and it’s a no from me…
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.” - Steve Jobs
Yesterday I made impulsively made the rash decision that I should write a blog on a daily basis as a first manageable step in my journey to a new working life.
Today, I have to think of something to write.
So, what have I been doing? Mostly thinking and talking. As I see it there are two distinct paths if it turns out that I’m leaving my role at the BBC.
Path one: get another full time job. This has the advantage of causing the least disruption to my life and is compatible with two key aspects of my lifestyle that at this point feel non-negotiable ie. living under a roof and eating everyday. The downside is I’m not enjoying my working life and swapping one full-time role for another does not feel like it changes anything.
Path two: Establish a portfolio, entrepreneurial, freelance, self employed career. I love the idea of being my own boss and setting my own agenda each day but I have been freelance in the past and the accompanying financial uncertainty is no picnic.
So I’m thinking about options and talking them through. At this point I have pretty much cast aside the options of “creative diversity consulting” and full time creative diversity. With my knowledge and experience I could help production companies/broadcasters/streamers deal with all aspects of building inclusive productions. However, initial conversations exploring this idea suggest that it is not important enough to the bottom line of most productions to outsource this work. Additionally, my specific niche of film and TV creative diversity appears to be a contracting rather than expanding area and another full time role that pays enough feels unlikely at this point and frankly doesn’t appeal anyway.
So, have I worked out what I should do next yet? No! But I do know whatever I do next I don’t want to be sat on the sidelines trying to convince people to act inclusively I want to be in the game showing people how it’s done.