The First Decision I had to Make as a Writer (9/22/14)

I have heard other “experts” tell me on a consistent basis that one of the beautiful things about being an expert is that by design you are free to work wherever, whenever, and with whomever you so choose. That is a lot of truth to that. I know people who only work 4 hours a day in their board shorts poolside. I know a few people that make seven figures off of three major events a year. That’s a career track that I’m currently working towards now, having just published my first book. I know all I really need to work is electric, wifi, and cell reception.

The beauty of being an “expert” is that you have the ability to create whatever kind of reality you choose. However, there is a downside, you never get to turn it off. The minute I embarked down the path to the mysterious world known as “expert status” I never stopped working. I went from clocking in my 40-80 hours a week for a corporate employer to working 24/7 for myself. I couldn’t turn off my brain. When I worked for the Bank of New York the minute I walked out the door I checked out until I swept my ID badge across the digital scanner the following morning. There is no magical barrier that frees me from work now.

I’m usually trying to figure out creative ways to create and close sponsorship opportunities, researching potential media outlets, setting up book tour stops, and if I’m lucky I get a little writing sprinkled in too. For example I drove from Tampa to Orlando and back on the 4th of July because I was going to pick the brain of my buddy Jim who is a commercial developer. He has connections in a roundabout way to Walgreens, CVS, and a list of banks, gas stations, and other major corporate retailers. Does this guarantee I’ll set up and close a deal with one of his corporate tenants? No, but it is an inside track that has more potential than submitting a general email inquiry that may never even get looked at.

The beauty and the curse of becoming an “expert or any form of entrepreneur for that matter is that your success is primarily only limited to how hard you are willing to work. So if you are choosing between setting out on your own or continuing to collect a check you have a decision to make: stability, time off, and a regular check or stress, long hours, and the potential to create the life of your dreams. It’s not an easy choice, but you need to be sure if you choose to walk the direction I’ve chosen; it’s a challenging path to walk down.