Have you ever had to make a choice...

[The Saltman]

I know. Ive done the research myself. Im going to stay positive, work my ass off and see where it takes me.

[TheRealDeal]

im going back to school then chasing my dream also. Ill let u guys know in 10 yrs how it went. These sorts of decisions are really tough.

I think in your situation though this is all for the better. You are getting an education to help you in the future. My decision could backfire on me and there is a good chance it will.

Are you leaving your current job and doing school full time or are you still working and attending school? I'm not sure I see the downside.

Right now I'm working and doing the other thing in my spare time but if I want to go to the next level and take it seriously as my career, I need to do it full time.

[The Saltman]

im doing both full time and on top of that im a fulltime father. But your risk is far and away greater then mine. Like I said goodluck thats a really tough decision.

[SOJA]

Good luck in whatever you decide TRD, if you work hard, that's really all you can do

[CLTPanther]

How old are you anyway TRD? Remember when you're younger you also have more time to recover if it doesn't go as planned.

[TheRealDeal]

im doing both full time and on top of that im a fulltime father. But your risk is far and away greater then mine. Like I said goodluck thats a really tough decision.

You have a lot on your plate but I think you will be far more successful when you end your journey then when you started it, knowing nothing about what you do now, especially in terms of keeping your wife and daughter.

This has been weighing on me for a while now and I'm not sure how much longer I'll have to make the decision.

I forgot to mention that health insurance comes with my current job and does not come with my other choice, which isn't so important for me but when I get married it will be important to have my wife covered. Meh

[TheRealDeal]

How old are you anyway TRD? Remember when you're younger you also have more time to recover if it doesn't go as planned.

Young

[The Saltman]

it all depends on how bad u want to chase this dream? is it a realistic dream? or is it far fetched? U also dont want to end up on the street homeless either.

[TheRealDeal]

it all depends on how bad u want to chase this dream? is it a realistic dream? or is it far fetched? U also dont want to end up on the street homeless either.

I don't want this to come off the wrong way but I'm pretty good at what I do so I don't think it's that far fetched but it's definitely a long road to travel to get to the top. A little bit of chance, luck, and hard work are what you really need and you can only control 1 of those 3. Like I said, the payscale is very top heavy and when you are grinding at the bottom it's hard to eat.

It could be two years before it works out or it could be 10, or it may never work out.

[The Saltman]

how bad do u want this? When you are a 70 year old man are you going to regret that u didnt pursue this?

[cookinwithgas]

Here's my situation. I have been an athlete my whole life in one form or another. When I wasn't playing sports I was still involved, being a GA and so on. I decided to give it up and go to work a normal job. I now work a 9-5 corporate job in finance for a growing company that is awesome. Casual work environment, great coworkers, tons of growth potential, decent pay, close to my house, my fiance's uncle is CFO so I'll always have someone looking out for me, etc. On the other hand I have a chance to turn a hobby/second profession in sports to my career. Problem is unless you are at the top the pay is terrible, the hours suck, travel is required, no one is there to help you out but it's doing something sports wise and allows me to compete.

That help out any?

Keary Colbert?

[Carl Spackler]

Keary Colbert?

It all adds up now.

Seriously, I had to make that decision not long ago. I went with leaving my roots and going after what I wanted.

[PanthaSan]

Is there any way you can take a Sabbatical? Or a leave of absence?

The opportunity sounds really exciting and I am stoked that after leaving it, you are still considered a competitor. I know some folks take a year or so off to do Mission work overseas and a few years ago, I took some time off (abou 8 months) to deal with my Mother's passing and pretty much roamed around. When I was done, I went back to work and it was like I never left.

I know most companies do not do this but it sounds like you might be at a good one and it keeps a bit of security for you just in case it is not a fit.

Now, if this came up because of a possible lock out and you thinking the owners will need players for next year......

[TheRealDeal]

how bad do u want this? When you are a 70 year old man are you going to regret that u didnt pursue this?

I believe I will. Another thing I've considered as an option is trying to continue doing what I'm doing now which is work my regular job and do this in my spare time. The level of competition would take a giant leap up and I don't want to feel like I'm cheating myself by not committing 100% but I have to be smart about it as well. If I can somehow work out a deal with my employer that during "camp" I either work from home or reduce my hours to part time and other times of the year continue on at full time, taking a pay cut of course, then it would make it a whole lot easier.

So much confusion