Why the “When” Is “Now”
It’s a great time to be alive and your chances for success are far greater today than at any other time in human history. According to Darren Hardy, who cofounded an internet company in early 2000, “Your chance at entrepreneurial success is 564 times greater than just 13 years ago.”[1]
He explains why.
We raised several million dollars to get started [in 2000]. Building the website, the software to run it and servers to deliver it cost nearly $1 million. Today that website could be built for less than $5,000. We spent the other millions to hire experienced tech talent (we paid a high price because of limited supply) and on marketing in the days before Google AdWords, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.[2]
Besides these encouraging odds, there are five additional reasons why the time is right to exchange your day job for your dream job.
Five Reasons Why the “When” Is “Now”
1. More Access (“The Who”)
If you know the right rules and abide by them, no one is beyond your reach.
In 2004, Tony Blair became the first prime minister to master text messaging publicly. He used this technology to answer questions directly sent to him from his citizens.[3] Imagine what people would have thought thirty years ago about directly communicating with the leader of their country about political policies. No commoner had access like that.
Today you can communicate with government officials, professional athletes, experts, celebrities, and prominent religious leaders quite simply.
Some strategies are more effective than others and plenty of websites share their opinions on the matter. They range from connecting through paid phone calls to negotiating personal meetings.[4]
DJs connect with leaders through relational strategies—ones that give back value instead of merely taking.
Just last week I sat at a park in Powell, Ohio, framing up some chapters for this book. I found myself reading The $100 Startup for the third time. The humble and competent Chris Guillebeau wrote this amazing New York Times bestseller. This book helped me find my wings a couple years ago when I struggled about leaving my day job. I felt indebted to Chris for his wisdom and work, and I wanted to express my gratitude.
While reading his book, I also had one quick question. I thought, If only he were in the park. Then I could ask him. Bummer.
Rather than letting that whim pass me by, I did something else. I took action. I went to Chris’s website and spent some time looking around. Not only did my appreciation for him soon grow but also my desire to shoot him a quick note of encouragement.
After a few minutes I found his contact info and wrote him a quick thank-you. I also included my simple question. Then I clicked send and quite naturally went back to reading.
Within five minutes I received a brief but personal email from Chris himself. He even answered my question with a resounding YES.
Knowing Chris’s schedule, he probably got my message while traveling somewhere in Norway or India. (He’s visited every country in the world between 2002 and 2013.)
Nonetheless, I found the whole exchange rather ironic. Five minutes before I found myself reading an insightful book. Fast-forward a few minutes and now I was having an email conversation with this insightful author.
My experience isn’t unique.
If you know the right rules and abide by them, you can access previously “unreachable” people. It helps if the person you’re trying to reach is a kind and generous human being like Chris. Nonetheless, I framed my email according to a certain set of rules.
Use the rules and you come across as informed. Abuse the rules and you come across as ignorant. The choice is up to you.
We’ll unpack these rules and many other helpful strategies in The Dream Jobber Plan. For now, just remember that today you have more access to the people you need to connect with than at any other time in human history.
2. More Resources (“The What”)
If you know where to go, the world is at your fingertips, literally.
In July 2008 the iPhone App Store had only eight hundred apps (application software). Five years later that number has jumped to over one million apps.[5] And that does not include all of the apps available for other smartphones (I use this disclaimer to avoid any wars with Android friends, etc.). Some apps may relate to your dream job, others may not.[6]
There is an app for writing emails while you walk, for on-the-spot payments, for remotely accessing your computer, for help with invoicing and time tracking, and many others. (For a longer description on many useful apps currently available, visit DayJobToDreamJob.com.) I only mention a few apps to illustrate a point. You have more than one million left to explore. (I’d warn against this though.)
My point?
You have more resources available than you’ll ever need. You also have more allies committed to your success than ever before. Breathe easy because you’re not alone.
