Have you been drifting through life on autopilot or have you set a course for your life. When we were young we knew we need to go to school and get a high school diploma. Then we either went off to college or went out and got a job. If your like I was I had to do both. My parents couldn't afford to send me to college but I wanted a education because I wanted to be a computer programmer and you had to have a degree to be one of those. I worked the grave yard shift at a convenience store so I could go to a technical school during the day. Most weeks I had about three free hours a day to sleep and some of those were between classes or during lunch. I had a van at the time so I kept a windup alarm clock with me so I could sleep in my van on a sleeping bag between classes. I had several close calls with criminals while working at the convenience store and even had two of my friends get shot while working the same shift I was working. I knew the only way to get out of that world was by getting some training.
Once my mind was set on a plan things started falling into line. I got a great job with a record company working in the computer department while I was still going to school to get my degree as a computer programmer. It was a Christian record company where I got to meet some great people like Amy Grant (who I even got setup with on a date) and the guys from DeGarmo and Key band as well as the guys from the Impreals like Russ Taff. I stayed at this company for two years but had my sights set on a bigger company so I could get some experience with IBM mainframe computers.
After the record company job I was able to land a job with a large trucking company and used my passion to learn all three of the shifts and cross train the other computer operators. After two more years I was a COBOL programmer. I had arrived, my years of education where finally going to pay off. Just one problem, I hated being a programmer. I really really hated being told what to code and most of all not being a part of the creative process. After just three months as a programmer I was ready to quit. I wondered what I would do with my life. I thought this was going to be what I would be doing the rest of my life and suddenly my whole world had collapsed around me. Then I got to thinking, I had an aptitude for understanding complex things and I liked helping others see how technology would help them, but I was very shy and I didn't like meeting people. I heard about this computer store called ComputerLand opening up in town so I went over to see what it was all about. They were hiring so I thought if my life was going to be exciting I was going to have to grow as a person and leave behind the shy country boy.
The person I was at that time needed to die and a new me must be born or my life wasn't going to be worth living. By some miracle I got the job "as a computer salesperson". Me a salesperson, I even remember the terror I'd have when the front door would open to the little computer store. Some times the manager would come by and say "Michael you need to go out there." I would reluctantly walk up the the front of the store and somehow get out the words "Hi my name is Michael can I help you with something." it took all my strength just to say those words. I actually had to say it over and over again to myself so I'd remember what to say, "Hi my name is Michael can I help you with something.". It was so hard for me but I pushed through it and overcame a small fear that led me to conquer more fears.
