The following is an excerpt from the book Get Paid For Who You Are.

If you are working 9 to 5 for someone else at something you’re not passionate about, or struggling to get more clients for your own business, then I can tell you I understand. I’ve been in those places not too long ago.

I was a consulting actuary for Fortune 500 companies based in New York. By all measures, I was a success. I had gone to school to learn a great profession, worked hard to get promoted, and had taken 8 years to qualify as an actuary (no small feat). I was making good money. I’d moved from Australia to my dream destination, New York City. My parents were proud and my friends thought I had it made.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that this just wasn’t me!

After much soul-searching, I took six months off to pursue a life-long dream of playing guitar and singing in pubs. I dressed up in fun, silly costumes like a kilt and a long blond ABBA wig, and sang party songs like Blame It On The Boogie.

You know what? I never made it back to corporate life. I’d broken my old thought patterns and started coaching people to achieve their goals. Soon other coaches were asking me how to attract clients using the internet. I was now doing what I loved, but I was still working five days a week. So I turned my knowledge and passion into a CD product. Now I was helping people 24/7, without using my time!

I took many deep breaths the day I slowly wrote my resignation letter to the Institute of Actuaries of Australia. My mind was screaming, “You’ve invested eight years of sweat, stress and tears in qualifying — you’re crazy to let that go!” But I was letting go of the old to create the new, so it felt right. I made my own choices. And that’s what I want for you.