You have chat rooms and online communities ready to serve you. People today want to help, even with the simplest of questions. You no longer need the yellow pages. (Do they still have those?) Just ask your Twitter followers for the name of a trusted mechanic or an unbeatable speed-reading course. They’ll jump in and offer advice.
In past stories and folklore, heroes received gifts of special superpowers to aid them in accomplishing their mission. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn granted Elvish items to the remaining members of the Fellowship of the Ring.[7] Frodo received the Light of Eärendil, which emitted a brilliant light in the darkness to help him on his journey.
Today, you can get a free flashlight app for your smartphone to help you on your journey. (Same effect, although the name is definitely not as cool as the Elvish version.)
My advice?
Don’t wait for an elf. Visit the App Store or Google Marketplace instead. Today, many of our “superpowers” come via technology, communities, and resources.
3. More Connected (“The Where”)
If you can get online, you can run your businesses.
I don’t need to convince you because you probably already know—physical space is no longer a barrier that keeps you from starting your dream job. Currently, I’m outside enjoying the weather on a beautiful afternoon. The only drawback? To get to my destination I had to walk through a minefield of geese droppings. Nonetheless, I’m presently overlooking a quaint pond, sitting on a soft bed of pine needles, listening to an epic soundtrack, and writing to you on my laptop.
I’m living my dream job.
Ten minutes ago, when I checked my phone, I had three messages requesting my response. One from a select coaching client. One requesting me to do a presentation on one of my books two months from now. And one request for a retreat with business leaders next spring.
I conduct all this “business” without an office. At this point in my life, I choose not to have an office. This might cause some people to lose respect for me.
Aren’t I “big” enough to warrant an office?
What if my clients find out I don’t have one?
Will my clients think less of me?
Will I lose the ability to negotiate fair fees for my services?
Am I secretly a bum?
Perhaps it sounds a little odd, but I’m not worried if my clients find out. I’ve actually already told them.
My choice isn’t related to an expense issue but a lifestyle one.
I’ve had a beautiful office space offered to me free of charge, no strings attached. I graciously turned it down for no other reason than the fact that an office doesn’t fit my business or my lifestyle.
Keep in mind, DJs design, create, and maintain structures and strategies that support their goals. A physical office doesn’t support my goal of freedom. I spent more than a decade tied to my day job. In that period I had an abundant amount of have tos:
I have to go to that meeting.
I have to work outside my strength zone.
I have to miss that event.
I realized that although I was doing many “good things,” the price was more than I was willing to pay. Sure I had health insurance, a steady paycheck, and an amazing community—but I didn’t have my freedom.
Now I do. And because I do, I’m keenly aware of adding anything that limits my freedom. Currently, my wife and I could pick up for the next three months and travel internationally with our kids.
How?
I run my business predominantly with my laptop and my smartphone. These two tools have enabled me to do some amazing things such as:
Start a nonprofit.
Participate in masterminds with my clients and New York publishers.
Close six-figure contracts.
All this action stemmed from the convenience of coffee shop patios with WiFi connections.
As a general practice, I don’t tell other people they don’t need office space. Maybe they do. It might serve their lifestyle and business well.
Personally, it makes me claustrophobic. Instead of that office space serving me, in no time at all I’d be serving it. I’d feel the need to go “into the office” to justify having the address printed on my business card.
Many agree that an office is where an entrepreneur goes to hide from opportunities. And because I’m an entrepreneur, I want to be close to opportunities. I also want to be close to what I value—my wife and kids.
Besides, what kind of author, coach, and speaker lives at a desk? Not a very good one. John le Carré warns, “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.”[8]
Don’t misunderstand—I’m not against offices. But I’m vehemently against the lies that hold you back from your dream job. A common one holding many back is that you need a tremendous amount of capital devoted to office space before you open up shop.
Really?
Most people who pay for their office space feel guilty if they don’t use it. They feel the need to show up in their artificial environment to make their magic happen. And so, most office-space occupiers settle right back into a 9 to 5 routine because it’s the model we’ve all witnessed for decades.
