What is the biggest factor in one’s success? Is it talent? Who you know? Luck? I think it’s perseverance. That and saying yes, more than no. If you show up every day and try, if you put yourself out there and never quit, eventually, you will be successful. I had one period of unemployment that lasted for two years. I applied for 400 jobs in the first year, had a 10% response rate, and made it to final interviews 20 times with no job offer, this was right after the tech crash, and I was living in San Francisco. I never gave up and applied for everything I was well qualified for. I couldn’t even land a retail job. I was desperate!
One day I got called in for an interview for a job I didn’t want. It was a full-time job to last only 30 days. I spent two hours on the interview; job interviews are more like business presentations for me. I was able to show them that their plan wouldn’t work, and then I outlined a plan that would, and they asked me if I could make it happen. I said yes and that I’d get them a proposal. I had no idea what I was doing, I was about to start a consulting business by happenstance. I went home and started researching how to be a consultant and land great gigs. I found a well-reviewed book and followed its ideas to create a proposal and asked for way too much money with 30% paid upfront. And the client accepted my offer.
About 18 months after that engagement was finished and I was living in Bangkok teaching creative writing at a high end high school, I answered a job advert on LinkedIn for a startup job in Koh Samui. The pay was 2.5X what I was making, and they hired me as a project manager. Six months later, I was the director of operations, making a western salary, living in a two bedroom house with a private pool, and having the time of my life.
My point is that I end up in these weird situations that can’t be anticipated, which works out amazingly well because I’m not a quitter, and I say yes. It helps that I’m single, have no debt, and fear is not something I’m familiar with. I don’t have a traditional life or a traditional career. If I’m in between jobs, I do personal development and travel. When I do work, it is most of the time I’m usually doing interesting and challenging work that keeps my brain sharp and my heart light.
I’ve had a recent epiphany that is making my life less stressful. It’s normal for me to go six months or so between jobs. I’m picky about the work I do and who I work with. I need to eat like everyone else, and I’m not wealthy. I’m also not going to take soul-killing work unless I’m completely down and out, and that has never happened yet…
