Page 43 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

STEP 1: PERFECT THE PRESENT 31

What was the turning point for you?
I just got to the point where I was so tired all the time. You told me
something very important that really hit home: you said that time
was something you can never get back, but money you can always
make. I’m in my forties; I’m not getting any younger. I realized that
I had to do this now because I won’t have the energy in my fifties. I
was ready. I had all my finances in order. Actually, I always had the
money; it was just a matter of realizing that it was going to be OK.
My worst-case scenario if things didn’t work out as planned was to
find another HR job or legal job. That was my safety net.

What is your career/life like now?
Now that I’ve created so much free time for myself, I’m ready for
the next adventure. What am I going to do with my time other
than giving back to the dog rescue group and working out every
day at the gym? Time to pursue another passion. Hip Hounds is
now running as smooth as a clock, and I’ve created a life with
income coming in and free time to do what I want to do. It has all
come true! Now I am afraid I’ll get a little bored, so soon I’ll need
another project!

If you could do it differently now, what would you do?
You were always coaching me to save money and stop filling up
my empty life with purchases—clothes, trips, drinks, whatever it
was—to fill up that void because I was working in a job that wasn’t
making me happy. If I hadn’t been spending all that money, I would
have had my dream earlier. I needed to recognize I was spending all
this money to compensate for a job that really sucked. Now I don’t
spend nearly as much as I used to. I used to think that if I couldn’t
shop at Nordstrom, then I wouldn’t be happy. I don’t care about a
pair of Chanel sunglasses anymore. I still have a few good pieces,
but now I love shopping at Target—I am just as happy with a cute
T-shirt. I was caught up in the whole image/career thing where peo-
ple are concerned about what you wear and what you drive. Now I
don’t need a BMW or a fancy suit or shoes. I just need a big vehicle