Pretty soon these folks are buying staplers, desks, chairs, wall calendars, and dry-erase boards because that’s what they were told an office needs.
With high monthly overhead devoted to office supplies that fill new desks and employees that fill empty cubicles, they soon get sucked into “the crazy cycle.” Beginning financially in the hole every month, they take on less than ideal clients to simply “break even.” They fail to see the new prison they’re designing. Fast-forward twelve months and they have a full slate of toxic clients. They wonder how they got there. They resort to dressing up like a ten-year-old so they can sell Girl Scout cookies on the weekends and earn some extra cash.
TIME OUT from this scary nightmare!
Who says you need an office?
Who says you need employees?
Who says you need to dress like a Girl Scout?
This is the new frontier. Traditional business protocols no longer control you. You’re free to explore, create, and innovate.
Don’t believe me?
Meet Mike Myers—not the famous comedian but the accomplished educator.[9] He has a single mission—to magnify the talents inside his students so they can realize confidence and success. He founded Talents Tutoring:
Without a partner
Without employees
Without office space
He began the same way all DJs do—with a dream. That dream turned into a website and then into a business. Now if a child wants immediate tutoring from Mike, good luck. He’s booked solid, even after raising his rates.
For years Mike worked as a teacher during the school year and then ran a painting business during the summer. The three-month painting business eventually took its toll. No painter simply shows up in June with a full set of clients. Mike would begin bidding jobs as early as January, making it difficult to balance his teaching job and his home life.
After a little coaching, Mike decided to take the big step. He sold all his painting equipment and started his tutoring business. By following The Dream Jobber Plan, Mike transitioned into a sought-after tutor.
Since then he automated his scheduling and payment processes, which let him invest more time in his wife and new child. He created a vibrant summer business that complements his teaching profession the rest of the year.
Office space, employees, and every other perceived “prerequisite” are simply excuses to delay your dream job. Trust me—if you can get online you can run your business.
For those doubters in the house, I’m not claiming your dream job is at that place now, but it could be. Through outsourcing, freelancing, and independent contractors, your business can run incredibly lean. That is, if you want it lean.
Some don’t. But we’ll explore those alternatives too.
Remember, in this space all your “have tos” are now up for grabs. You’re redefining the rules and creating a new life of “want tos.”
4. More Incentive (“The Why”)
If you don’t have to stay, why would you?
There’s five reasons why you should start your dream job. We’ll unpack them one by one.
Five Reasons Why You Should Start Your Dream Job
| 1. Your day job isn’t permanent. | ||
| 2. Your engagement level will increase. | ||
| 3. You’ll become a master in the art of living. | ||
| 4. People’s lives will change. | ||
| 5. You will live longer. |
1. YOUR DAY JOB ISN’T PERMANENT
Meet John, Nancy, and Louise. Each of them used to think they had to stay in their day jobs. John had been in his company for sixteen years, Nancy for twenty, and Louise for twelve. Over the years, each built true results, solid seniority, and close friendships. John commented, “My company felt like my second family.”
Without any forewarning, each were told their day jobs would be eliminated.
Nancy explained the weird twist, “For the past fifteen years my job was to help other people in the company transition out. Overnight I learned that I’d be the one transitioning.”
Nancy’s, John’s, and Louise’s credentials seemed bulletproof . . . or so they thought. Still, when the corporate axe swings, someone’s head has to fall. Unfortunately, John had relocated just six months before receiving his shocking news. He soon found himself in a new town, in a new house, and unemployed.
“I couldn’t believe it,” John explained. “For a few weeks after the news I really doubted myself. I kept wondering what did I do wrong? But the truth is I didn’t do anything wrong. My wife had to go back to work and our family roles shifted quickly.”
