Careerography (part 6) Final for now…

In addition to working on Call True for the last few months, I have had a few projects pop up here and there. I was briefly working on a business plan for a mobile real estate search service, a domain real estate company, an automotive leads business, a mortgage leads arbitrage business, a face to face networking business, and a few more. I also (of course) am actively involved in a few things currently. I’ve been working with my friend Jason on his exciting ecommerce store concept for the last few months. I have a few side projects with a contact in Wisconsin, including a website called textbolt.com. I don’t ever see anything I’m working on with him as making it big, nor do I really want them to. I just want them to be useful to a lot of people, and if it becomes a recurring income stream then great, if not my time and money loss was minimal.

I of course have continued to fill my brainstorm folder with potential business ideas, but something has changed for me in the last 6 months. For one, ideas don’t quite excite me and propel me to immediate action as they used to. I used to jump into action on an idea the same day I got it, which may be one of my best and worst qualities wrapped into one. I am very impatient, and I can make a lot happen very quickly, but it also means that I tend to really crowd my plate with things that don’t necessarily complement each other, and I have a literal wasteland of started projects. I’ve been told many times, including at the seminar I went to in January on finding and utilizing your unique ability for success and happiness that I am indeed a quick starter. My excitement, my passion, my value comes in the art of the start. I can see this certainly is true in the above, and I’m getting a little better each time. I can also see that if I do not get or have someone around who can work with me to sustainability and systems, then ultimately my ideas flop on the table. Out of frustration with my disappearance of energy and passion for these ideas, I tend to hold on to them and “grind” them out becoming more and more tempted by the constant flow of exciting new ideas running through my head. So what’s next?

I’m not quite sure what my next moves are, and that’s sort of why I wrote all of this out. I wanted to gain some insight into my talents and preferences based on my actions. Things for me are definitely up in the air at this point, but I am fortunate to have a wonderful supporting cast around me. I have people who, although may be a little nervous about some of my moves, always are behind me. I’ve realized that my perspective on life (although I admit it’s been tested over the last 6 months) does provide me with an empowering perspective. I always feel as if there is nothing I can’t make happen if I really put myself to it. I’m eternally optimistic. I think that is why I can’t help myself from pursuing all of these business ideas, they all seem so easily possible. I’ve also never feared being in a position I couldn’t get myself out of. I was never afraid of debt, never afraid of not being able to get a job, and never afraid to go and live where I want to, because I can always go out and get what I want, need, or both.

So I’m headed to New York in September. I’m not really sure what I’ll be doing up there. I do know that I’ve always wanted to live there, before my sister even lived there. I’m under the new philosophy that when you say to yourself “I’d like to do that,” or even more so “I will do that,” and then don’t, you slowly kill your ability to dream. You reinforce within you that dreams are just dreams, and will never be reached. When I visit that city I fill with energy and excitement. I love all the people, I love all the diversity, and I love the opportunity. I was up there a few weeks back and had a few meetings with some incredible and successful entrepreneurs. They reinforced my belief in the ability of people to create, innovate, and work in passion. I can feel the entrepreneurial itch picking up again within me, but for now the plan is put myself in position where I can enjoy New York, while building my network of contacts and skill set in preparation for my next company. It seems that the best way for me to achieve all this is to find a job in the city that is either in a startup, or in a large company where I can innovate like a startup. I (as are my entrepreneur friends) have no problem at all finding and contacting key people when needed. I don’t know if it something that develops when you’re trying to build a business, but getting a hold of someone and actually getting their attention has become quite easy for me. So finding a job in a city full of opportunity does not worry me at all. The truth is, however, I have no intention in staying employed for any long period of time. I only wish to ease into the city, and get my passion back, before moving forward.

It has definitely been a wild ride, with many ups and many downs, but always lessons. I have learned more in the last 12 months about myself, than I have at any other point in my life. I am learning that we really have nothing to fear, and nothing to hold us back from getting what we want, except ourselves. I have learned that I have the power to call things into my life, both good and bad, simply by thinking about them. (how’s this for strange, as I’m writing this, I just got an email from the owner of one of the startups in NYC I tried to contact last week about working with?!) I am extremely excited about the next year for me, I can’t wait to live, learn, and grow. I feel even more confident about my perspective, work ethic, skill set, and determination to create. I will continue to live with a childlike curiosity and awe for this beautiful universe around us, trying to enjoy and learn all I can.  I will continue to tap my experiences and knowledge in my pursuit of creating value for my family, friends, customers, employees, shareholders, the environment, and myself. This crazy little world ain’t so bad, as my mom said: All is well. I’m starting to live it.