
THE MUSIC SHOP
My first job after university was working at a music shop in Mesa, Arizona. I was working 45 hours each week, including Saturdays, while being paid minimum wage (which at the time was only $10.50/hour). It goes without saying that this was not what most would call a "dream career" after graduating cum laude with a 4-year degree in business psychology.Â
​
Despite this, from my perspective, it was everything that I could've imagined, and more. I did the math. I was on track to earning $21,000 at year's end and I remember thinking to myself, "Wow. I've never had that much money in my life. I'm going to be rich." On top of this, I worked under the owner, a world renowned bass player in the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, as well as his luthier, an expert in his craft spanning over 40 years, both possessing knowledge on topics that I never before thought I would enjoy learning about.
It was by far the most intriguing job I had up to this point, surpassing sign-spinning in a banana costume while working at Jamba Juice, and driving an hour to a call center doing student loans at Wells Fargo. I can truly say that there was never a dull moment in that music shop. Life was good. I was content. I felt fulfilled.
All of this was true. That was up until that dreaded day. The day which can best be summed up as, "The Last Pencil I Ever Sharpened".
​
THE LAST PENCIL I EVER SHARPENED
​
It was a typical day at work. Same hours, same work, same vibe. But something felt different, something felt off. I flowed through the usual daily tasks such as stocking inventory, updating the orders spreadsheet, and helping customers as they strolled in. At the end of my shift, all possible tasks were completed as I was sitting at the computer waiting for the clock to strike 6.
That was when my phone rang. It was my boss. It should be noted that my boss was a super mellow fellow, but extremely left-brained. I answered his call, "Hey what's up, I'm looking at the security camera right now. What're you doing?" I told him the truth, that everything was done and there was nothing left to do, to which he half-jokingly replied, "I'm not paying you to do nothing. Can you find something to do?"Â
So I did. I found the only thing that I could do. I collected all the pencils around the shop and proceeded to sharpen them one-by-one using one of those vintage, manual pencil sharpeners with the holes and crank. 5 pencils sharpened. 10 pencils sharpened. 25 pencils sharpened. Finally, while sharpening that very last pencil, a wave of energy suddenly flowed through me that declared that my time at the music shop was coming to a close, and that the universe was about to present me with one of the most important decisions of my life:
Do I stay at the music shop where I feel safe, secure, and comfortable? Or do I walk away and follow my intuition towards risk, uncertainty, and a world of unknowns?
Well, the following week, I buckled down to update my resume, signed up for job alerts, connected with a few friends from college who were working in tech, and by the end of that week, I had an interview lined up at the company that would provide me with an opportunity that would skyrocket my financial foundation, and unknowingly allow me to begin refining my innate abilities which I would come to recognize as guided conversation.
The decision to leave felt natural, almost instinctual. I had recognized that I had grown out of the job, and that if I wanted to keep growing, then I would need to find a new pot to plant myself in. That being said, I have no regrets about my time at the music shop, nor my decision to leave. It equipped me with everything that I needed at that phase of life, no more and no less. If I could go back in time and choose between the music shop or a more traditionally "successful" path - I would choose the music shop time and time again.
That day, not only did I sharpen 32 pencils, but also my mind, my heart, and my intuition.Â
..
Hi, it's Julian here! I hope this guide resonates with you. If so, then I welcome you to schedule your free consultation with me today.
..
Photo Credits: Kelly Sikkema
Your story of finding your path is very inspiring.