And it’s whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow,
Don’t be alarmed now,
Its just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by but in the long run
Theres still time to change the road you’re on.

And it makes me wonder … — Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin (Stairway to Heaven)

More than a few years back I was in a job with real prospects – the so-called ‘good job’. It was the first full-time permanent job I got on leaving school. I left school to take the job – as one did in those days. And pretty quickly I realised I hated the job. You might’ve been in that situation yourself – in my case I’d dreamed of having this kind of a role and when I got there it was not a good fit for me at all. I know much more about my skills, likes, and dislikes now than I did then – maybe the reason why I know is because of trying the many and various roles along the way.

So here’s the story. I’m in this job. I hate it. Some aspects I loved, mostly not that many. Mum and Dad think it’s a good idea to stay with the job. My family think it’s a good idea to stay with the job. My former school mates think it’s a good idea to stay with the job. My employers think it’s a good idea I stay with the job. So I get a day off from work, go back and see the Principal of my old high school, and I become a workforce drop-out. I did a sweep around my old school mates’ wardrobes and grab their old unwanted school uniforms, and I broke back into secondary school.

I learned a lot from the exercise. I developed the confidence to make decisions for myself, manage the whole deal, and take responsibility for the process and the end result. I can survive going contrary to everyone else’s expected flow. I had a very good year at school – something I think everyone should have (in my case it was the first and only). I’ve returned to work and I’ve returned to study and sometimes I’ve done them both at the same time. I’ve even done neither at the same time. I am confident that it is never too late to change your path.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
08. Every day choose to bring about change.
35. Every day focus on what matters to you.