Chris Mower» Decisions

I’m Taking the Leap to Self Employment

Chris Mower — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:32:47 +0000

Rockin' it in my "home office."

This last week, I was laid off from my full-time job as a QA Engineer. The company I was working for ran out of funds and the majority of us found ourselves packing our bags and heading home a little early. So much for “stability.” That was Groundhog Day.

I suppose it probably caught some people by surprise… but the writing had been on the wall for quite a while, so I had already prepared myself mentally for the news, so when it came it didn’t feel like a semi-truck full of bricks hitting me. Actually, it felt very much like a burden lifted off my shoulders. All of a sudden I could do whatever I wanted.

The only problem was that I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. So I did what any other person would have done. That night I spiced up my résumé and began searching for another full-time job, scheduling a couple interviews for the following days.

By end of week I had completed 3 job interviews. As I exited each interview it felt like a dark cloud kept looming around in my head. I felt good about how I performed in the interviews, so what was it?

I realized the thundercloud in my head was the thought of joining the rat race on someone else’s terms and working a full-time job again. What I really wanted to do was work for myself, on my own terms, and not be held back by what someone says I can and cannot do.

I didn’t make the decision to freelance immediately, but because I had already had interviews, I knew I needed to make it soon. If I were to be offered a job and still be wavering in my decision, I would probably fold. Being religious, I spent quite a bit of time praying and reflecting on the needs of my family vs. getting another full-time job vs. working for myself, and by the time Sunday evening was drawing to a close, I had decided to strike out on my own.

So here I am. As of Monday, 7 February 2011, I’m a freelance web designer, consultant, copywriter, and application designer.

Am I nervous? Yes. But I’m doing something I love and taking a path I’ve dreamt of taking for a long, long time. It’s going to be a hard road ahead for a while, but I look forward to what the future brings.

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Believe in the Power of Your Child’s Dreams

Chris Mower — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:25:36 +0000

A quick note. I’m not exactly sure what inspired this post; it’s still a little scattered in thought. I suppose I needed to remind myself that as I raise a family, I shouldn’t let what I want for my children be a barrier to their progress. I believe that we have a responsibility to teach our children correct moral principles and a responsibility to help them succeed.

Through the years I’ve worked with a lot of youth. I love how vibrant and energetic they are. I enjoy their company because they remind me of when I was younger, full of energy, and able to run a few miles without feeling like my lungs were going to explode. I’m not a decrepit old geezer, but I still feel way too old for my age.

It’s interesting that adults expect teens in high school and even college students to know what they want to do with the rest of their life. It’s actually rather absurd, really. The world is full of opportunity and after living 19 to 23 years of life with very little “real world” experience, how on earth are they supposed to know what to do with themselves in the career-driven and working world?

Do you remember hearing the words, “When you grow up you can be whatever you want to be”? It’s frequently used by adults attempting to placate a curious and day-dreaming child, but once they get older it loses its savor.

As adults we often limit our children’s choices as they age. We drag them into a reality that we create for them-saying they can and cannot do something because of their talents. We imagine their limits whether they’re true or not, and we put these imaginary limits on younger generations because we’re afraid of failure and the unknown.

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Post tags: Decisions, Fear, Relationships, Thoughts

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Inspiration for a Tuesday Afternoon #1: Work Video

Chris Mower — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:54:16 +0000

Tuesdays are the slowest days for me. To help me cope with that, I’ve decided to create a new blog series called “Inspiration for a Tuesday Afternoon.”

This is the first post in what is to be a long and fruitful relationship with my Tuesday afternoons. Enjoy. (Click the Read More link to see the video.)

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Post tags: Creativity, Decisions, Tuesday, Video

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Your Way is the Best Way

Chris Mower — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:28:40 +0000

I’ve seen it time and time again—an idea is born and then a short while later it dies. It’s unfortunate because some of the ideas I hear are nothing short of jaw dropping and life changing.

You probably know what I’m talking about. It’s hard to find someone who’s short of ideas. Most everybody has them. Very few people follow through with them.

Instead of listing all the reasons why ideas never see fruition, I want to focus on one specific reason.

There is no “right way.”

Even though other people have paved the way before and done what you’re hoping to do, it doesn’t mean their way is the right way. It doesn’t even mean that their way is the best way. What it means is that the path they chose worked for them and they found success because they didn’t give up.

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Post tags: Decisions, Determination, Leadership

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