AWAI Writing Challenge Winning Entry:
How I’m Carving Out a Career From My Passion for Office Supplies
What am I passionate about? Office supplies. Among other things, yes, but I love my home office and everything in it.
I used to LOVE to go to the five-and-ten the week before school started in the fall, for new pencils, erasers, and notebooks. Still love my composition books to this day.
I also love New Year’s and its inherent fresh start. Even now, pristine new notebooks, calendars, and planners are fun to get. Tuck away the previous year and begin afresh and anew.
This past year, I decided to take my copywriting skills that I acquired through AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting in a different direction.
At AWAI’s FastTrack to Success Bootcamp last November, I realized I needed to find out just how I wanted to use my writing abilities and wanted to combine them with my passion for office supplies.
My epiphany came in late December; I would start a website dedicated to the home office, including a free e-zine, weekly tips, and even a blog.
The end of June 2009 saw the launch of my website, The5MinuteBulletinBoard.com, dedicated to – you guessed it – the needs of the “solopreneur” working from home.
By penning articles for the website and e-zine, my love for writing is well-exercised (as is my peer review group, who tends to see much of it ahead of publication). My love for all things home office is, too, just by carving out a career out of my passion.
When you relentlessly pursue your interests, you acquire expertise that you can write about, monetize, or simply use for credentials.
I wish EVERYONE would step back and assess their professional lives. Discover what makes you want to rush to your home office or computer, and then make a plan to follow.
Following your passion and turning it into a career takes work, as does anything worth having. I like to say this: If it takes you five years to accomplish your goal, you would have lived those five years anyway. Why not live them doing that which you love?
I do, and I’m loving it every day. You can do the same. Just take the first step, and your passion will flow like a river and take over from there. You’ll never look back.
[Ed. Note: The above essay by Tiiu Kai Garrett is the winning entry in the AWAI Writing Challenge for June 18, 2009. Theme: In 1,000 words or less, tell us about something you like to do in your free time. Tiiu will receive a $100 American Express gift card.]
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Congrats, Tiiu!
Great article. You gave me some additional ideas for my own website!
ShirleyM – July 6, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Great article, I have too many passions to settle on just one. Too many things I like to do and get ideas from, just not the courage to take the bull by the horns so to speak. I am learning to focus on one thing at a time even though it isn't easy. Congratulations on your success. Keep up the "hard" work.
Margaret from Follett Texas – July 9, 2009 at 3:24 pm