The Nerd Thing
These last few weeks I’ve been struggling with my decision. Should I jump out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute that may or may not open, or continue this ride to it’s ultimately unfulfilling destination?
Either outcome is unsavory. I don’t want to make the wrong decision, but I have to work it out.
If I continue on where I am, I know I’m not going to be happy. If I bail out now, it’s at least a 50% chance of success. Looking at the numbers, 50% success is better than 100% failure. However, it could just be too soon. I could be jumping out too soon, landing in the middle of nowhere, stranded; no different from where I was three years ago.
If I keep riding, saving this parachute for better territory, an environment where I know I can succeed. I know I can be happy. There’s just no way to tell.
That’s my quandry, and the nature of the decision. 50% happy, versus 100% miserable is easy to make a decision on, but it’s far more complicated than that. There’s still 50% of failure, and with my luck …
February 13th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
But sometimes you just have to decide or you will go nuts and hate that you DIDN’T take a chance. Also, this job will free up more time to work on things you love (like a certain script) and will get your body on a more realistic schedule (so you won’t be slowly killing yourself)… But that’s just my vote.
February 14th, 2008 at 1:13 am
i’d go with the 50% happy over 100% miserable any day. is there any chance of returning to the miserable job if the nerd thing doesn’t work out? that could be a sort of a safety net.
February 14th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Yeah, yeah … but it’s a lot of setup, and a lot of money, and a lot more work … and the only guarantee is 50% chance of failure. And the pay structure is different, a lot more risk involved there. I could do this, and keep my full-time job at night … but I’d still have that *other* part-time job I do. The one that keeps a roof over my head.
Who says this thing would give me *more* free time? It’d just change the hours to daylight.
I’m still researching, and thinking. And praying. I could use some help with that last one, though.
February 14th, 2008 at 9:52 am
“and the only guarantee is 50% chance of failure” no there is also a guarantee of 50% chance of success… Just saying. But you do need to pray about it, I have been and will.
February 14th, 2008 at 9:54 am
The glass is half-empty. And it’s only half-empty because it’s also broken.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Half empty, half full, who cares? There is half of SOMETHING in the glass as opposed to an empty glass… What are you waiting for?
February 17th, 2008 at 12:42 am
When do you need to make the decision?
February 17th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Soon-ish. There’s no deadline, but I’ve been wanting to make the final decision before March. I don’t know if they’ll retract the invitation if I wait too much longer.
February 17th, 2008 at 11:25 am
The fact that you are having such a hard time proves you want to do it and take the risk. If you didn’t, you’d have made the decision by now.
February 17th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
If I weren’t interested, I wouldn’t have gone through those stages to get the invitation.
The decision I have to make is whether I can take the risk of incurring a rather large amount of debt, and losing a lot of spare time. This won’t free up time, but rather commit me to a third job.
If I were to take my first instincts it’s to turn it down. The liability is too much to bear at this time. But I want to move on, away from my current situation. I want this to be my opportunity.
That’s why I’m dead-locked on this decision.
February 17th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Uh huh
February 17th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
if the nerds gave you the invitation, they apparently think you’re able to do the job. (not that my opinion matters much) i think you can do it. i say you take a crack at it. don’t jump half way in, because you probably don’t get results if you’re only half-heartedly in the job. i say go for it.
February 17th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
The invitation process is to make sure prospective entrepreneurs have both the technical proficiency and understanding of their corporate culture. Somehow I’ve managed to make them think I’m competent in both regards.
February 17th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
i say go for it.
February 17th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
The only thing I don’t like is the “large amount of debt” I have a strong aversion to debt… If I’ve mentioned that before I apologize… Is there a way that you could sell a few things and or save up enough to do this without having to go into debt?
February 17th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Well, it’s debt on the back end. I’d be setting up a business account with the bank, a business loan or line of credit, a business cell phone, a business P.O. box, etc. If it fails, then I’ve got to pay off that business debt. From the looks of it, a few thousand dollars. U.S. currency, of course.
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I believe you have more to post for us, dear.
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Not just yet, I think. Soon.