Too Many Irons In the Fire

Gosh I have heard that phrase my whole life.

“You’ve got too many irons in the fire! You better choose one thing you like and stick with it or you’ll burn out!” My parents started telling me these words when I was younger. I wanted to be a cheerleader, play in the band, take honors classes, ride horses, be in the Spanish club, be the President of Future Teachers of America, work for the Girl Scout Camp, be in EVERYTHING!!!! There were so many things to choose I could never make up my mind.

So I did it all. I don’t know that I always did everything at 100% and maybe that was the biggest downfall of choosing so many things is not being able to perfect any one thing and instead I was a “dabbler”. A little of this and a little of that, but I liked it that way. I always had new things to try, new people to meet, and I learned a little bit about a lot of things.

Then I went to college, worked two jobs at a time most of the time, and one year I had 12 W-2s to turn in on my taxes. Hey let’s just call it being an overachiever?? K?

I really just couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. So I tried to do it all! You know what though I had a good time doing it. Then after college when I had a career, I still took evening classes for a few semesters until I got my masters degree and then about 6 years into teaching I picked up a second job waiting tables at night, and a third working an MLM. I loved it. It was extra cash and it was something I was good at. It kept me busy and filled the empty spaces in my time. Sure I would read in my free time or shop but being around others and making some extra money sure beat out all of that.

Maybe doing all the things was filling my time in the quiet parts of my single life days. Maybe it was a way for me to find myself and what I was looking for in a partner who knows? I think it’s just always been a part of me to want to do it all.

Heck even now, I have a job, a side business, I tutor kids one night a week, obviously writing here and always working on the next “big thing” in my mind. It doesn’t end. My mind is always busy and trying to do too much. Could it be a coping mechanism? I have no idea. What I do know, I am happy. I am happy with all of my irons. I enjoy staying busy and being with people.

Maybe one day my irons will fall apart but for now I just keep stoking the fire! So to all of you “dabblers” keep going. Do all the things. Find the things you are passionate about and do them all. You may never be the “best” at any one of them, but learning a little about a lot makes you an interesting person and usually someone fun to talk to at a gathering.

If you’ll excuse me I have to go do some work with my side business and prepare a lesson for tonight’s tutoring session.