Kicking off 2019
I'm two days ahead of schedule for the post, but I'm taking advantage of my phone functioning well as a mobile hotspot to get this in. Typically my phone will struggle with maintaining signal but it appears that it's going to work right now.
December has been an interesting month full of self reflection, and getting some hard but needed criticism from good friends. And while I will not bore you with the bloody details, I will tell you that those I spoke with all agree on several points.
1. I do not take enough risks. Those who've known me for a while would say that I have stopped taking risks, and those who've known me for three to five years would say they haven't seen me take any, or any significant risks.
2. Too much self doubt. It's good to be critical, and realistic, but it's bad to paralyze yourself or shut yourself down without making any attempt.
3. My career goals vs. where I physically am do not align. If I'm serious about coaching, and if I am not thrilled by the idea of going back to California and getting involved with the junior system there, and there's only one or two programs in Oregon that I'd like to be at, but I'd want to be the head coach - both are taken - and Seattle doesn't excite me, then staying in Portland or the area doesn't make sense. Either move on from coaching and find a job in Portland, or leave Portland and the immediate area - California, Washington - and go east. Or go abroad.
4. While it makes sense that you are more limited or need more in your life now than you did when you were 21-24 years old, you've gotten a bit too reliant on things being perfect rather than saying, "**** it, let's fake it till we make it." Bills and an increased cost of living/quality of life will do that, however, that doesn't excuse not going for it or doing more. I've matured as far as life/work balance is concerned, but I'm also not pushing myself as I did.
These four are excellent criticisms, and are ones that I've felt, but have a hard time looking in the mirror.
I could address all four here, but I'd like to not write for the next couple of hours.
I have decided that this will likely be the last hurrah for coaching. I love coaching, however, I haven't been able to make the inroads that I'd hoped for. The moments in my career I felt were going to be the catalyst for making that next move were not those moments, and at this point, I've grown weary of saying, "Next year/time."
That being said, I want to see out this year as the assistant, and see if perhaps being an official Division One assistant makes any difference on my resume. It's never been on my resume before, and perhaps this is what I've been working toward. It also accomplishes another career goal.
That leaves the next six months to figure out what the next step could be provided I do decide that June 3rd - should be back from IRAs - is my final day. I have a passion for analytics, and a pet project I've been working on that I hope will make a big splash. I've been looking into administration jobs with collegiate athletic programs which will keep me involved in athletics, but in a different role. I have also begun to research ways to learn more about analytics without getting a degree in economics, though a second masters in science has also been something I've researched - Georgia Tech is my second choice university behind Columbia.
So there are changes coming, and options to explore.
For now, the biggest change that I am making, and this breaks from what this blog has mostly been about as I go into something more personal, I am going to try being a vegetarian for the month of January.
I have no plans to become a full-time vegetarian, and I have a couple specific reasons for attempting this - weight loss, upcoming formal dinner at the university - but I want to give it a shot. I have allowed fish to enter the diet if I am feeling the need for protein. The one piece of advice all of my vegetarian friends have agreed upon is that I need to make sure I have plenty of variety to keep things interesting. With that in mind, I have decided to remake my pantry into one full of Asian flavors with rice vinegar, wasabi powder, sesame oils.
A couple of items of note.
1. I will have some non vegetarian items in my pantry as staples. Fish sauce is one of those items, as is chicken broth/stock. I have a load of low sodium stock on hand, and I've never been a fan of vegetable broth. While I won't go beef broth, I am going to cheat a bit and use the stock I have on hand because I have it, it saves money, and I don't have much space in my pantry.
2. I will eat fish if I feel like a burst of protein, but I am limited my fish to tuna (canned in water), fresh salmon, or shrimp. Shrimp because it's relatively cheap, salmon because it's my favorite and by only purchasing fresh - as opposed to frozen - I won't be tempted to always have it on hand, and tuna from the can simply because it's quick. To keep from cheating out the month by gorging on fish, I am limiting myself to no more than one serving a week. So I better want it.
3. If this goes well, I plan on continuing into February - the month of the dinner - and then dropping it by March.
So that's the next month or so in a nutshell, and a general framework for the next six as I explore career options.
