Since I've been out of town this week at a librarian's conference, I thought I'd pull out a retro blog for you. I think you'll enjoy. See you next week...
What’s a guy to do when he’s trying to reinvent himself? Rule number 1- Don’t tell your siblings who already think you’re a screw up and rule number 2 –don’t quit the day job.
When I started writing The Bull Rider’s Keeper – which is Jesse’s, the bull rider, story—I knew he had a secret. I just didn’t know how big of a change it would be from his cowboy persona. The boy loved art. So much that he was taking classes to become an artist. All without breaking the above listed rules.
I knew where Jesse was coming from. After working for over 18 years in social service, I decided to open my own consulting business. Naively, as I look back at my path. But with risk comes reward, or bankruptcy. Even though the business didn’t thrive, I learned important lessons about what I’m good at and what I’m not.
At a family dinner, my sister in law (the one no one likes) made my new venture into a joke. “Oh, you didn’t like your job? Sorry, princess, I didn’t realize liking work was implied.”
Rule #1 broken.
I had to quit the day job to consult in this very narrow aspect of Medicaid law. Too narrow of a focus, now that I look back at the adventure.
But I did manage to reinvent myself. I hadn’t done this massive of a change since the high school’s good girl started dating the drop out bad boy. I learned what I liked to do. I learned how to put together a business. And I learned that failing, isn’t the worse that can happen.
Doing nothing is the worst thing that can happen. Ever.