Never stop doing that which makes your heart happy

This is little me:
👇

Like most 4 year olds, I spent my days building cities and neighborhoods with legos, painting, sculpting with play doh and making music (noises) with every part of my body.

I also spent a lot of time with imaginary friends, much like Calvin & Hobbes, if you remember the comic strip.

In my teenage years I became quite the expert in cardboard box architecture, making command centers for mi GI Joe action figures. I don't have any pictures of that, but they looked something like this:

image source: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/vintage-gi-joe-headquarters-command-center-advent-578-c-34147babf2

I was also a weapons manufacturer and dealer at one point. This is only a reference I found on the internet. My PVC/balloon guns were much more elaborate with several cannons and ammo holsters.

image source: https://es.pinterest.com/pin/43558321373754386/

Even in my college years I would challenge myself to make my own halloween costumes as opposed to the boring alternative of buying a premade one or the even MORE boring alternative of not having one at all.

This is me on the right dressed as Edward Scissor Hands

My biggest passion though was always music.

I always loved making music on keyboard, guitar and when I started using DAWs, I absolutely zoned out making all sorts of music of every genre; even experimental stuff.

This is me in my "recording studio" in 2010 with my sister making some amazing chunes.


And this is my band, The Shait, playing a gig at a local pub called Public House for Saint Patrick's day. That's me on guitar and keyboard.

The valley of adulthood

Eventually I became a PMI certified project manager for an international corporation. I had to make sure projects were planned to a T and executed within budget and on schedule. Responsibilities like this require you to be serious and wear serious business socks.

One day I woke up, turned off my alarm clock, jumped into the shower and semi-watched the morning news while eating my cornflakes with almond milk because whole milk upsets my stomach now.

And on my walk to work I remembered Calvin & Hobbes...

And asked myself if this what life is all about?

That was the beginning of my journey back to my roots.

I eventually came around and in 2017 I turned in my letter of resignation. I was grateful at my job and met lots of people who are still in my life today, but it was time for me to take a step into the less predictable but more creative life.

I opened up a recording studio, @recording-box. It was meant to be a place that would foster creativity and music and would help local bands make high quality recordings. Being surrounded by musicians all day meant that I was also spending more time making music. Not to make money; I made it for me (and sometimes for my dog, Compadre)

This was life.

Creating something out of nothing and doing it for a living. What could possibly be better?

Of course, recording sound and image can be a useful skill for businesses too. Brands need ads and voiceovers. Companies need interviews, green screens, podcasts and product reviews. Audiobooks? of course! How about ADR (Automated dialogue replacement) for film? Absolutely! we do that too! And all this needs to be managed! invoices need to be sent out and accounts receivable tracked. We also need to check the CRM and reach out to clients who've been absent for a while. chop chop! we need to cut expenses, maximize tax write offs and increase revenue by double digits this quarter!

After 7 years of doing this, I still sometimes get caught up in business mode. I forget optimize for happiness instead of optimizing for income.

Thankfully though, I always have amazing human beings that remind me to bring it back, remember my roots and not get caught up in the game of adulthood.

Yes, it's important to keep my business profitable and employees happy;we always keep that in mind; but it's not ONLY about that. It's not ONLY about profits and no joy for the heart.

We must always keep our fire alive and never stop doing that which makes your heart happy.

I'm a creator at heart. I make music, I write, I make video and whenever I get a chance to, I'll get my hands full of paint too.

I was reminded of that this weekend at Volcano Summit. Thank you for that.