Pursue your passion...

As a few of you may know, my woodworking and furniture making career is the second one of my life. A long, first career in the hi-tech industry preceded my current career. It is difficult to view life through a rear-view mirror but I often think of how it would have been if the leap had been taken earlier on. When I began in hi-tech, technology was rapidly advancing and I could not absorb enough of it. My life revolved around computer technology and software. I worked for possibly the best multi-national computer firms and there was a mutual respect of what we brought to each other. Hi-tech today is quite likely the same where change is fast and furious. However, sometime in the middle of the hi-tech career I began to realize that grasping the latest technology was becoming a full-time job. It became increasingly difficult to keep up with the latest in hardware and software. I shrugged this off and continued on the journey, after all I did need a career and a pay cheque. My performance was above par but it became obvious I could not keep the façade going for several more years. The technology was just not as exciting to me anymore. I felt something was lacking in my life and began to seek a creative outlet instead.

A short time later I discovered woodworking through an evening class and was smitten. The creative aspect of woodworking and making tangible objects with the hands was the part lacking in my life. My focus began to turn to woodworking and the hi-tech career simply devolved into a series of jobs. One thing led to another, I launched a small part-time woodworking business over 20 years ago, it grew but not enough for me to leave hi-tech. The struggle of juggling employment with the part-time business eventually took its toll. I retreated and told myself the next step was to become a full-time woodworker. Life gets in the way however! A marriage, new home, a couple of downsizings later and I could finally live the dream of having my own furniture making business.

I often ask myself if I remained in the hi-tech industry for perhaps ten years too long. Looking back, I should have possibly exited hi-tech, struggled at woodworking and not look back. The hi-tech employment became a crutch and it was the pay cheque that kept me from leaving. It is difficult to say what the best path would have been. Circumstances were different in my case, it has all worked out in the end, but the "what if" lingers! Today, I see many younger woodworkers taking the leap into full-time woodworking and commend their courage. After all, why pursue a career you no longer have an interest in. This is one of life's biggest lessons and as mentioned earlier it is difficult to look back through a rear-view mirror. I recently read an article that summarized people's biggest regrets later in life. The regret of not having pursued their dream was high on the list. To summarize, pursue your passion!
So I teamed up with a videographer and created the following video in the form of a 5 minute synopsis of my exciting second career in woodworking and specifically furniture making!

Follow my journey on Instagram: @woodskillsmag
WoodSkills
Pirollo Design