If you’ve taken my 7-day intro course, you get an opportunity to e-mail me your thoughts and questions each and every day of that course. Many people take advantage of that invitation, too, which I love! I truly love meeting other super nerds like myself.
One of the days, I ask what’s standing in your way of making it happen and creating the freelance life you want for yourself. Nine times out of ten, I get a response like these:
- “I’m afraid to spend the money on the course and then not get any clients.”
- “I’m afraid I won’t get any clients.”
- “What if I can’t get any clients?”
- “What if I can’t find work at the end? Do you help?”
I respond back and explain that getting clients is 100% a result of your own actions, but not just the actions you take in the marketing aspects. The actions you take in the first seven modules of the course — the ones that come before anything about marketing is even mentioned, and the ones that will help you master the skill you need to get clients — matter even more than Module 8, which teaches you various ways to get “in” in the court reporting world.
But fear, fear is the new “F” word. It pops up very predictably and totally clouds our perspective. It keeps us from seeing what we’re capable of; it makes us think someone or something else is responsible for our own success. Know this: you are not only capable of success, you are also 100% responsible for your own success or lack of it.
How to Get Over Your Fear of Finding Clients
From speaking with students in both my free course and my intensive one, I’ve heard the new “F” word so, so many times, even when the word isn’t actually said or written. For example, I asked Rhonda, a student in my intensive course, about how her feelings and emotions had changed in the process of becoming a proofreader, and this is how she responded:
Yes, it’s intimidating for me, trying to convince myself that I can go out on my own, do what I know I’m good at (although I know I need to learn more) and succeed. It’s hard going from a traditional job to something nebulous in a way. Can I do this? Will I be successful? It’s not so much CAN I do this, it’s more, can *I* do this? Am *I* going to be successful? I worked at my previous job for 13 years. This, this is completely different. I’m ready to make the change in my head, but my heart, that’s where I need to gain more confidence.
Rhonda hit the nail square on the head.
Most people are not fearful of whether or not it’s possible to find clients and make money proofreading. They know it’s possible. They see plenty of other people doing it. Usually they’re fearful of whether or not it’s possible for them. It’s an internal battle.
Another student, Dee, responded to the same question with: “We manifest our own realities with our internal thoughts and feelings. If we dive in and believe anything is possible, then anything is possible.”
I can’t get over that statement. If we set our minds up to believe we’re not going to get any clients, then guess what? Our subconscious would not permit us to get clients. On the other hand, if we change our thinking (and this takes effort!) by identifying the negative things we’re allowing ourselves to think, we can totally overhaul our mindset to one of determination and power — instead of one of fear and worry. Then our subconscious will work with us toward our goal, fueling our client search instead of snuffing it out.
Lisa P., PA student and lifelong entrepreneur extraordinaire, shared this in regard to success: “Success comes from perspective. If you believe you will be successful, you will be. If you believe in what you do and how you do it, you can offer that service to ANYONE.”
That is so true, isn’t it? It’s also why mastery is so important. You need to know what you’re doing, and know it well to be confident in it. That takes time, and that requires you to take action. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Take a look at this graphic that shows this mastery-leads-to-confidence process visually:
The people scared of not finding clients before they even know what they’re doing have not yet realized that their fear of finding clients will dramatically dissipate as soon as they master a skill and service. Mastery allows you to gain confidence. How do you master something? You learn and practice! Once you’ve truly mastered the skill, you will have confidence. Then, and only then, does it become about finding your first client. Once that happens (and it will) then you know for certain, if you didn’t already, that you’ve got this.
It is SCARY to Start a New Chapter
Starting something new in life sometimes means identifying oneself differently. When I first became a proofreader, there was a weird, unsettled, nervous/anxious feeling I had, like “Whoa. Who am I?!” This is the feeling you get when you’re about to not just try something new, something big, but the feeling you get when you’re about to become someone new. If you’re new at this proofreading thing and learning about the various ways you can make it work, you may think it’s just as simple as studying up and doing it… but it’s not always that simple.
Sometimes these weird human emotions pop up that we’ve spent years repressing that can make us quit trying before we even start! Fear is one of those emotions. Fear attacks our confidence and holds us back. Fear is not a friend.
Here are some more thoughts from students on the various instances of nervousness and fear they’ve faced both before and after deciding to pursue life as a proofreader:
Student Kimmie says,
“I think most of my fear of finding clients comes from past experiences. I’ve started and stopped several home businesses before. I’m just not a pushy salesperson, and I take the rejection personally. This I am working on because it isn’t personal most of the time.”
Megan says,
“I think for me, this proofreading deal makes the ugly perfectionism come out in me. That causes fear and trepidation.”
Alicia says,
“Although I want my life to change, it can be really scary to think about moving from a safe (albeit boring) career to something much less structured.”
