Is jewellery designing your dream?

Lots of people dream about making a living designing and making jewellery, or through some other handicraft. On come the rose-tinted spectacles and, straightaway, they begin imagining all the things they won't be doing anymore.

It's not difficult to guess what's on the average person's 'no more of this' list. It normally goes something like this: No more commuting, smelly trains or traffic jams to get to the office; no more waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark and coming home (you guessed it) in the dark; no more impossible deadlines, unreasonable demands from an over-bearing boss or doing stupid things just because I am told to by someone for whom I have little or no respect (OK, I got a little carried away at the end).

It is easy to get sucked into believing that you will be able do as you please. Come and go as you please. Work when you want and play when you want. But will you?

If you truly believe in this dream, then reality may come as a shock. Most likely you will be working harder than ever - morning, noon and night. And guess what, you'll still have to appease someone you don't respect. Only now he/she holds the deeds to your house with the threat of repossesion. And, somewhat inconveniently, can only be contacted sporadically after listening to countless renditions of lift music played down your telephone!

Of course, the latter is true only if you launch into it full-time from the word 'GO'. But, lots of folks try to do their day job and follow their dream on the side. It's a very popular way of starting out, as it lowers the risk (or certainty in the early days) of being financially worse off. But, do you think it lowers the risk of failure? Does dabbling increase your chances of success? I doubt it.

When I thrust out in business on my own (quiting a career to do it), the words spoken by a rock star, who's identity I've forgotten, echoed in my mind. The advice he gave to budding future rock stars was simple but priceless. It went something like this (I can't paraphrase it): If you want to be a rock star, then start being a rock star today. Start acting like a rock star and doing things as a rock star would. Because, nobody's going to come up to you and say "hey you're a rock star now" and make you one, just like that. You've got to do that for yourself.


So, why wait for someone to come up to you and say "hey you're a jewellery designer now" before you quit your job? Why not quit your job first and start being a jewellery designer from day one? Instead of dabbling, dive in. Why try a little, when you should be trying a lot? Is it really best to follow your dream evenings and weekends only? Surely, that means you are working hardest at maintaining the status quo?! That's scarcely going to change things.


If you dream of being a jewellery designer, my advice is stop dreaming. Take a realistic assesment of what it will mean to you and your lifestyle. Then start doing what a jewellery designer does. Set out expecting a long hard slog. If you need qualifications or experience, get them. Quit the day job and get one that's relevant - if you must. But, most of all, believe you're a jewellery designer from day one. Start living the dream from day one and reality will follow sooner.