I'd love to hear any suggestions you have for finding a new career. West coast in my preferred location for a job outside of coaching.
December has been an interesting month full of self reflection, and getting some hard but needed criticism from good friends. And while I will not bore you with the bloody details, I will tell you that those I spoke with all agree on several points.
1. I do not take enough risks. Those who've known me for a while would say that I have stopped taking risks, and those who've known me for three to five years would say they haven't seen me take any, or any significant risks.
2. Too much self doubt. It's good to be critical, and realistic, but it's bad to paralyze yourself or shut yourself down without making any attempt.
3. My career goals vs. where I physically am do not align. If I'm serious about coaching, and if I am not thrilled by the idea of going back to California and getting involved with the junior system there, and there's only one or two programs in Oregon that I'd like to be at, but I'd want to be the head coach - both are taken - and Seattle doesn't excite me, then staying in Portland or the area doesn't make sense. Either move on from coaching and find a job in Portland, or leave Portland and the immediate area - California, Washington - and go east. Or go abroad.
4. While it makes sense that you are more limited or need more in your life now than you did when you were 21-24 years old, you've gotten a bit too reliant on things being perfect rather than saying, "**** it, let's fake it till we make it." Bills and an increased cost of living/quality of life will do that, however, that doesn't excuse not going for it or doing more. I've matured as far as life/work balance is concerned, but I'm also not pushing myself as I did.
These four are excellent criticisms, and are ones that I've felt, but have a hard time looking in the mirror.
I could address all four here, but I'd like to not write for the next couple of hours.
I have decided that this will likely be the last hurrah for coaching. I love coaching, however, I haven't been able to make the inroads that I'd hoped for. The moments in my career I felt were going to be the catalyst for making that next move were not those moments, and at this point, I've grown weary of saying, "Next year/time."
That being said, I want to see out this year as the assistant, and see if perhaps being an official Division One assistant makes any difference on my resume. It's never been on my resume before, and perhaps this is what I've been working toward. It also accomplishes another career goal.
That leaves the next six months to figure out what the next step could be provided I do decide that June 3rd - should be back from IRAs - is my final day. I have a passion for analytics, and a pet project I've been working on that I hope will make a big splash. I've been looking into administration jobs with collegiate athletic programs which will keep me involved in athletics, but in a different role. I have also begun to research ways to learn more about analytics without getting a degree in economics, though a second masters in science has also been something I've researched - Georgia Tech is my second choice university behind Columbia.
So there are changes coming, and options to explore.
For now, the biggest change that I am making, and this breaks from what this blog has mostly been about as I go into something more personal, I am going to try being a vegetarian for the month of January.
I have no plans to become a full-time vegetarian, and I have a couple specific reasons for attempting this - weight loss, upcoming formal dinner at the university - but I want to give it a shot. I have allowed fish to enter the diet if I am feeling the need for protein. The one piece of advice all of my vegetarian friends have agreed upon is that I need to make sure I have plenty of variety to keep things interesting. With that in mind, I have decided to remake my pantry into one full of Asian flavors with rice vinegar, wasabi powder, sesame oils.
A couple of items of note.
1. I will have some non vegetarian items in my pantry as staples. Fish sauce is one of those items, as is chicken broth/stock. I have a load of low sodium stock on hand, and I've never been a fan of vegetable broth. While I won't go beef broth, I am going to cheat a bit and use the stock I have on hand because I have it, it saves money, and I don't have much space in my pantry.
2. I will eat fish if I feel like a burst of protein, but I am limited my fish to tuna (canned in water), fresh salmon, or shrimp. Shrimp because it's relatively cheap, salmon because it's my favorite and by only purchasing fresh - as opposed to frozen - I won't be tempted to always have it on hand, and tuna from the can simply because it's quick. To keep from cheating out the month by gorging on fish, I am limiting myself to no more than one serving a week. So I better want it.
3. If this goes well, I plan on continuing into February - the month of the dinner - and then dropping it by March.
So that's the next month or so in a nutshell, and a general framework for the next six as I explore career options.
I'd love to hear any suggestions you have for finding a new career. West coast in my preferred location for a job outside of coaching.
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