How To Reinvent Yourself After Losing Your Dream Career

Don't be afraid to evolve. 

In the early to mid 2000s when I was a national television sports reporter (my dream job at the time!) and voice-over guy, I thought I'd do that forever, but in 2007, when I was no longer needed by my employer, I had to adjust. 

From there, it was a crazy journey filled with non-glamorous jobs such as selling credit card insurance over the phone, working as a hotel valet (see my above red valet vest) who didn't know how to drive manual transmission cars (I'm not joking) and selling bookkeeping systems as a reluctant telemarketer.

Let's just say my 30's were pride swallowing, very humbling and a character building time. :)

But, during those tough years, I was actually a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe via my on-screen background appearance (4 glorious seconds baby!) with Ed Norton and Liv Tyler in 2008's, The Incredible Hulk movie then I started to do some entertainment writing where I interviewed big celebrities including Beyonce and secured freelance gigs with various media outlets.

As well, in 2008, I picked up podcasting and co-hosted a basketball show that ran for 5 seasons which paved the way for some of the content used in my first traditionally published book, 100 Things Raptors Fans Should Know & Do Before I Die that was released in 2015 (and its second edition would greet the world in March 2020).

After I said goodbye to the basketball podcast, I took 4 years off then in 2017, I decided to leverage my podcast guest booking skills, learned from my podcasting days, to help entrepreneurs promote themselves and their businesses through my podcast guest booking agency.

A year later, I felt it was time to host my own interview-based podcast again, but this time, it would be about marketing.

It was a far cry from the sports and entertainment worlds that I was used to, but I wasn't afraid to explore something new and challenge myself.

That same year, I also wrote a book about podcast guest booking to help small business owners reach fresh, loyal and niche audiences.

Then in 2019, my podcasting continued and heck, I even started to do some movie screenwriting as a hobby!

If you talked to the 2007 version of me who was wondering what the heck I would do next, he NEVER would have envisioned all of the amazing opportunities that would arrive.

It all happened because I was willing to be open, curious and evolve to see what exciting adventures could be on the horizon.

In my opinion, I'm not done yet! The best is still on deck because I'll always look to reinvent myself.

But, what about you?

Are you stuck? 

If you are, start exploring. 

Take inventory of what excites you. 

Are there different ways you can repurpose your skills that could be valuable to others and enjoyable to you?

Yes, change can be uncertain and scary. 

But, if you stay stagnant, the results will be much worse.

As always, the choice is yours. :) 

#Careers #Podcasts #Entertainment #Sports #Movies #Books #Publishing #Reinvention #YourSuccessAwaits #LongLiveTheRedValetVest