From White Collar to Freelancer. Am I Insane?
By: Steven Coney
Tags: Startup Life, Freelancing, Freelancers, Entrepreneur, Dream Job

“You’ve got to be realistic.”

These words stung me like a knife in the gut.

I was talking to my Dad about an idea I was having. When I retired from the military, I wanted to start a business, and live abroad.

This was his response.

I was making good money and the skills I acquired translated to a 6-figure job in the civilian world.

In his mind, I was giving up a lot for something that was unrealistic. I look up to him, he accomplished so much, and I aspired to be at least half the man he was.

My father was also a military man. He serviced 26 years and retired a Master Chief (the highest honor of an enlisted men in the Navy.) Afterwards, he continued to work for the government. Got promoted, and now makes north of a quarter million dollars a year.

Not bad for a kid from Jersey.

Now, before you go thinking that this is an article about my “unsupportive father,” it is far from the truth. My Dad is a big part of my support system and one of my biggest fans (second only to my wife.)

He gives me a different perspective.

Guidance.

And a road map to the upper class. He also gave me insight into what most of our society feels about careers. “Stay the path.”

Did my Dad have a point?

Was I being unrealistic?

Why would I choose a road less certain? Let us take a look at why the majority think like my father and why the minority think like me.

“20 Years Down the Drain!”

Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Outliers” introduced a concept called 10,000 hours. After mountains of research, he discovered 10,000 hours to be the magic number to mastering a skill. And of course, the more skilled you are in a profession, the more the market will pay for your expertise. When you look at the highest paying jobs, they all need a large amount of time and education to master.

Doctors, lawyers, (in my case Engineers) devote half their lives to mastering a skill. A high paying job is the reward.

My Dad made it a point to drive this home.

“You’ve already exceeded the 10,000 hours. You have mastered a high paid skill. Why throw all that away and start over?”

He had a point. I had been in the Air Force for 14 years and specialized in several fighter planes, a skill that was not easy to find. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Aerospace Engineers averaged $56/hr. and $116,000/year.

It’s not hard work, salary is high, and it would put me on track to joining the upper class in a few years.

It all made sense. So what’s there to not like?

“I Don’t Hate My Job. But I Don’t Love It Either.”

We have all heard the statistics.

More than 70 percent of workers say they don’t feel satisfied with their choice in career. It is a problem that has been plaguing us for decades now and it’s only getting worse. While one argument supports the cause being lower pay.

A Purdue University study discovered that salaries between $60,000-$95,000 netted more life satisfaction.

6-figures would be great, but would it make me happier?

There is a word for not loving or hating something.

Indifference.

That is my feelings towards the job. The idea of working with multimillion dollar jet fighters sounds exciting. But like with anything else, it can become mundane and routine if you are not in-love with the work.

Let’s take a walk through the day-in-the-life of a aerospace engineer (don’t worry, it won’t take long.) My job is to wait for something to go wrong and when it does, direct a technician on what to fix.

That is, it.

No theatrics.

No scenes borrowed from the set of Top Gun.

Just lots of waiting.

So, if more pay does not make you happy and the work doesn’t bring you joy. What is the purpose of moving forward?

Trading a “Sure Thing” For Uncertainty.

Imagine watching your favorite sport. Your home team is in the lead with little time left on the clock. A friend of yours decides to make a considerable bet. That your home team will lose the lead and inevitability lose the game.

He must be insane, right?

The game it almost over and there would have to be the perfect circumstances for the opposing team to win. They would be a fool to make this bet, right? And you would be a fool for not taking it.

We are programmed to find the sure thing and avoid pain at all costs. Therefore guarantees, warranties,” ______ or your money back” offers are so popular. They all offer you little to no risk when buying a product or service. This has raised sales in every market.

But we not only search for these opportunities when shopping for products. We look for these opportunities in our life choices as well.

Ex. Careers.

A Statista Research Department study found that 97% of employees ranked job security as their top priority.

This was over health benefits, paid vacation, or work satisfaction.

This explains why only 3% of the U.S. workforce are entrepreneurs.

There’s nothing guaranteed.

Markets dry up and businesses fail daily.

So why would anyone give up security for entrepreneurship?

“People Depend on You.”

“How does my daughter-in-law feel about this?” he asked.

I knew this question was coming and I hesitated to answer.

To be honest, my wife had mixed feelings about the situation. She is always supported my decisions and been by my side for everything. After a rough childhood, the stability of my career has always made her at ease.

Now, she can be a traditional housewife, take care of our family and live a comfortable life.

Leaving a engineering job means giving up security.

And that scares her.

My Dad was aware of her stance on it and knew it would support his argument.

As the sole provider, this always crossed my mind.

Am I being selfish?

Was I putting our welfare in jeopardy for a pipe dream?

My wife’s not against working to help the family but I made a promise to myself that she would never have to work. If I go back on my word, what does that make me?

Am I a Fool?

We are warned about telling friends and family about our business ideas.

90% of the time, our ideas are met with confused faces and disapproval. They point out all the holes in our logic and remind us of all those that failed before us.

Sometimes, getting your loved ones onboard is harder than starting a business. I mean, if you can’t get your family to support you. Then what is the likely hood of convincing complete strangers?

We know that it’s not hate that keeps them from supporting us but fear. And that fear can be contiguous.

You can start to pick apart your ideas until it’s nothing but a distance memory.

A study at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business surveyed 30,409 adults and found a disturbing discovery.

After speaking to a family member about a business idea, only 7% executed on that idea.

Are all business ideas good ones? No.

But imagine what apps, products, or services could be on the market today if they would of gave it a try? What would their lives be like if they succeeded?

So, the real question is, it foolish to try?

Or is it foolish to not even attempt?

What If It Fails? What If You Don’t Like It? What If, What If, What If?

“If it doesn’t work out son, what’s the plan?” my Dad asked.

I thought long and hard before I answered. This question usually sends would be entrepreneurs running for the hills. The thought of failure is never something we want to think about but it’s the elephant in the room.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” I replied.

In Tim Ferriss’s book “The 4-Hour Workweek,” he addresses this fear and the secret to conquering it.

Defining it.

We spend most of our time avoiding what scares us the most. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. Tim Ferriss suggests defining exactly what you are afraid of.

When you define your fear, you face it. Helping you realize that what you fear is not as frighting as you may think.

In the book, Tim Ferriss has you answer a couple of questions.

1.) What is the worst that could happen if you did what you’re considering?

2.) What steps could you take to get things back on track?

3.) What are you procrastinating out of fear?

4.) What is it costing you to postpone action?

By defining the fears you have, it’s clear that nothing is irreversible.

In my case if I retired, pursued my dreams, and it does not work out. I’m still skilled in Aerospace Engineering.

Worst case scenario, I could always go back.

This is almost always the case. A failure doesn’t mean your life is over.

It requires a change in direction.

You can go back to your original field and rest easy knowing that you tried when the rest of the world was afraid to.

Or all can work out in your favor and you can have the life you have always wanted. The world, your family/friends, will see this as a gamble.

But it is never a gamble when you’re betting on yourself.

Conclusion.

It is never easy to transition to something new. It can be scary and nerve-racking. And when you have trouble finding support, it can take the wind out of your sails.

My Dad has the best intentions. He found a way to capture success and he wants to ensure that his son can capture it for himself.

Family will try to give you the best advice when it comes to success.

But there is more than one way to be successful. Some go to college, some excel in blue/white collar work. And some try a different approach.

Neither is wrong.

The secret is following your own life path and selecting a lifestyle that works for you.

Afterall, what is the worst that can happen?