A person close to me recently said something that bothered me. They said, “You know, if you just went and got a real job instead of wasting your degree all these years, you would be a lot further in your career by now.”
I thought about it for a minute, and I replied, “yeah, but I wouldn’t be happy.” And then I walked away.
When I was 7 years old, when adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I would reply “a businessman.” As soon as I knew what a businessman was, that’s what I would say. In fact, I can never recall saying anything else as a career choice when I was a kid.
When I was 14, I said the same thing.
When I was 18, I decided to attend college to become a businessman. This is before the days of self education and online learning, so that’s what I thought I needed to do. Go to college and learn business.
However, entrepreneurship wasn’t considered a “real career” in the early 90’s. So, I studied the next closet thing, international business.
I waited and waited for those professors to show me how to be a businessman. But, it never happened! You entrepreneurs out there who went to college can surely relate to that!
When I was 21, I told people I wanted to be a banker. College had gotten to me. But, deep down, I really just wanted to be a businessman.
No offer came from the banking world. So, I became a businessman, like I wanted to deep down all along.
First business was in network marketing. Learned a lot but lost my shirt.
Eventually, I moved back in with the parents and got a job at a bank and hated every minute of it.
Because all I wanted to be was a businessman!
Then, in 1997 I discovered the internet and fell in love with it. Now, I wanted to be an internet businessman! And so, I became one!
Sure, I did other things over the years, but my true love always has been an internet businessman.
So, to summarize, I’m doing what I said I would be doing from the time I was 7 years old.
So, why was I feeling guilty about it? Why did I let this person bring me down?
Oh wait a minute…..I hadn’t met the expectations of what THEY thought I should be doing with my life. That’s THEIR problem, not mine, isn’t it?
That realization was the most liberating feeling in the world! I’m exactly where I said I would be all along!!! Why apologize or feel guilty about it?
And in that moment, the guilt went away!
If all you ever want to be is a businessman (or businesswoman), don’t apologize. Don’t let others squash your dreams. Just do it!
grew their blog to over 100,000 visitors a month. Yes, there really is good news to report right here in Dayton!
