Been a while. Miss me? Nah, me either. <hug> 

When it comes to business, I’m cool, collected, professional, prepared, and able to make tough decisions at the drop of a hat.  Of course I am wrong sometimes, but I’m right more often than not, and I always have a plan B in place should that happen.

But when it comes to my own life and my own businesses, I’m a bit more complex (I think that is the PC word substitution for F*d up).  I am interested in SOOOO many things, that choosing the “right” path is always very difficult for me.  Combine that with the fact that I am a born slacker, and often the wheels of progress are carved into a square.

This article is as much for me as it is for you.  I have learned many lessons from business Yoda’s over the years, and my hope is that seeing this in print somewhere will help me step out of my own head (it’s loud in there) and see the advice as coming from a trusted advisor.

 

The slacker/workaholic paradox

 

I’m the first to admit I’m a slacker.  I have virtually no work ethic, I always look for the faster way to do things, and I get bored once I have figured out how to do something.  On the flip side, when I am into something, I am into it with all my being.  I literally get so excited that I can’t sleep.  On more than one occasion, I’ve finished a 2 week project in a few days.  If I go to bed and all these thoughts and ideas are swimming in my head, I know there is no way I am going to be able to sleep, so why bother?  That’s just how I roll with pretty much everything.  I have the dubious reputation of being the guy who “ruins everything” by doing it too much and making it no fun for anyone anymore.

 

My Conundrum…

 

I am in the process of packing up the house and moving a few hours down south to Sarasota, Florida.  My wife has FINALLY finished vet school and has accepted a job at a local ER clinic.  That means I have to choose between getting a “real” job somewhere, uprooting Evil Genius Interactive and starting over in a new location, or any of several other options.

Financially, we are ok, but could be better.  The missus will be bringing in some cash for a change, but it’s not gonna be enough to support 4 houses (my house hasn’t sold up here yet, and I have 2 rental properties, and now an apartment in Sarasota) and our current lifestyle, nevermind the $120k in school loans that will come-a-calling in 6 months. 

The last few years as a slacker has also emptied the once prodigious coffers quite dramatically.  I knew that going in, but seeing it is another thing J  In addition, most of my cash is tied up in assets that are in the shitter right now.  Real Estate, Stocks, 401k.  It’s there, but I’d be taking a HUGE loss if I used any of it.

 

 

Choices. Choices. Choices. Brain Splat.

 

As I said, I have no problems choosing a path and making decisions for a business.  I think  that because I am separated,  and only know what I choose to know, it’s all logic.  Easy.

But my conundrum is personal.  I know my backstory, I know my baggage, I know what I’d “like” to do, I know what I “should” do.  That makes decisions much tougher.  Combine that with my natural curiously about EVERYTHING and is becomes exponentially more difficult.

 

Right now these are the options I am looking at:

• 1. Restart Evil Genius Interactive down in Sarasota- target on marketing practices for all the local small business
• 2. Get a real job - meaning one I already know how to do. Unfortunately, everything I have seen down there are either entry level or in a different area of expertise. Plus not big on the whole 9-5 monotony thing.
• 3. Starting a new business - Have a few prospects that range from building a business with my old Real Estate partner to possibly setting up a upscale kennel/doggy day care now that the missus is a vet (sick marketing advantage) and we are moving to an area with lots of old people and disposable income.
• 4. Go back to school - More options here. PhD in business, MS in programming, or something in AI/Neurotechnology.
• 5. Try a new job - Think I would enjoy being a professor or being a business columnist
• 6. Get a play job - Love bartending and playing as a musician in small clubs. Don’t make much compared to what I used to, but the missus will be bringing in cash for a change too, so not necessary to make $250k a year anymore.

See?  That’s a lot of frigging options, and I haven’t listed all the crazy ideas that run through my head. Trust me, I’ve thought a lot about all of these options and examined the benefit/cost of each. 

 

Action Creates Clarity

 

The theory that Action Creates Clarity puts forth the idea that simply thinking about stuff is not the best way to reach clarity (make decision).  It’s the DOING of stuff that creates the clarity.  I firmly believe this, and advise it to other people all the time for a few reasons:

First, I’ve found that for most people, it’s the first step that’s the hardest. Procrastination breeds procrastination.

Second, the simple act of putting things on your plate means that by necessity, other things have to come off.  This simplification process automatically reduces the number of choices available, whether you want it or not.

Third, even if you find out what you are doing is a mistake, it will either take that item off your list, or open new areas for consideration (I realize that this is a double-edged sword but if you consider that the first step is the hardest, you will also realize that you now have momentum…which is the hard part)

 

So what do I do?

 

If I were giving this advice to someone else, I would look at it logically, then emotionally.

• I know I need cash. Not a lot but some. So that takes school off the plate for now.
• I know that a real job is the surest way to make money, but I also know that I am not particularly happy doing that. So I could stomach it for a while, but probably not long.
• I know that there are very few jobs around there that are at a level or pay scale that I am accustomed to. This is important because my experience becomes irrelevant. I can probably make as much doing something new as I would doing something I know, but am bored of.
• I know I have made big bucks and have fun doing a new business project. The downside is that there is a real risk of it not doing anything . Both a good bit of time and money could be wasted.

 

So I think this is the tentative plan of action.  I’m gonna just start doing.

• 1. Look into local jobs in what I am good at (marketing, internet) and ALSO what might be fun jobs. (professor, columnist). Realizing that if it’s the former, I will probably only be able to stomach it for a year or so unless I get very lucky.
• 2. At the same time, look for new business projects that can use my area of expertise and enthusiasm. The cash I bring in from the day job can help fill the coffers back up and give me some time to get a business rolling. 

 

The plain truth is that even if a decision is wrong 90% of the time, you are still 10% better than if you had done nothing.   

The second plain truth is that nothing is ever set in stone.  Even with golden-handcuffs and responsibilities up the wazoo, there is ALWAYS an option for a do-over.  I’ve done it multiple times myself, and I’m sure I’ll do it again. I’ve been a professional musician, a ridiculously paid corporate executive, a realtor, owner of 4 small businesses, a webmaster, a marketing strategist, a bartender, a game designer, and a writer.

 

I’ll let you know how it goes.  As always, comments, advice, words of kindness, and nude pictures are always appreciated.  I will be keeping this blog going since it is a fantastic way to meet new folks, showcase my expertise, and keep current.  Plus I get to talk about retarded shit, and you still read it.  Awesome!

 

Stay cool.  JJ