John, Louise, and Nancy each have kids in high school or college. Each has a beautiful home and rich friendships. But despite their personal plans, their companies had other ones.
Whether you’re ready to accept it or not, statistics demonstrate a brand-new world:
Unemployment—In the last five years, the unemployment rate approached 10 percent.[10]
Jobs—The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that people hold an average of eleven jobs just between ages 18 to 44.[11]
Careers—The average US worker will have many careers—seven is the most widely cited number—in his or her lifetime.[12]
Length—The BLS reports that the median number of years that wage and salary workers remain with their employer is 4.6 years.[13]
Roles—“Studies estimate half of the American workforce will soon consist of freelancers, consultants, independent contractors, entrepreneurs, ‘electronic immigrants,’ and so forth.”[14]
In summary, the average worker will change her career seven times, hold eleven jobs before the age of forty-four, remain in her current place of employment for less than five years, and probably move into a freelance/independent contractor role.
Few people remain in their companies for twenty, sixteen, or even twelve years. John, Nancy, and Louise were the exception. And in each situation, the transition was done to them, not the other way around. Even if you want to believe your day job is safe, secure, and permanent, it’s not.
This is why you must prepare yourself for your dream job now, not later. In the case of Nancy and Louise, providentially each was engaged in my Deeper Path Coaching Cohort before receiving the tough news.[15] Part of the process requires them to write out their dream job with crystal clarity.
Louise commented, “If I wasn’t working on my dream before I got the news, I would’ve been shell-shocked. Because I’d already identified it, when I was told my job was eliminated I actually felt some relief. In a strange way, it was the permission I needed to go out and start my dream job.”
Louise has done just that. She took a course on how to manage her own website and maintain her own social media and then she launched her business. Just like that.
“I feel alive again.” She chuckled. “I don’t know why I waited so long. The other day, one of my clients sincerely thanked me for the value I’m providing her. She said many of her relationships are improving because of our work together. I know this is what I was created to do and I’m overflowing with gratitude.”
Louise needed to be kicked out of the nest before she learned how to fly. Nancy and John are flying in their dream jobs too.
Just the other day, Nancy told me, “Through the Cohort I wrote out my purpose: exposing students’ big ideas by nourishing their dreams and guiding their intentions. Because I now know what I really want, I just accepted a job offer at one of the largest universities in the country. I get paid to coach students as they develop and launch their careers.”
Was the jump scary? Sure.
But too many times we focus on the cost of acting. DJs flip the equation. They do serious reflection on the cost of not acting. They take inventory of what will happen if they stay in their day job rather than if they leave.
Louise had no idea what she was missing because she was so focused on producing results. Life passed her by as she climbed the corporate ladder. Ironically, the ladder eventually broke. Looking back, she admits there were obvious gaps along the way.
“On an increasing basis my boss required me to make key decisions against my gut. I hated implementing those decisions. They bordered on unethical. At a minimum they were poor leadership decisions. I went with them because I didn’t have any other options.”
2. YOUR ENGAGEMENT LEVEL WILL INCREASE
Louise now realizes in her last few years on the job she suffered from disengagement.
She’s not that unique. The Gallup Organization regularly surveys employees in the United States and around the world. They’ve discovered some shocking statistics about engagement in the workplace. The most recent findings for US workers may surprise you. (Many other countries reveal an even dimmer reality.[16])
Not Engaged—52 percent of the United States working population is not engaged. These people do just enough to get a paycheck. Merely going through the motions, if they feel they could leave their day jobs they would. They live and work from half a heart.
Actively Disengaged—18 percent of the United States working population is actively disengaged. These people take calculated, strategic steps to steal from their employer, spread lies about coworkers, and create disunity in their work environment. They communicate their disengagement through unproductive actions. They sabotage themselves and those around them. They’re not bad people, but they’re “stuck” people acting negatively. They live and work from a broken heart.
