I wanted to write a post today about how I am totally inspired by Jeremy Renner. I read an article on him a few weeks ago that talked about his early days as a struggling actor. How he couldn’t pay his electric bill and how Ramen was a treat. How he took small parts in movies but wasn’t getting recognized. How he started flipping houses just to pay the bills. How he was in The Hurt Locker and basically, his entire life changed. How, at 40, he is finally seeing the for which success he worked and struggled. I wanted to write about how that completely inspires me and encourages me. But my brain got stuck when I tried writing anything that makes sense. So please bear with me.
I tend to find inspiration in strange places. As I am now firmly in my 30s, I often tell myself that I’m too old to pursue a dream or learn a new skill or that I’ll never make it as a successful blogger/author/fill in the blank. There are so many people who have a fresher perspective or new ideas or confidence. Why would an audience flock to me when there are so many smarter, wittier, more talented writers than me? It’s hard to convince myself to compete with the “younger” crowd because really, who wants a fairly calm, middle aged dog when you can have an energetic, entertaining puppy?
Then I see stories about people like Jeremy Renner or Jane Lynch or Rodney Dangerfield, who didn’t find success until later in life. I realize that I’m not so much different than them. I have dreams and dedicaiton and work ethic and I hope, a little bit of talent. I’ve struggled to get to where I am. They didn’t quit even though they were competing against younger, differently talented, possibly better looking actors. They didn’t quit because it was financially tough. They didn’t quit because they knew how badly they wanted it and they believed that if they worked hard enough, it would eventually pay off (I’m not sure if this is actually true but I’m going to pretend that it is). Since they didn’t quit, I can’t quit. I try to believe that it will pay off.
Make no mistake about it, I don’t for one second believe that trying to pursue my dream of being a writer is ridiculous (though, on occasion, I do question its practicality). I don’t think anyone’s dream is ridiculous. If I do, I’m certainly not going to say anything. Because who am I to crush anyone else’s dream? That’s why I encourage my daughter to pursue her dream of being a mermaid (seriously, it’s what she wants to be when she grows up). As her mother, I will do everything possible to help her fulfill her mermaid dream. When she realizes that’s not possible, I will encourage her in whatever comes next. Because dreams are important. And you have to believe, as I do, that your dreams will eventually come true (yes, even my ludicrous one of interviewing Jason Segel).
That doesn’t mean that I think that dreams should be pursued with little to no planning. In order for me to pursue my dream, I had to have a familial support system as well as a network of other writers/bloggers. I had to find a niche where I belong (and I don’t for one second believe that finding a place in the personal finance world is an accident). Most importantly, I had to have my finances in order.
This March marks a huge month in my financial life. As of this March (possibly February), I will be completely nonmortgage debt free. My husband still has student loans but as far as what my name is on, the mortgage is all. Having this in my not-so-distant future means that I will be able to save money in an emergency-I-can’t-wait-to-quit-my-job fund and actually, for the first time in my 34 years, have the freedom to do what I want to do. I still have income sources, and I’m working on a few ideas for other income streams, so I won’t be earning $0 which is comforting. But I’ll be earning that money doing what I believe I’m supposed be doing–writing.
I might never be a New York Times best selling author or make $1,000,000. But I’m fine with that. I bet Jeremy Renner never thought that he’s have 2 Academy Award nomiations. But the bottom line is that he’s a successful, working actor who can say, with certainty, “I’m an actor”. And as long as I’m writing, and I’m earning a few dollars, I can say, with certainty, that I’m a writer.
Even if I’m an older dog, I’m pretty sure I’m not out of tricks yet.
