*Original post from 2015 is unchanged, I’ve added some commentary in orange to reflect my current thoughts.

Why did I choose Josh of All Trades?

I built this site to catalog my journey from a good employee who works for large companies and sits in cubicles to someone with multiple streams of income that provides for his family without clocking in from 9-5 each day.

I am a good employee, but I don’t readily identify myself with work. In fact, I am more likely to identify myself as a person who’s tall or who made three cents last week on Quirky than to tell you about my job in healthcare.

I have lots of ideas, I try to be an amazing husband, wonderful dad and great friend to those I am fortunate enough to call friends… but that still only partially captures who I am. I like writing (sometimes). I am loved by Jesus (always). I would kill for a great cup of coffee or tasty beer. I could skip rocks ALL afternoon. And so on. And so on.

Although I believe working for myself is a possibility in the future, I’m more interested in finding work that appreciates what makes me unique. I have lots of ideas and love trying new things. I also have a high EQ and thrive when people are valued equally, or more than short-term success. 

This is blog is turning into a place to document things I wish existed. Like an in-depth guide to visiting Boston for people who don’t care about seeing historical sites, a deep dive into Enneagram Type #6, or a robust comparison of Selz, SendOwl, Gumroad, and Sellfy. 

Why do I tell you all of this?

Because I have spent the better part of my adult life thinking that I need to be the master of one trade and get paid really really well for it to be successful. I am not wired that way and frankly, I don’t want one thing to define who I am and how I should live my life. That’s why starting today I am not going to view my ‘side projects’ and crazy ideas. I am going to start viewing them as my means of energy, my means of providing for my family, and my greatest asset.

The way I think and solve problems personally and professionally has been a mainstay throughout my life. Throughout my life I have had experiences ranging from strangers asking for my advice all the way to a close friend choosing me to be the first person he would tell about being gay; all of these experiences draw me to one conclusion… I was made for 1,000 different reasons and experiences. I was made to be the person you laugh with and the person you cry with.

I don’t want to be known for one thing, I want to be known uniquely to each person I encounter.

This makes me happy to read again. My desire to apart and be the best version of myself for every situation has never been higher. I now have 3 children and they are all SOOOO different. If I become too rigid in my style or approach to parenting, I’ll end up with one kid who loves me, one who hates me, and one that will probably tolerate me. How I relate to others will hopefully flow out of this same desire to celebrate everyone’s unique traits. 

So, what does that look like?

I’m not sure how this journal will change over time, but I want to start with a weekly recap of the revenue of my side ventures each week. I am doing this for 2 reasons.

1. I want to be transparent and honest
2. I want to be able to accurately retell and recount my journey when I am older

I should have just stopped with “I’m not sure what this journal will change over time.” I have had varying degrees of success with my side ventures, but I’m not going to catalog them here. I do want to stay transparent and honest in this process.