an untethered life

The Supersized Consequences of Tiny Decisions

Hi Reader,

Back when I was a prosecutor in northern Canada, I got an up-close look at the consequences of some pretty bad decisions. And what struck me about a lot of the situations that ended up on my caseload was that they often began with small, seemingly routine choices.

The choice to engage in an argument spiraled into a fight that got out of control and wound up with someone really hurt.

The choice to check a text message while behind the wheel caused a loss of control and, again, wound up with someone really hurt.

And so on, and so on.

Luckily for all of us, though, the same principle applies to good choices with good consequences as well. Small decisions, taken now, can spiral into big, life-changing opportunities in the near future if you play your cards right.

In this week's email, I want to write just a little bit about how I got into writing by making tiny, seemingly insignificant choices. And how those choices snowballed into a career change that transformed my life.

Aimless in Bermuda

It was early 2019 and my wife and I had just moved to Bermuda from Canada. Rebeca had landed a job at a cancer center here on the island and I tagged along, figuring I'd find a job eventually. At the time, I was finishing up my MBA anyway, so I'd be kept busy while I searched for work.

When the job search proved harder than I'd expected - turns out no one was in the market for a criminal lawyer with a mostly rural background - I took a chance on a few Upwork writing gigs. They weren't anything special. A few bucks to write some product descriptions for some e-commerce clients, if I recall correctly.

As it turned out, those first clients were the seeds that grew into a shiny new career as an online copy and content writer. I never would have guessed at their potential. To be honest, I wasn't even looking to get into the writing game. It just kinda happened.

A nascent career

Those first few clients left positive reviews on my Upwork profile, which made it easier for me to get my next few clients. Those next few clients were also impressed, which led to more good reviews, which led to more clients.

I still wasn't making much money at this point, but it was clear that - unlike the legal community in Bermuda - the remote content and copy market was receptive to a burned out former prosecutor with a penchant for writing.

Full-time job

As time passed and I built my profile on the freelancing platform, I was eventually able to charge real money for large jobs from serious clients. I was even able to build a full-time, sustainable income, something I'd never expected to be able to do outside of the legal industry.

The transition from the occasional odd job on Upwork to full-time copy and content writer came gradually via a thousand small decisions. And all of this began with the choice to pitch that very first client for my very first gig.

The point

So, what's the point of all this?

Just that if you're looking to do something fresh and new in your life, like writing for money, or fun, or something entirely different, know that it all starts with a tiny choice. Pitch your first client. Build your first portfolio. Write your first story. Create your first Medium account.

You never know where it might take you.

Did you enjoy this email? Feel free to follow me on LinkedIn and Medium for more content. ​​