I used to think that the whole idea of "reinventing yourself" primarily existed in the realm of the self-employed, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's something that can be applied to pretty much all of us.
Regardless, it often feels like I have had to reinvent myself more times than I care to think about.
I won't go over the myriad changes of direction I have gone through during my 60-odd years, but sometimes I find it curious how some people seem to end up changing courses rather often, while others steer that same stable course through virtually their entire lives.
I suppose some of might have to do with the fact that I am 62 years old and still kid around about "not knowing what I want to be, when I grow up!"
That said, not all my pivot points have been entirely voluntary. In fact, I'd say that most of them were the result of changes in my surroundings that suddenly rendered me somewhat "obsolete."
On occasion, it has made me ponder whether or not I am simply incredibly poor at making wise decisions... kinda like the person who perpetually chooses to become a typesetter, just a digital publishing starts to gain traction!
In any case, I have always had my eye on the potential need to suddenly change direction with my work, since about my late 20's.
There's a certain irony in that, because I am actually someone who values a great deal of stability and sameness in my life. Problem is, I just don't value the professions that offer that sort of sameness... like maybe accounting, or being an actuary, or something like that.
Beggars can't be choosers!
What have I really learned from it all?
Well, that I definitely don't fear change, while at the same time having a profound dislike for change. And yes, those do seem like rather contradictory statements!
Maybe it's that mindset which is actually obsolete: Those professions that stay relaibly the same and somewhat boring tend to be the first in line to be either automated, or hand off to someone with lower qualifications.
In a small way, I remember some of that from my IT days as a technical writer. I was quite content creating online help systems for corporate intRAnets, and I was always being houded to go into management positions... which I really didn't want. I just wanted to be left alone to do my job.
As it turned out, what they really wanted was for ne to go so they could hire fresh college graduates to do the same thing for 50% less.
In my self-employment, I still end up pivoting, rather often.
Thing is, if you start doing pretty well at something on your own, by yourself... someone will notice and set up a "factory level" version of what you're doing... and put you out of a job. Even if they end up not doing well with it...
So you have to be ready to reinvent yourself!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!
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Created at 2023-02-06 00:10 PST
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