A weekly thought for leaders with the courage to introspect. ย
From furniture maker to teacher
Or from banker to pastry chef.
From marketing tycoon to market trader.
Designer to inventor.
Let me ask you a question of conscience: do you ever long for a different profession?
Many people do this, but few dare to do it.
Understandable. The risk seems great. The comfort zone safe.
And so the desire often remains secret. Buried under a thick layer of realism.
But I say dig it up. Give it space.
Because two areas of expertise are better than one.
The banker who dreams of the bakery need not hang up his suit.
Maybe he can go to vocational education one day a week to learn the trade.
Not to switch, but to be able to.
I know a professor who did exactly this.
A half day of pastry baking in exchange for a half day of teaching.
Not for the career change, but for the satisfaction.
Doing something with your hands. Creating something tangible.
One does not necessarily exclude the other.
You can be an accountant and a goldsmith.
Lawyer and cartoonist.
Dentist and teacher.
Why not?
In a time when we can combine everything, it is a shame to ignore your desire.
In fact, it adds something to your craftsmanship.
You strengthen your current talent by adding a second passion to it.
I know them all: โ The professor who teaches weighing
โ The accountant who learns to forge
โ The lawyer who exaggerates people to the point of absurdity
โ The dentist who literally leaves something lasting behind
And you know what? It has another advantage.
When the need arises, your second expertise is your safety net.
So I ask again:
Do you have a secret desire for a different profession?
Invest in yourself.
Start small.
And look for ways to combine it.
You don't have to make a radical switch.
You can simply become more of who you are.
From furniture maker to teacher
Or from banker to pastry chef.
From marketing tycoon to market trader.
Designer to inventor.
Let me ask you a question of conscience: do you ever long for a different profession?
Many people do this, but few dare to do it.
Understandable. The risk seems great. The comfort zone safe.
And so the desire often remains secret. Buried under a thick layer of realism.
But I say dig it up. Give it space.
Because two areas of expertise are better than one.
The banker who dreams of the bakery need not hang up his suit.
Maybe he can go to vocational education one day a week to learn the trade.
Not to switch, but to be able to.
I know a professor who did exactly this.
A half day of pastry baking in exchange for a half day of teaching.
Not for the career change, but for the satisfaction.
Doing something with your hands. Creating something tangible.
One does not necessarily exclude the other.
You can be an accountant and a goldsmith.
Lawyer and cartoonist.
Dentist and teacher.
Why not?
In a time when we can combine everything, it is a shame to ignore your desire.
In fact, it adds something to your craftsmanship.
You strengthen your current talent by adding a second passion to it.
I know them all: โ The professor who teaches weighing
โ The accountant who learns to forge
โ The lawyer who exaggerates people to the point of absurdity
โ The dentist who literally leaves something lasting behind
And you know what? It has another advantage.
When the need arises, your second expertise is your safety net.
So I ask again:
Do you have a secret desire for a different profession?
Invest in yourself.
Start small.
And look for ways to combine it.
You don't have to make a radical switch.
You can simply become more of who you are.
—
The space between the words is where insight arises.
Until next week when our thoughts touch again.
Hans Ruinemans, Boardroom Monk โฏ๏ธ