How Getting Laid Off Turned Me Into a Creative Powerhouse

May 27, 2025

On 12 September 2023, I received a call on my cellphone from my manager, which was out of the ordinary.

She called to let me know that my employment was being terminated. This was music to my ears. I hated my job for several reasons, mostly because for over a year, they refused to give me a raise or promotion despite my stellar performance.

For just as long, I had been considering switching gears and doing something that brought me more joy and purpose.

I was tired of pouring everything I had into someone else's business and not getting properly compensated or recognized for the work I was doing.

That fateful day, I may have lost my main and only source of income.

However, in the year and eight months since, I've gained so much more in my pursuit of being more creative.

If you know me, you know that I am at my best when I am creating. It doesn't matter what it is--writing, producing, coding--the act of creation brings me joy and purpose.

To think that I was once afraid to put myself out there and hit publish.

I've written more in the last twelve months than in the last decade.

As I'm known to say, we're still in the early innings. All because I decided to be more creative despite my unemployment status.

Today, I have a growing newsletter, I'm about to head back to school to upskill for a better paying job as I build my business, and in the meantime, I'm employed again, making more than I ever had before.

My soul is full and my pockets are fuller.

The lessons I've gained over the last year and eight months have been invaluable in the progress I've made.

Here's what I've learned while being unemployed and wanting to be more creative.

A 9-5 Is A Stepping Stone, Not The Endgame

I don't personally know anyone who's gotten rich from working a 9-5.

Maybe if you're an executive or developer, you could make six figures or more, but that's the exception, not the rule.

For the rest of us, a 9-5 is and should be a stepping stone to something greater. The only way that the rest of us could make six figures or more is by starting a business. The ceiling when you're in business for yourself is unlimited, but when you're stuck in a 9-5, the limit is palpable.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day.

If we do the math, during the work week, you probably sleep for 8 hours, work for another 8 hours, and commute for 2 hours, leaving you with 6 hours for everything else. This might include taking care of the kids, being with your partner, and destressing from work.

But what if you dedicated two hours a day during the week to work on your business?

What would be the result in a year or two?

We all need money to survive, hence why we all need a job, but if we spent a little time regularly working on something that would better our lives and income, why not make the investment in ourselves?

That way, the 9-5 we find ourselves is a stepping stone, not the endgame.

These days, no one is working for a company for 30 years, retiring, and then doing the things we dreamed of doing when we were younger and more capable. These days, people want to retire early and do more of the things that bring them joy and purpose today and instead of tomorrow, when we may not be as capable.

Life is too short to be investing in a company that would replace you today if you suddenly dropped dead.

Building A Sustainable Business Is A Long-Term Investment

When I first started publishing my work, I had it in my head that I would be able to sustain myself in as little as twelve months.

As long as I was consistent, and provided a lot of value, the money would start pouring in all of sudden.

I'm here to tell you that that is not the case.

Starting a business is a long-term investment in yourself. Realistically, an overnight success can take anywhere from 2 to 10 years of thankless work and slow growth. The value in it comes from the lessons learned and the lives touched.

I used to think I would be a millionaire by the time I was thirty.

However, in my twenties, I made so many mistakes. Lost out on so many opportunities. I honestly didn't have a clue as to how I was going to make it.

I was afraid to put myself out there.

I didn't invest in myself.

The money I made went to paying bills so I could survive, and frivolous things like the latest technology to keep up with the Joneses. I never once thought about taking courses or reading books that would upskill my abilities and put me in a position to make millions.

Now that I'm in my thirties, all of that has changed.

I've taken on a long-term view of building a sustainable business.

I'm learning skills that will forever be valuable in this ever-changing world. Slowly but surely, I'm becoming the type of person who one day will be capable of making millions of dollars.

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The Key To A Successful Product Is Solving Your Own Problems

When you were first starting out on your creative journey, what's the one thing you wish you had available to you?

That's where your winning product will emerge from--your past problems.

We are constantly solving problems in our everyday lives. What we might not be aware of is that there is a group of people out there who currently have the problems we've solved for ourselves.

Why not package up your solution and promote it to that group of people?

And as you continue to grow, repeat the process for each milestone in your journey to your ultimate goal.

There's so much information on the internet about how to come up with great products, but this is the easiest and most intuitive way to start. You don't have to reinvent the wheel or come up with something that has never been done before. Most of the groundbreaking products we need have already been created.

However, when we turn to our own lives, there is much more that can be innovated if only we can recognize where there are gaps.

There will always be someone who is two or three steps behind you. Those are the people you can help with the solutions you've devised in your own life. Don't overthink it.

It's really that simple.

Quick Recap: Here's The Juice

To make your dreams a reality and accomplish greatness doesn't require that you be unemployed like I was for the last year and eight months.

Instead, recognize that if you are employed, you are in the best position to elevate your life.

Your 9-5 isn't your endgame, it's a stepping stone to something greater. You truly need money to make money.

Building a sustainable business is a long-term investment in yourself, and it will take time. So, set your sights on the distant future. Think in terms of years, not months or days.

To be practical, the best products you can sell are the solutions you found for yourself that would be relevant to a group of people who are a few steps behind you. Don't think you have to reinvent the wheel to make six figures or more. It really is as simple as that.

Ready to bet on yourself? Hit subscribe and let’s build your creative powerhouse--one bold move at a time.

The Potential Paradox

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