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I realise that this might be a tad deep when you sit back and think about it - but really makes sense.
A large majority of people fall into a herd mentality and end up doing what everyone around them is doing. This is probably because our entire lives have been laid out for us : attend school, go to university, get a degree in order to get a good job so as to support yourself. If that's not enough - find a partner, have a family, support the family by continuing to work hard until retirement when you can finally enjoy your life. Heard this before right ?
There's nothing wrong with structure but have you taken a minute to think about whether that preset path is the path for you ? Did you give up on an entrepreneurial move or a risky career change due to fear of the unknown / uncertainty of it all ? Is there something you feel you could have done different when you look back at the past few years ? Are you doing what you love ?
Ever since a young age - I realized that I'm ready to go down the road less travelled. At 9 or 10 years old I told my parents I wanted to own a night club. Imagine that !! When it was time for me to go to university - I ended up moving halfway across the world from Dubai to Montreal. That's a flight time of about 18 hours including layover. My Dad wanted me to be a banker - a good stable career. I pursued it for all of 9 months after graduation and left to set-up my own company managing & marketing night clubs in London. My entire family including extended members flipped out and told me how irrational I was behaving; that I shouldn't leave a good career which growth opportunities for something that wasn't stable. I moved out of the family house, got my own apartment and followed my passion - the world of events & nightlife. Then about 6 years later my clients were asking me to plan private events for them and within a year of that I moved across oceans (again) to Bombay to set up my next venture in Events & Wedding Planning.
I currently run a boutique company called A Klass Apart which focuses on events & wedding planning. I get to work with clients and event spaces around the world. I now take 'summer holidays' (like we did back in school) for 3-4 months a year for the last few years. I work with select clients (mainly on a word of mouth basis) - if we 'click' we work together; if not - I rather not take the stress. I have a portable office (my trusted laptop & hard drive) which means I can work from anywhere in the world as opposed to being in one place all the time.
Of course it's not all a bed of roses. I've had financial ups & downs. I've learned a few things the hard way. My friends are never free when I am (i.e. during the day). The industry I'm in means that public holidays, festive seasons and weekends are generally when I am the busiest so can't really enjoy this with friends / family. But I knew all of this when I chose to take this path and the things I didn't know I got to know over the years.
I may not own a nightclub as yet but I know eventually I'll get there. It's still on my mind. Maybe if I was a stockbroker like some of my cousins - I would already have it but I doubt the journey would be as much fun as what I'm currently experiencing.
I came across a great article 'Creating Your Own Life Path' which I resonated with and think you will enjoy as well.
What path did you choose - the road well travelled or the road less travelled ? Are you happy with your choice ? Is there a path that you wish you had taken or think you could still take (even if it for a short walk) ?