Engaged—30 percent of the United States working population is engaged. This small segment takes responsibility and ownership for their assignments. They realize their work is an extension of themselves and because they’re on fire, so is everything they touch. They live and work from a full heart.[17]
Based on this Gallup research, 70 percent of US workers desire to leave their current day job. They stay because they don’t think they can transition to their dream job or they struggle knowing how.
Of course, all this disengagement carries a financial cost, “up to $550 billion annually in lost productivity.”[18] And in addition to the expense in dollars there’s an emotional one too.
3. YOU’LL BECOME A MASTER IN THE ART OF LIVING
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of the parent.”[19]
When disengaged parents or guardians come in from a long day at work their first response is to kick the proverbial dog out of frustration. When they do they’re kicking much more than the dog (as if kicking a dog isn’t sad enough). They’re kicking their children’s hope and optimism about their own future. Children take cues from what they see. They watch closely and listen intently. If their parents or guardians feel trapped, enslaved, or angry about their jobs, then they figure, What hope do I have for my own future?
Their undeveloped minds struggle to understand the logic of staying in school only to eventually enter a job they’re going to hate. Perhaps this is why over eight thousand US high school students drop out every day.[20] They rationalize, Why exert the energy if frustration is all I have to look forward to?
The disengaged and actively disengaged, all 70 percent of them, cope by compartmentalizing their pain. They convince themselves they can be engaged in their “personal lives” even though they’re disengaged in their “professional lives.” Unfortunately, this strategy doesn’t work. Who we are is who we are, wherever we go. If you’re imprisoned at work you’re not free at home. Your mind doesn’t simply stay at work. It travels with you.
4. PEOPLE’S LIVES WILL CHANGE
There’s much more at stake than simply you. It’s a deal that even eclipses your loved ones. Staying disengaged in your day job is quite possibly the most selfish action available. Because when you delay your dream job, you also delay life change in other people.
Sound crazy?
That thought certainly didn’t cross my mind when I sat crying in my director’s office back in 2010. All I could think about was my family and their needs. My mind fixated on everything I was about to give up. As much as I’d like to pretend otherwise, my thoughts weren’t focused on the future readers of my books or the future members of my online programs.
Since then I’ve matured.
I realized that my journey is much bigger than me. I discovered that by pursuing my dream job, I injected more believability, authenticity, and credibility into myself and my message.
I didn’t come to this conclusion on my own. People like Austin Miller helped me realize this. He sent me an email two days ago that made my day job to dream job switch worth it. I share this as an encouragement. Your future tribe is waiting on you. They need the transformation you’ll stir within them. But they need you to embrace your dream job first.
Here’s Austin’s email:
Hope you’re having a great week! I wanted to say thank you again for following what God put on your heart. Because of your obedience my life has been impacted and forever changed. I appreciate your wisdom and I’ve loved the Thursday night Deeper Path Coaching Cohort. I’m glad I took the step of faith a few months ago, when I was unemployed, knowing God would provide clarity for the future steps of my life. I’m loving my new job and I’m now a soul on fire.—Austin
Reading his words humbled and encouraged me. I had no idea that by pursuing my dream job other people would also find the courage and confidence to pursue theirs. Before my day job switch I was too immature and inexperienced to see it.
If this hasn’t already happened to you, it will. DJs receive unexpected affirmations from their tribe. Mike Myers is one such DJ. He and his wife saw a former client out in public the other day. The student ran up to both of them, dragging his parents with him.
“Mom! Dad! It’s him! It’s Mr. Myers . . . my tutor, the one who helped me learn how to read!”
Based on his enthusiasm, it appeared that this student had just bumped into his favorite rock star. Equally surprising were the parents’ responses. Thrusting out his hand and offering a firm handshake, the father said, “Mr. Myers, you’ve helped our son so much. He’s like a different child . . . and his confidence is unbelievable.” The mother completed the circle by adding her own heartfelt compliments.
