closely related. Working out at the gym, running and riding my bike. These are definitely big passions of mine of late, and along with these is my obsession with diet and nutrition - so this could actually incorporate my love of food and cooking. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t read an article, book, magazine or news blog related to fitness, health or nutrition. Since I left my last job many people have asked if I was going to pursue something in the fitness industry … did they see something I didn’t ?? And while I find true passion in these areas, there are also many things I see daily that piss me off royally !! Hmmm, blissed AND pissed, this could get interesting.
Your blog posts are very thoughtful, and thought provoking Tina. I can understand where you are at but through the lens of my un-organized life. I make plans but they are vague and usually work out differently anyway (and often better than planned)
ReplyDeleteI would like more structure (or some other than the grind of my pleasant if un-challenging job. I have a great love of writing myself, but am undisciplined.
Interestingly though as someone who's only recently started to pay attention to fitness and health, I feel I've gained some discipline it that area of my life. At least in terms of food.
I'm trying to get more active too, but that's been the hardest part of better health for me, and all my distractions. Keep up the good work. It's inspiring to me.