You don't know until you do

What do a recording studio, a commercial insurance agency, an MLM scheme, and a cleaning business have in common?

…I’ll get to that in a second, but first:

Countless opportunities exist, and the grass always seems greener on the other side.

But we often overlook what’s right in front of us, which might become the foundation for our next opportunity.

I didn’t know that recording temperamental, off-beat prima donnas (who considered themselves artists) would give me a first-class education in handling angry customers when I took a customer service role.

I didn’t know that investing in an MLM scheme (story for another time) would help me spot the same patterns when I had no choice but to sell insurance.

I didn’t know that when my wife started a cleaning business—and, by definition, became a more successful entrepreneur than I was—I’d leverage all those experiences to legitimize her business and grow it without her involvement in daily operations.

Looking back on those experiences, it’s easy to think I was scatterbrained.

Maybe I was—lol.

But those roles happened over years.

By paying attention every day and treating each situation as a chance to learn, I picked up micro-skills from my mistakes that I later put to use.

• Working as a recording engineer taught me to be detail-oriented while moving fast.
• Selling insurance showed me how to move a product that people already have, don’t believe in, don’t understand, don’t want, and think is overpriced.
• MLM taught me how not to sell (again, a story for another time).
• Running a cleaning business showed me how to tactfully handle a customer who claims a subcontractor caused $50k in damage.

All these roles weren’t exactly my dream jobs.

But like Andy Frisella says, I became the best darn “fry cook” I could be, knowing those positions were temporary and not my gravesite.

So, if you’re in a role you hate—yet you know you’re meant for more—quit complaining, wallowing, and feeling sorry for yourself.

Look for the acres of diamonds right under your feet.

You’re developing a vital entrepreneurial skill: resourcefulness.

You won’t know how these skills and experiences will fit together or how you’ll use them.

But combining them creatively is half the fun—and what helps you build a moat that nobody else can replicate.

— And, if you want to learn about the right thing to learn next, head over to readar.ai to find the next book that’s right for you.

Keep seeking,

Michael

readar.ai

PS — we got some dope things coming soon …

PS Meme — my recording engineer experience