Who would have thought switching from painter to tutor would have elicited so much appreciation? Mike had no idea that pursing his dream job would change a child’s future. Now, with a few years as a tutor, he’s seen dozens of futures changed forever.
You can’t discount your dream job. DJs never do. Check out four truths they never ignore.
Four Truths DJs Don’t Ignore
You forget these truths when you get lost in your own story. But you take your responsibility a little more seriously when you realize other people bind their dreams to your action—and your inaction.
If your message is stuck, then chances are so is your tribe. It’s difficult to change someone’s life if they haven’t experienced your product or service.
For most people this seems like an encouraging but unbelievable thought. Dreamers like Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison changed the world, but little old me? How could my dream job change someone else’s life?
Don’t buy into the false humility act! It doesn’t serve you or your tribe.
We need to hear your voice.
We need to see your passion.
We need to discover your idea.
My life changed because certain people pursued their dream job. People like my mentor, Dave Plaster, whom I met in college. He taught me how to believe. People like my high school teacher Mr. Moore. He taught me how to think. People like my wife, Kelly, a licensed counselor. She taught me how to feel.
All these people, and many more, said yes to their dream jobs. Will you?
5. YOU WILL LIVE LONGER
Although the first four reasons for starting your dream job are important, the final one could be a life-or-death issue, literally. Perhaps it all sounds a bit melodramatic, until you look at the startling data. In his breakthrough book, 48 Days to the Work You Love, author Dan Miller reveals the brutal truth:
70 percent of American workers experience stress-related illnesses.
34 percent think they will burn out on the job in the next two years.
The Los Angeles Times reports that there is a 33 percent increase in heart attacks on Monday mornings.
According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people die at nine o’clock Monday morning than at any other time of day or any other day of the week.
Entrepreneur magazine adds that there is a 25 percent increase in work-related injuries on Mondays.
Male suicides are highest on Sunday nights, with men realizing that their careers—and possibly their finances as well—are not where they want them.[21]
Staying in your day jobs may be hazardous to your health. Maybe your why for leaving just got bigger—way bigger.
5. More Instruction (“The How”)
If you read this book, you can plan and implement your escape.
Harriet Tubman, escaped slave and famous conductor on the Underground Railroad, knew a powerful truth. Although incredibly successful, she commented, “I freed thousands of slaves and could have freed thousands more, if only they had known they were slaves.”[22]
Regrettably, Tubman couldn’t convince certain people they were slaves. Therefore she couldn’t convince them of their need for escape.
It’s no different today. Because of this human tendency, I’ve spent the first section of the book proving that day jobs hold you prisoner. If I’d started by revealing the plan for escape, you would have felt unserved.
Truth is, most people refuse to believe they’re imprisoned. Sadly, they’ll sit in their cells (aka cubicles) and remain prisoners for the rest of their lives.
I believe you’re different.
I believe you’re still with me.
I believe you’re willing to explore The Dream Jobber Plan and eventually implement your own escape.
The Shawshank Inside Us All
Speaking of prison escapes, when stuck back in my day job I often thought about a particular movie—The Shawshank Redemption.
Remember it?
Most people do . . . at least now. It’s the prison movie with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Funny thing is, on some levels it’s not about a prison at all. It took a little time, but the public eventually came to realize this too. And when they did its popularity soared.
Despite being nominated for seven Academy Awards when it released in 1994, the movie won none. Although reception for The Shawshank Redemption seemed dismal at first, barely even making budget, it eventually picked up momentum through cable television and home rental. Twenty years later, the results speak for themselves. The Shawshank Redemption:
Became the top rental of 1995.