Alicia makes a good point: we can want our lives to change soooo badly, but the fear can come out and bite us HARD to a point where we just go back to our safe little corner and never find out what might have been.
What Does True Mastery Require?
It requires hard work! Some people are fearful of hard work. There are a lot of scams out there that have duped people into believing it’s easy to start a new income stream and be free from the corporate world. All you have to do is find a few friends to sign up first, right!?
The reality is harsh for some. Creating a new income stream is NOT EASY and transcript proofreading is no different.
Maybe you’ve expressed your fear (of whether you can do it, of finding clients, whatever it might be) to me at some point, too. I understand fear, I do — although many of the folks who’ve expressed their fear to me have also expressed the fact they have all kinds of degrees from various higher education, and my first thought is, “So you’re worried about dropping < $900 on a course and not getting clients, but you dropped $100,000 on a master’s degree … and you weren’t worried about being able to find a job afterward?”
Never mind that transcript proofreading is an art that needs to be mastered before clients even become part of the picture — people don’t want to “waste money” on a course if they can’t “get clients”. I get that. But you don’t take a course just to learn how to “get clients” — you take a course to master a skill.
The intensive course happens to teach you both mastering the art and getting clients, but I am always very forthcoming about which is more important: mastering the art.
I know it may turn prospective students off to learn you actually have to know how to do something before you can get people to pay you for it, but if I weren’t up front about it, I’d get incessant e-mails from people begging me to help them find work … work they don’t even know how to do yet. Transcripts are a much different beast from general proofreading work, and I have no qualms against telling someone, kindly yet unapologetically, “It does not matter how much proofreading experience you have or how many dissertations you’ve proofread over the last decade. You do not yet know how to proofread transcripts. It is NOT the same thing.”
And a note about degrees: the thing with lots of degree programs people shell out tens of, or hundreds of thousands of dollars for is they often only receive the skills they need to do the work — not how to market it. This is often the case with typical bachelor’s degrees. I believe there should be a mandatory course for every college grad on social media marketing and personal marketing. That is the missing puzzle piece in most degree programs today, which is why I took so much care building Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice to include the full gamut: doing the work and getting the work… because who CARES how good you are if you can’t market it, right?
But BEWARE — I’m sure you’re sensing a theme here at this point — the reverse is also true! Who CARES how many clients you get if you haven’t mastered the art? Shouldn’t we focus on becoming excellent at what we’re offering said clients before we worry about “getting” them? ‘Cause really — getting them is one thing, but keeping them’s a whole ‘nother story. This is where excellence — mastering the art — is key.
What If You DON’T Master the Art Before Going Out to Get Clients?
Before I even teach students how to get clients, I teach them everything they need to know about how to do the work for the clients. But there are still those who may be too excited about the money-making aspects that they won’t pay enough mind to being excellent at the service they’re providing to said clients. In this case, it really doesn’t matter how many clients they can get, does it? If their service stinks ’cause they skipped/breezed through the client communication module, or they didn’t carefully comb through the 3,109 pages of practice transcripts because maybe they think they’ll “know it when they see it” — they’re setting themselves up for failure.
I’ve said it before: you can’t hide lack of mastery forever. If someone races through just to learn how to get clients because they THINK they know it all already, sure, they may be able to rack up a few clients and make some money. But long term? That’s going to hinder them more than help them, and it will tarnish their reputation fast.
Keys to Mastering the Art of Transcript Proofreading
Theresa N., student and 18+ year veteran in “general” proofreading, has some excellent advice for those of us looking to master the skill of transcript proofreading.
She says:
So how do you go from “I suck at this,” to “Hmm, I’m getting good at this,” to other people saying “He/she is a great proofreader”?
First, you need to care enough to improve. This cannot be overstated.
Second, you need to invest time every day to shoring up your weak spots.
Third, make constructive criticism (feedback) your best friend.
This means forgetting about your speed as far as pages per hour. Read every job twice at the start of your career.
Recap
So what’s the number one thing you should do to get over your fear of getting clients? Master the art. Put in the work. Do the time. Don’t just be good, be excellent at what you do. I always encourage the folks who are fearful of not being able to get clients: try your best not to focus on that up front. There’s a reason the marketing module’s at the very end. Focus on becoming an excellent transcript proofreader first. You’ll have so much confidence if you do that, for one, and that confidence will do wonders in your quest to find clients.
And remember, there are no shortcuts to mastery — it’s hard work or bust.
BONUS!
I leave you with the best 19-minute commencement speech on success/fear of failure/freelancing you’ve ever heard, ever. Take 19 minutes and watch this video. Then, let’s discuss both this blog post + the video in the comments below. See ya there!!
-*-*-
Thinking of enrolling in my intensive course?
Ask yourself these eight questions first.
Master Your Mindset!
