I am a bookkeeper. 48 years old.
As I reflect back, I began this craft back in Grade 11 in high school. Eventually, started volunteering with my mentor and tutor who ran her self-employed bookkeeping business. Having Cerebral Palsy and seizures throughout my years – now seizure free. I have been a person who watches, listens and tries to challenge the mind and body.
In the beginning, I was not really interested with math, bookkeeping as I had and still do have a passion for music, writing and psychology. Since I been bullied in school, I would isolate myself from all the other students fearing if I approached anyone of them that I would get hurt. So I drowned myself with music and writing. They became my friend.
One of the things I did at break time in school, I would stand and observe how other children played. This led to reading how children were and I became interested on human behavior. In my college years, there was a short period where I did switch my program from Accounting diploma to the Psychology Diploma yet it was short lived. Even though I Aced my psychology course. I couldn’t see myself being in it in for the long run. I liked being on the business side. Seeing dad run a motel business, and volunteering alongside with his bookkeeper, my mentor – this is where I saw myself in the long run. I decided to switch to the Business Diploma and make my core courses Accounting. My expertise would be accounting yet I would know the other aspects of business. I worked on myself. I read books every day, listened to music, exercised and studied. I was aimed to develop my expertise.
When I eventually began helping a company with their bookkeeping, I noticed I got bored doing books for one small business. I decided to open a small freelance bookkeeping business to have a challenge and to broaden the skill set in performing various books. I took the example of my mentor.
So began my journey in developing the expertise in bookkeeping. I worked on my skillset 6 days in the week and gave one day off. I had others who said I was over doing it and should try to socialize and have fun in life but now when they see me, I have expertise that is unique from other bookkeepers. I am socializing and having fun in my life now.
And maybe one day I will have an interesting venture. Life is exciting when you do what your passion is. Time will tell where my next challenges lay until then I’m having fun with my craft.
When you find a passion – hone it, build it and become the best in the field. Ignore the naysayers and focus …. Repetition and Practice in the field of passion will bring the best out of your expertise