Reached the rank of the highest grossing rentals of all time.[23]
Was listed in the AFI’s top 100 years . . . 100 movies.[24]
Was heralded as the It’s a Wonderful Life of its day.[25]
Secured the top movie spot of all time (as voted by the public).[26]
Why does some movie about a guy stuck in a prison garner a cultlike following even today? As pointed out by Roger Ebert in his critical review, “Mostly the film is an allegory about holding onto a sense of personal worth, despite everything.”[27]
When making the switch from our day jobs to our dream jobs, you’ll see amazing parallels with Shawshank. If you’ve already seen the movie, you’ll benefit from a quick recap. If you haven’t, understanding the plot will help you see your current situation more clearly.
The movie, which takes place in 1947, begins with banker Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) receiving two consecutive life sentences at Shawshank State Penitentiary. Convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, based on circumstantial evidence, Andy finds himself rather quickly in a brand-new world with brand-new rules.
Unfortunately, this particular world, run by a coldhearted warden, snuffs out any wisp of hope. The warden embodies a strange blend of religious hypocrisy and institutional reformation. He enjoys crushing hope out of everyone who steps out of sync with his intentionally designed culture of cruelty. The new prisoners, affectionately called “new fish,” experienced this cruelty the moment they stepped in Shawshank.
Except for Andy. He seemed immune.
Despite his false imprisonment, he maintained an incredibly optimistic outlook. Choosing to rise above his circumstances, Andy had every opportunity to give up and give in. The victim of rape, abuse, and deception, Andy didn’t allow circumstances to destroy him or his hope. He continued to survive and thrive mainly due to a little secret only he knew.
Andy quickly befriended a fellow inmate nicknamed “Red” (played by Morgan Freeman). This contraband smuggler and “citizen of Shawshank” knew the rules of the game. Despite serving his own life sentence, Red periodically found himself up for potential early release. Unfortunately, each time he faced the review board, they answered his attempt to define rehabilitation with the response—rejected.
Serving as the narrator throughout the movie, Red helps the viewer understand more about life in Shawshank and Andy’s demeanor that seemed to rise above the stone-cold walls:
He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just wasn’t normal around here. He strolled. Like a man in a park without a care or worry. Like he had on an invisible coat that would shield him from this place.[28]
Andy’s fellow prisoners lacked these “invisible coats,” even when released. After serving fifty years in Shawshank, one convict named Brooks reentered society, quite unsuccessfully. Although free on the outside, he still suffered from a mental prison on the inside.
Unable to perform the simplest jobs like bagging groceries at a local supermarket, Brooks tells himself it’s easier to end his life than try to create a new one. Red shared his perspective about Brooks’s mental condition:
This place is all he knows. In here, he’s an important man, an educated man. A librarian. Out there, he’s nothing but a used-up old con with arthritis in both hands. . . . These walls are funny. First you hate ’em, then you get used to ’em. After long enough, you get so you depend on ’em. That’s “institutionalized.” . . . They send you here for life, and that’s just what they take. Part that counts, anyway.[29]
Sounds mighty similar to the bulk of Day Jobbers I’ve met. Even after retirement, many still feel imprisoned by their jobs. They can’t rest, relax, or enjoy life. Although they’re free on the outside, they still suffer from a prison on the inside.
Maybe this is why Andy spread hope and humanity in an incredibly hopeless and inhumane place. Shortly after Brooks’s suicide, Andy broke the rules. Locking himself in the same office as the public address system, Andy broadcasted a piece of music by Mozart across the entire prison for everybody to hear—guard and prisoner alike.
Obviously impacted by Andy’s rebellion, Red revealed his thoughts. “It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away . . . and for the briefest of moments—every last man at Shawshank felt free.”[30]
Andy achieved his mission. But he also paid a horrible price—two weeks in solitary confinement. His fellow inmates greeted him at lunch upon his release. They imagined he would have carried a broken spirit with his tray of food that day. To their surprise, he appeared more impassioned and only carrying more courage.
