I Quit My Day Job

By Robbie Kaye —

After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It’s better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe.
Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.
Sophia Loren

…selling air fresheners, shoes, lead generation, frying fries, working as a legal secretary on Madison Ave., an executive secretary, an assistant for Irving Caesar in NYC, etc. etc. etc.

At least 15 times, in my 56 years of life, I quit my day job. Ok, I may have been fired or laid off in there somewhere, but in essence, that’s how many jobs I’ve had while I was pursuing my dreams in music and photography.

Did you ever hear the mantra, “You have to pay your dues?” I heard it. I heard it so well, that I think at some point, perhaps sub-consciously, I thought the journey was about just that, paying my dues.

So I took jobs like working as a gopher (yes! They really called it that!) at a recording studio and brought famous people water for their session (when I wasn’t cleaning toilets).

For somebody who lives for metaphors, I took the phrase “paying your dues” way too literally!

Sure, there are dues to pay, steps to climb and lessons to learn. But there are also risks and leaps to take…boldness to embrace.

My new mantras include, go big, trust, giant leaps get giant results and most importantly, I can do this.

MUCH better energy for obtaining my goals.

And all those day jobs? No doubt, they have, in some way, played an important role in my life and have given me a tool or experience to get me to where I am right now…which is diving into entrepreneurialism.

As much as I love to create and make art, there IS a business aspect and it is very important to learn it.

I am also learning that there need not be a whole lot of suffering. I know, a little late, but better late than never.

While due diligence is important, it is equally as important to keep our eyes on our big dreams, our big contributions and not get swallowed or intimidated by what may lie ahead.

I’m writing this this from my art lab, papers all around me, supplies everywhere, silk scarves hanging from rods, paints and brushes, tires and canvases in my garage studio and I am eternally grateful that at least, for now, my day job is doing what I love to do….

Creating and sharing beauty, and now I’m learning the ‘business’ of things so here I go…

Be gentle with yourself and as always…

Be Brave, Be Strong, Be YOU!