Reflecting Back on 2010 – A Year of Breakthroughs

I’m about a week late, but finally got around to writing the somewhat clichéd ‘end of year’ post where one can look back on the past year and share some of the memorable moments.

2010 was most definitely a breakthrough year for me in many ways. As I sit here and contemplate the year, I could write a separate post about each of the important lessons I learned. Here’s the abbreviated version for now.

Around 2006 I had quit my 11 year ‘corporate’ job. The decision was fueled mostly by my desire for independence and to free myself from the chains of a regular ‘job’. For about 3 years following my resignation, I tried without success to make money through a certain business venture. By the end of 2009 I had exhausted all of my savings as well as my retirement account which I’d accumulated from those 11 years working at my job, I’d maxed out credit cards and the HELOC on my home and so on. It was a desperate situation to say the least and there were times when I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from.

Through it all, I was unwilling to get a job. It seemed almost physically or mentally impossible for me to become an employee again. Strangely enough, as tough as it got, I couldn’t help but feel I was doing the right thing, even though I felt depressed, worn out and completely defeated.

I finally threw in the towel on that business venture and without putting too much thought or planning into things, I came back to what I know and enjoy so I started doing some computer consulting and web design. I had actually started dabbling in this some years before and got more serious about it toward the end of 2008. Even though I’ve been a tech guy all my life, this was certainly new territory for me and much of what I know today about designing and building websites was self-taught during that period.

So I kept at it, trying to remain focused through the annoying calls from the mortgage company wanting to know why they hadn’t been paid in a while, and slowly something extraordinary began to happen. My web design services started to take off and gain some traction. Clients began referring other clients and old clients came back for more work. Then one day I woke up and realized that for the first time in about 15 years, I actually enjoy what I do.

Through this experience, not only had my financial situation improved, but I would look forward to each new day and the work I’d be doing. I’m sharing this because I thought the few simple lessons that I learned and the breakthroughs I experienced might be helpful for others. Here’s a short list of what I learned:

Lesson #1: Don’t Try To Be Someone You Aren’t

This was an absolute breakthrough moment for me. I had come to the realization that for so many years, and in particular the past 5 or so, I was trying to be someone I’m not because I believed that was necessary in order to be successful. I was trying to fit myself into this mold that was just not who I am. I don’t regret that time because I learned many things and acquired some new skills. And I believe it was a necessary part of the journey and of self-discovery. When I finally found something that I enjoy doing, and that I’m actually good at, things started to turn around.

Lesson #2: Do What You Love and Enjoy

We’ve all heard this one over and over. So much so that it ends up becoming somewhat meaningless to most people. It took me about 15 years or more to get to this point, and sometimes it can be tough to really figure out what you love to do. To make it even more challenging, not only should you find what your passion is, but you also have to figure out how to make money doing it. I realized that even if I wasn’t getting paid for what I’m doing, I’d still do it. That’s how you should feel about what you do.

Lesson #3: Don’t Be a Slave To Your Credit Score

This sounds like a strange lesson, but I can’t describe the feeling of total freedom I felt when maintaining good credit was no longer a concern. For years I did everything in my power to project my score, but when it got to the point where I had no choice but to let it go, I realized that it really isn’t important. Your credit score doesn’t define who you are. Sure it helps to have good credit, but without realizing it, I’d become a slave to the concept of maintaining a high credit rating, and any situation that would result in the score getting hit, it would impact me emotionally in such a negative way. The breakthrough moment was the liberation I felt when this was no longer an issue.

Lesson #4: Be Willing To Sacrifice

All the money I had saved and accumulated over a period of 15+ years was gone. This was as a result of a series of really bad decisions on my part. I see that now, and have learned by it. I spent a long time beating myself up because of this, but at some point, you need to figure out how to forgive yourself and move on. As I look back at this, I do regret losing the money, but I don’t regret the lessons I learned and where this has all taken me. You can’t put a price on the moment when you realize you’re finally doing what you enjoy. Even if you aren’t experiencing monetary success yet, but you love what you do, that in itself is a measurable success. You just have to be willing to sacrifice in order to get there, if that’s what it’s going to take.

Lesson #5: Be Grateful

As a result of this experience I became extremely grateful for not only the change in my financial situation, but for many things in my life. When I experienced small successes and things began to turn around for me, I felt an immense feeling of gratitude. But don’t wait for something great to happen in order to express gratitude. Do it now. Look at the things in your life that you can be grateful for and acknowledge them.

I’m excited about 2011 and all the opportunities that will come about. I am grateful for 2010 for having experienced these breakthroughs, and learned some important life lessons that will help throughout the years.