Do That Thing
Written by Dare to be Great Gold sponsor, Showalter & Company
Do that thing you are afraid of doing. Do that thing that you want to do that no one else will do with you. Do that thing that makes you happy. Do that thing because you don’t want to look back in 10, 20, 30 years and regret not doing that thing.
What’s that thing you ask yourself, that thing is different for everyone. It could be volunteering, sky diving, moving, changing jobs, taking that promotion, buying that expensive purse, or making that TikTok. That thing is different for all of us and while it’s different for all of us, we all share the same fears, joys, and what-ifs of doing that thing.
My thing for me was taking that job in 911, way back in 2004. I’ve shared details of the beginnings of my 911 career previously so I will spare you all the details. For as long as I could remember I wanted to be a paralegal (not a lawyer), I blame watching endless reruns of Matlock and Law and Order. Once I graduated high school I went to college and eventually got my degree as a paralegal. By the time I was 24, I thought I was living my best life, but I was not happy, something was missing, and I did not know what that thing was.
In September of 2003 my high school bestie, Kara, told me I should apply to work in 911 (and to this day I will always give her credit for my 911 career because without her I probably would still be a paralegal and never have met Doug and so many wonderful 911 folks from around the country). I thought me applying to 911 was a crazy idea, because what the heck did I know about saving people? At the time, some people in my life were concerned by this career shift, but while I too had the same concerns, I would have rather tried and failed than not tried.
I did that thing, I did that thing that scared the crap out of me, I did that thing not knowing what the outcome would be. I did that thing and I found my place in the world. I found that thing that was missing. I’ve always loved helping people, and I was able to help people, all day every day and it was my job and I loved my job as a 911 call taker. At my department, call takers and dispatchers were two different job classes. While I had thoughts of being a dispatcher, I loved answering the calls. Don’t get me wrong, at times the calls were hard to answer and not for everyone, but that was where I belonged. I loved asking the questions, reading between the lines, and putting the pieces together.
In 2011 I met Doug and we started seeing each other long distance and in 2013 we had started talking about me moving to California (from Maryland). The thought of leaving Maryland scared me because that was all I had ever known, my family was there, friends, career, everything was in Maryland. But again I was going to do that thing, it scared me moving so far from home, but I was also so excited. I left city living just outside Baltimore, Maryland to beach life in California. I never looked back.
In 2015 we started Showalter & Company and let me tell you, do that thing was ringing really hard. Neither Doug or I knew anything about running a company, but we knew it was what we needed to do so that Doug would be able to teach and present in the way he wanted to do and make a difference that he was recognized for.
Having worked in 911, it will always hold a special place in my heart but I didn’t want to go back into the comm center after I moved to California. I did struggle to find a job that was as fulfilling as 911. After a few jobs, I finally landed a job at Wells Fargo and quickly learned that banking has many of the same aspects as 911, after years of searching once again I found where I belonged. Today I have been in banking for over eight years and now work for a regional bank here in Tennessee. When I talk about doing that thing, boy oh boy have I done that thing many times over in banking.
Over the years I have thought back to October 2003 when I put my application in to be a 911 call taker for Anne Arundel County Police and will tell you that had I not done that thing I would have missed out on so many wonderful opportunities. Twenty years later life looks much different than I envisioned it in 2003, but I wouldn’t change a thing. By making choices and decisions that sent me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to do new things and try new things, Doug and I now have a life we love doing what we love.
I see so many people who are afraid to step outside their comfort zone and so many people who sit on the sidelines just waiting. I’ll never know what they are waiting for. Waiting for someone to see them, to tell them they are great, to give them the opportunity. Pardon my language, but Fuck that, do it yourself! You want that promotion, go for it. You want the vacation, go on it. You want that new purse, buy it. I 100% believe in not waiting around for what you want. What if you apply for that job and don’t get it, so what, someone saw you and knows you’re interested. What if you go on vacation and you spend more money than you planned and things go wrong, so what, you did it yourself. What if you buy that new purse and are criticized for it, so what, you deserve that new purse, you worked hard for it. My take on almost everything is the worst that can happen is someone says no. If you’re told No, use that as fuel to turn it into a yes and never let someone who doesn’t have the authority to tell you No to dissuade you from doing that thing.