What if we really did just go for it?
What’s shakin’ world?! Is it the extent of how our lives are going? For better or worse? I sure hope it’s for the better. Life is too short, make it count. And before I hear someone go “YOLO!”, I’m sorry but I’m not a fan of cliches with a surface level meaning, so let’s try to stay away from that. I’m talking about what you do when you feel stuck, dissatisfied, or left wanting more than what life is giving you.
In case you missed it, this is The Lost Art of Follow-Through Part 2. I got so carried away in my last entry that I finally had to stop because realize that I was going off on passionate tangents that caused me to begin to scatter my original message. It made me realize the truth was that I had a lot to share on the general subject matter of Follow-Through. So I decided to break it down into 3 parts. In this posting, I will be primarily directing this to anyone who either is contemplating a career change or wants to start their own business. I will share some of what I went through in my own career/life that contributed to me starting my own businesses. Get ready!
I can remember the days when I was working my regular job months before I left it to jump into self-employed life completely. I was in a place where I couldn’t stop thinking about what life would be like if I were my own boss so-to-speak. How much of an adventure it would be. How difficult it would be at times. Yet how rewarding it could be. I felt like I was losing a sense of purpose and missing out on all that could come from my gifts and talents as an artist and potential businessman. I had worked this particular job for 4 years. When I first started, it gave me what most would consider “all that mattered”: Steady income, security and benefits. Yet I was still dissatisfied, feeling like I could be doing more fulfilling things with my time and efforts. It was in those moments I realized that I was meant for more than just ordinary.
(Attention aspiring people who want more out of their careers and entrepreneurs! You might want to take notes from the following paragraph!)
What I learned was there were several questions I had to answer before I were to make one of the most drastic changes ever. First, would I feel more fulfilled to be serving clients out of the overflow of the abilities in me? Yes. Second, would I go into this with the mindset of making it as profitable as possible? Yes. Third, was I willing to fail? Yes. Fourth, did I really believe I had what it took to be successful? Yes. Since I was able to answer all 4 of those major questions with a “Yes”, I had to follow-through with my actions. My family, friends and sometimes my coworkers heard my personal frustrations plenty of over the time. In terms of practical, relational and personal limitations, I had very little holding me back from embarking on this endeavor. Heck, I just had a relationship with a woman I was dating at the time come to an end. That meant that even the chance of someone near and dear to me whose values were potentially different couldn’t stop me.
I was setup for primetime ready to go. I’ll never forget the day I turned in my resignation letter to my past employer. He calmly accepted it. It’s suspicion that he knew this day was coming, so it was of no surprise to him. I felt that much closer to my freedom. And then it was 3 weeks later that I finished my last day at that job. I made it. It was time to fly! It was time to go and soar! I was ready. It was time to follow-through.
If I ever get asked about how I did it, I’ll let the person asking and the world for that matter in on a very big secret. Are you ready?… I just followed-through on it. Sensed a little bit of sarcasm that time? Haha! But in all seriousness, it really was that simple. I took my energy, my drive, my work ethic, my passion and even my frustrations and directed towards what my true dream was: Become fully self-employed so I could receive the fulfillment of serving clients in a profitable fashion and having more availability to pursue all the personal things I wanted to do.
One of my main rules I tell myself is (again, you might want to take a note here), “talk is cheap” -Ecclesiastes 5:7. If I say I’m going to do something, I gotta follow-through with it. Anyone can talk up a good game, but it takes a special person to actually put some action into their ideas. They’re the ones who get ahead in life. People are miserable because they feel stuck. They’ll often talk about what they wish they could have/do. The single, biggest difference between them and the ones who actually have those things is that the ones who have are the ones who actually did something productive about their frustration and discontent.
None of this would’ve been possible if I didn’t follow-through. Was there a lot of thinking, researching praying and some planning that went into it before I did it? Absolutely. But none the less, it was a calculated move that I can honestly say today, June 20, 2019, almost 2 years and 8 months since I jumped into full-time self-employment, it was best decision I could’ve made for my life and career. I’ve experienced significant financial growth every year since I began and most importantly I’ve grown so much as a person. It’s not just about money. Your soul is what matters the most. If it’s not in to what you’re doing, then you might be missing out on true fulfillment. With both personal growth and money, there’s still a long way to go for me. But this is the life you choose, when you have the drive that settles for nothing less than the very best. Wherever you are in life and your career, understand that sometimes you just got to make a decision that says, “I don’t want to play it safe and settle anymore.” “I want to chase my dream”. Sometimes all you got to do is get out of your own way, take the plunge and give it your all! No regrets. Go for it! I have faith in you!
Stay tuned for Part 3
Much Love
Joe Gardonis