Vivid Views is my series of articles, blog posts and press releases show-casing my work as an author and reflecting my many years in business and self-employment. They are a blend of my real life experiences, professional insights, personal views and fun stories. My hope is that in them you find enlightenment and inspiration. 'Bringing The House Down' is the 2nd in the series.
My first experience of bringing the house down, in the theatrical sense, was when, as a four year old, I sang 'I am a little teapot' at a holiday camp talent show. I won first prize. It was both the beginning and the end of my stage career as a public entertainer. A case of coming in with a bang and going out at the top!
The next time I brought the house down, this time almost literally, was many years later while personally removing a partition wall in my Georgian era townhouse. I proudly showed my work in progress to a structural engineer friend who, far from being impressed, was mortified by what he saw. He immediately closed down my work and the entire building. It was on the point of collapse. Two years, a multitude of architects, lawyers and builders, tons of steel girders from the foundations to the top floor and a bank account hovering between life and death in intensive care, later, I moved back into the property, now fully reinforced and magnificently restored. My sanity is yet to experience such a rebirth. Forget nightmare. This episode in my life equated to a full blooded horror movie with several sequels and a monster that refused to die.
The result of the experience is that today I will not even hammer a nail into a wall. It's not that the nail might bend or that I'll suffer a bloodied thumb, it's the terror that the whole wall will cave in! So I leave that work to people who both specialise in that kind of thing and enjoy doing it - the key words being 'specialise' and 'enjoy'.
In my school days I excelled in English literature and languages. I whizzed through my exams in these subjects without even opening a book. The subjects were easy to me because I enjoyed them.
There were also mandatory classes each week in art, woodwork and metalwork. I gained useful knowledge about these practical disciplines but was never fired up by them. I didn't have the enthusiasm to see myself as a Picasso, Moore or Rodin. Therefore those subjects were never going to be my forte. But I did try them.
And that's what you as an entrepreneur or self-employed business person must do. Tinker around with a number of business possibilities. Try this and that. Find out what works for you and what doesn't. Experience failure, learn from it. You'll come out the other end of the process with broad general knowledge and ability which will stand you in good stead. You'll thus be prepared to avoid the bent nail and bloodied thumb disasters and specialise in the area which gives you most pleasure and satisfaction.
If you enjoy restoring old buildings (and earning a fortune at my expense) become an architect, engineer or tradesman. If you enjoy bringing the house down (literally) become a demolition contractor. If you enjoy performing on stage then become a singing teapot. And, if you yearn for the thrill and freedom of your own business, become an entrepreneur ... become like me!
I am Tom Riach. I live and write in the sunny south of Portugal.
My latest novel is 'Too Early For A Glass Of Wine?' Claim your copy by clicking on the image below.
BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN is an original copyright Tom Riach feature.
I hope you enjoyed this Vivid View and found it to be of value.
To learn more please visit me on my Author Page.
See you there! Regards, Tom.
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