The Board Game Design Course

Going pro isn’t for everyone. It’s a commitment.

Luck comes to those who work hard.

It’s all the behind-the-scenes stuff that nobody sees that leads to your success. Keep plugging away, and who knows, you might become the next “overnight success”.

This is the third and final part in my short series on going pro as a game designer. In case you missed my earlier posts, make sure to check out part 1 and part 2.

So, in a nutshell, the main reasons I was able to make this bold career change were:

• The support of my spouse, family, and friends
• Savings and strong budget planning to ensure I could pull this off financially
• Experience

Without all three of these components working together, I might have been able to do this, but it sure would have been a much more uphill challenge.

It took some time and planning to move into game design full-time, but it all worked out amazingly well, and I don’t think I could’ve timed to better. If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have had the same financial buffer. And if I had left later, the teaching opportunity wouldn’t have been there. Planning and timing this well were crucial.

So, why did I make the change?

In a word: HAPPINESS.

It didn’t matter that I was doing something different than what I went to school for.

It didn’t matter that I would potentially be earning only a fraction of my previous salary.

What mattered was that I would be doing something that I loved, learning and growing every day, getting to express my creativity, prioritizing what I felt was important, and getting to have a lot more time with my family.

It doesn’t feel like work. Yet I feel more productive than I have in years. When you love doing what you do, it will get you through the tough times, cause you way less stress, and bring you satisfaction you’ve never felt before.

So, what’s your dream?

What would you love to do day in and day out, that would bring YOU happiness and satisfaction?

What’s your definition of success?

What’s your plan so that you can do what you want, when you want, and find true joy in life?

Only YOU can make the decision to make your life one where YOU find your purpose.

Please let me know your thoughts on this 3-part blog, and what steps you’re taking to make your dream come true, whatever that dream might be.