Obviously confused, they let him know it. Andy told them it was the easiest time he ever did because Mr. Mozart accompanied him. Now even more confused, they thought he brought a record player with him.
| Andy: | “The music was here . . . and here [tapping his head and his heart]. That’s the one thing they can’t confiscate, not ever. That’s the beauty of it. Haven’t you ever felt that way about music, Red?” |
| Red: | “Played a mean harmonica as a younger man. Lost my taste for it. Didn’t make much sense on the inside.” |
| Andy: | “Here’s where it makes most sense. We need it so we don’t forget.” |
| Red: | “Forget?” |
| Andy: | “That there are things in this world not carved out of gray stone. That there’s a small place inside of us they can never lock away, and that place is called hope.” |
| Red: | “Hope is a dangerous thing. Drive a man insane. It’s got no use on the inside. Better get used to the idea.” |
| Andy: | “Like Brooks did?”[31] |
Andy didn’t back down from Red’s rationale. He knew something the other prisoners didn’t—hope. For them it was a word. For Andy it was an escape. And that’s just what Andy did. He converted his attitude into action and devised a strategic escape plan.
That’s what made him different. That’s why he walked with a stroll. While the rest of the prisoners suffered from an internal prison, Andy knew freedom even before he tasted it. Although imprisoned on the outside, Andy was already free on the inside.
Similarly, I want to help you create an escape plan. Before I do, you’ll have to admit that you’re a prisoner. If you’re still in denial, then I can’t help. But if you want to escape your day job and enter your dream job, then I’d be honored to help you imagine and implement your own escape plan.
The Dream Jobber Plan
If you want to jailbreak your job, you need a plan. In part 2 we’ll customize The Dream Jobber Plan for you and your situation. We’ll explore these nine steps one at a time in detail, but for now here’s a quick peek:
Step One: DESIGN Your Story
Your GPS dictates your destination.
Step Two: DESIGN Your Space
Our experience reflects your values.
Step Three: DESIGN Your Service
Choose your solution, then your service style.
Step Four: CREATE Your Platform
If you want to be heard, you must be seen.
Step Five: CREATE Your Product
Products increase influence, impact, and income.
Step Six: CREATE Your Promotion
Market before you manufacture.
Step Seven: MAINTAIN Your Community
Every dream needs a team.
Step Eight: MAINTAIN Your Clarity
Complexity kills clarity.
Step Nine: MAINTAIN Your Credibility
Success is found in singularity.
Sitting in Shawshank
I’m sitting in Shawshank prison right now, writing this book.
I made the trip to Mansfield, Ohio, to the Ohio State Reformatory—the prison used to film The Shawshank Redemption—with one single purpose in mind. I wanted to start off this first chapter literally inside the prison cell. I wanted the door slammed shut behind me and with it any chance of hope for escaping. I wanted to remind myself how I used to feel, completely separated from any chance at freedom.
I’m in the exact cell where Andy served solitary confinement as punishment for playing his famous anthem of freedom. Although it’s June, this cramped room feels strangely cool. The lady who let me in tried to convince me that this entire prison is haunted. As if the ghost tour signs don’t give me enough warning.
I’m not going to lie. It feels a little spooky. Unlike a mainstream museum, overpopulated with people, this one feels quite lonely. Come to think of it, I’m the only person in this entire block of cells. (OK, now I’m starting to scare myself.)
Trust me. These cells haven’t been cleaned for decades. All the proof you need is the old, stained mattress in the cell next to mine.
It all feels so odd because the last two years I’ve been free. Although I’m living my dream job today, it’s easy to forget how many years I spent stuck in my day job. I’ve vowed never to lose perspective and empathy for those still stuck.
That’s why I came back.
For you.
I’ve seen too many causalities to stay silent. A former citizen of Shawshank, like Andy, I’ve since found my own Zihuatanejo.
Don’t worry. Before we’re done that will all make sense—including Zihuatanejo. But in the simplicity of this moment, in the words of Andy, you only have one of two choices—get busy living or get busy dying.
I hope you choose to get busy living. And if that’s your choice, then keep reading—so we can get busy planning.
Key Points
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