Growing up, I wanted to be many things…a big time executive, an actress, an entrepreneur, a writer, and the list goes on and on. However, as I got older and the responsibilities got bigger, I realized I had to “grow-up” and work a job that would pay the bills. So I did. I completed college and got an 8 to 5 job. Not only was I skilled at the position, but I was able to pay my bills. Nonetheless, I quickly lost the passion and consequently the drive. At the end of each day I would question whether I had really accomplished anything. Was this really what I would do for the rest of my life? I eventually got burned out and wished I could have started all over.
But I guess you should be careful with what you wish for. As the economy turned, causing companies to cut costs, my employer decided to begin outsourcing and downsizing, thus laying off my entire department (including myself). As my family’s main provider, I immediately started looking for work. The search was not easy; I kept running into the same obstacles. Companies were cutting costs and therefore only temporary positions, short term contracts, and freelance work could be found. This was a problem…or was it? Could this be a blessing in disguise?
With all this extra time, I started pursuing things I enjoyed. I took on a part time position empowering and teaching others how to feel beautiful inside and out. By no means did such a job pay the bills, but every little bit helped. And for the first time, in a long time, I was doing something I loved. I decided to take it a notch further, utilize my entrepreneurial skills, and put in a few hours a week working on my own. Neither paid enough to quit a day job, but I didn’t have a full time job, so it really didn’t matter. Besides, the part-time jobs collectively weren’t too bad in pay to do what I loved. I further gained the motivation to pursue writing and take on a freelance writing position. Additionally, since I loved designing and had some HTML coding knowledge and knowhow, I landed a web design job. After the project was completed though, I was so excited. I realized that while I love design, I’m not too fond of staring at a monitor and writing code. This was great, I learned that if I hadn’t tried it, I would have never known. I guess the best way to figure out what makes you happy is to try it.
I was finally so happy working, but a problem finally arose. When people asked what I did…I didn’t know. Would I tell them I was an entrepreneur? A writer? What? I realized I had a “portfolio career”. A portfolio career allows one to try and work multiple jobs simultaneously and switch them around until they find the portfolio most suitable for them. Not only can such a career pay the bills, but it allows for flexibility and freedom. If a portfolio career may be something you’re interested in, I strongly recommend taking advantage of one of Lynnette Brown’s complimentary Conscious Strategies intro session. She’ll help you discover your passions, assess your skills, and co-create a portfolio career that matches your skills with your passions. She’ll show you how to diversify your income streams with sources that you have enthusiasm and drive for.