Anyone who pursues a liberal arts education wonders what the ultimate pay off for their sacrifice will look like. Mine was losing my job.
Allow me to explain.
I'm Not A Risk-Taker
Five years ago I took the one of the biggest gambles of my life.
Within the space of 6 months, I resigned from two full-time radio jobs, moved my family to Cedar City, Utah and enrolled as a full time student at an unaccredited school.
Plenty of family and friends tried to gently warn me about the risk I was taking.
To them, my walking away from secure employment with benefits to pursue a liberal arts education made about as much sense as bathing in gasoline and drying off next to an open fire.
I'm certain that had I bought a Harley or a grown a ponytail, my choices could have been written off as a mid-life crisis. But in reality, I felt an overwhelming sense of personal mission steering me in pursuit of this type of education.
Deep in my core, I recognized a call to do more with my life than I had done. I felt an intuitive understanding that if I were to fulfill my life's purpose, a world class education would be necessary.
The great souls who have shaped human history have always paid a dear price to become better individuals.
There is no high road or shortcut to realizing one's potential.
In late December of 2005, I took a deep breath and stepped into the unknown.
What On Earth Have I Done?
Trying to support my growing family on a third of our former income was only the first of many challenges. At first, I was only able to secure part time radio work. Eventually my hours became full time but my pay stubbornly kept its part time proportions.
Our savings quickly dwindled and financial worry dogged my thoughts relentlessly as debts mounted.
School required a heavy commitment of personal study time which narrowed my choices to focusing on supporting my family or doing justice to my studies. I chose the latter as my figurative wolves howled at our doorstep.
Household and automotive repairs and maintenance began to accumulate, adding to the stress. Our ability to pay our mortgage on time was becoming difficult.
We added two more children to our family and subsequently outgrew and had to replace 2 vehicles.
A stress-related condition called Alopecia areata caused large bald patches to appear on my face and scalp eventually leading me to shave my head to avoid the appearance of having mange.
In my heart I knew I was doing the right thing, but a nagging question would pop into my head every so often asking, "Are you sure this is worth it?"
I finished my undergraduate work in spring of 2008 and continued on in pursuit of my graduate degree. By fall of 2009, economics dictated that I adjust my focus to providing for my family and my classroom studies ended.
My personal studies, however, continued. They were supplemented by teaching opportunities that included professional speaking, writing, and teaching online classes. Even my radio duties afforded me a chance to continue to learn and teach.
As the economy continued to worsen and unemployment continued to climb, I clung to my radio job with a mixture of gratitude and frustration. I was grateful to be employed, but seemed trapped in a dead end, low-paying job--that I happened to love doing.
I wanted to do more but was unwilling to give up the security of known employment for the risk of seeking greater opportunity.
"When will this education pay off?" I wondered.
I Get My Answer
The answer to that question came on the last day of February when I was informed that my position with the radio station had been eliminated as part of a reduction in force.
As the chill that accompanies bad news wore off, I sensed something very different was taking place in my life. I had just lost my job in the worst economy since the Great Depression.
Why on earth did I feel at peace?
As I prayerfully examined my options, I realized that two remarkable things had changed since I had committed to pursuing my education. First, my view of the world had expanded.
Instead of radio being my sole means of income, I saw innumerable opportunities before me. Not just to earn a paycheck, but to use my understanding and talents in ways that had a positive impact on those around me. I could now write, speak and teach effectively to diverse audiences in widely varied settings.
Secondly, my education had created fruitful relationships with others who were likewise engaged in paying the price to fulfill their personal missions.
Those relationships, forged in the fires of personal sacrifice and intense study, produce individuals whose goal is to create rather than copy. They develop leaders who prize the value of others and who labor to have impact instead of simply comparing themselves to the rest of the world.
Such leaders understand the need for teamwork in magnifying their own efforts. They are connectors.
With this change in my worldview, I marveled as opportunity after opportunity gravitated to me as the word spread that I'd been downsized. Amazingly, many of these opportunities not only aligned with my personal mission but also allowed me to continue to develop my talents and knowledge.
For the first time in my life, I was free to choose which opportunities best fit my purpose and my family's needs. There was abundance in every direction I looked. The stress of not having a job was threatening to give way to having more blessings than I was capable of receiving.
Now that's a problem I wish everyone could face.
I am now focusing on three highly promising ventures with more waiting in the wings.
It's no exaggeration to say that my job loss was a huge blessing disguised as a minor setback. It was a blessing that required a combination of Divine Providence and a liberal arts education to truly appreciate.
Perhaps you've pondered making the deep sacrifice of gaining a world class education in pursuit of your life's mission. As one who has just experienced the difference it can make, I can attest that it's worth it.
