I was thinking today about how and what leads us to where we end up in life. For this blog - what lead to the formation of planet PROBIZ.
It goes back to high school. Â Croydon High [Adelaide] but that's not important.
Like any other kid I attended art classes once a week. Art is easy. No effort unlike Maths or Science.
One day we had a student teacher and she took us out to the front lawn of the school to draw nature. I drew a gum tree.
She took it and tried to get it published in her magazine at Teachers College. I took it that she thought it was good.
I had an A3 artbook at home.
I would get inspired and draw something. One day I drew my Adidas sneakers. I was pretty pleased with the result. Drawing and art was something that was not encouraged in my family so I kept it to myself. I had no idea that these scribblings were the seeds of my future business.
At high school were were asked "what are you going to do when you leave school?" I have never liked this question. Adults should think of another way of asking such a question. Or get another question. My school was pretty working class and had a trades based carriculum. I would answer something like "advertising" or "business" as this was as close as I could get to forming an answer.
After high school I stopped drawing.
Fast forward to 1990. I am 32 and have recently been made redundant because of a faltering economy. I vow and declare to my wife "if anyone is going to screw up my career in future, it will be me!"
A supplier in my previous job suggests I become a commission sales person for printed business products. All I would need was a folder full of samples. The folder contained examples of business cards, fridge magnets, rulers, letterheads and a few other things.
I would walk door to door and get "belly to belly" with the business owner.
I was petrified.
Back in those days - it worked. I made a living.
Two things happened that worked in my favour.
Someone had to do the artwork.
Computers were becoming more accessible with Windows95 being a game changer for personal computing.
Turns out I loved this computing thing. I acquired my first design program.
CorelDraw 3. Still use it today [latest version that is].
Initially it was pretty basic. Place the logo - do the typesetting. Get the colours looking "right".
Today - its more like "how can this job best serve the client?" - and go from there.
I got lucky and ended doing something I was meant to do.
The moral of the story: Don't project what you think would be the best vocation onto your child. Think about the gifts they have been given and go with it.