Starting a business is exciting, but how the heck do you get over the crippling fear of not being able to find clients? What if you feel like a fraud? What if your closest friend or even your family tells you that you can’t make a living working from home? This jam-packed 24-page guide is designed to help you identify who is really in control of your success, help you take action, and help you keep negative feelings from controlling your life.
Here’s a sneak peek:
Section 1: How to Get Over the Fear of Finding Clients as a Freelancer
Section 2: The 3 Pillars of Success in Life
Section 3: Know Thyself… and Be Cool With Who That is
Section 4: Dealing With How the Past Has Affected Our Present
Section 5: Identifying and Curing Impostor Syndrome
Grab your copy of The Mindset Mastery Guide here!
This reminds me of my Journalism instructor. One of the first things I remember her saying when I attended her class was that you could not write news articles without first knowing the rules, mastering those rules and then learning when, and how to break them. In point, specifically, she used this when asking us to uncover 100 synonyms for the word “said.” While there were colorful synonyms such as shouted, announced, hollered, spouted, ultimately the main word that a reporter must use is “said.” Mastery first, then you can start expanding, she taught us.
Neil Gaiman reminds me that failure is also a part of things, that when I have sat and stared at something in frustrated contemplation, that sometimes a change of view, change of topic, change of anything, really, is necessary. Confidence does not come from a magical fairy, but through experience and belief in oneself. Fear is both an obstacle, but it is also one of my greatest motivators, because fear, in and of itself, makes me angry. I dislike fear so much that I have a tendency to run at it full force and climb up whatever it is I am worried about without stopping to look at why it makes me fearful, I’ll understand more when it is gone. Fear can also stop me, for it is when I stop and doubt myself and my intelligence, my diligence, my spirit that I won’t climb over the obstacle. Learning how to overcome is probably one of the most frightening, but necessary lessons I believe I’ve had to learn and sometimes, I require relearning that once more.
Your instructor was a genius! So smart. And — me too! I have to literally relearn to overcome every single day.
Way to go. I’m also attempting to stop letting fear cement me where I am. Good for you! Keep on keeping on!
I love the video clip! So many tidbits of good advice gained from valuable experience. I come from the medical field. I have over 15 years of experience as an RN in Labor and Delivery and Neonatal ICU. I can tell you my first days, my first months, on the L&D unit were riddled with fear. I second guessed every thing I did and didn’t do. I went to work hoping my patient wouldn’t deliver on my shift, wouldn’t hemorrhage, wouldn’t need an emergency c-section. I worked myself into anxiety and ulcers by focusing on my fears. But, when you work 50+ hours a week, it doesn’t take long for all of those things and more to happen. Sometimes more than once in a shift. I had to learn to compartmentalize my fear, so as not to let it paralyze me in an emergency. When you embrace your fear you are able to use it to your advantage. Instead of living in fear of that possible hemmhorage, I was able to realize the warning signs and do everything in my power to keep that from happening. I still don’t desire to be in that situation, but fear does not overtake me now because I know what to do if it happens. The scary part for those of us just starting out, regardless of the path you’re starting down, is that you only tame that fear through experience. And experience can be painful! But it helps us grow. I know, because now, instead of living in fear of what might happen, I’m the head nurse running in to the emergency to help out.
YES!
WOW – (Words of Wisdom) that are so inspiring. I can relate to what others have experienced with fear. Stepping out of our comfort zones is scary. Not stepping out of the zone is even scarier. In taking an entrepreneurial path, stay focused, surround yourself with “like-minded” people (PA Facebook Group is a great example), don’t take the naysayer negativity personal because not everyone will understand your passion/destiny, and, more importantly, always have faith in all that you do.
Yes!! It’s all about letting it become a part of you. I’m writing a book right now about becoming a proofreader, and who knows how long that’ll take, but it goes into some extreme depths about letting your new skills literally change your identity, and recognizing when negative beliefs may be preventing that from happening.
What a wonderful video! After being in the workplace for over 40 years (okay, I started when I was 3!), I can attest to the truth of Neil’s advice to act as if you are someone who can already do what you fear. I have reinvented myself in my career several times and fought the fear of failure each time. I went back to school in my 30’s to become a paralegal. My first job was as a corporate paralegal and I was terrified my bosses would realize I had no clue what I was doing! But if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you realize that, more often than not, you DO know what to do. And, when you don’t, the horrific consequences you’ve imagined, never happen. Those times are called learning experiences and they are just a part of life!
Even though I still have a hard time turning off my professional perfectionism, I can now look back and remember I’ve been successful in all my positions – no matter how big my initial fears and insecurities were. Neil Gaiman is so right! Just think of what someone who is already successful does and do that.
Thank you, Caitlin, for the great reminder and, since I’ve never done anything on a freelance basis, I’ll be back to reread this blog after I take your course!
Wise, WISE words, my friend!!
This article is very informative and encouraging. In fact, what you need to do is create a separate module for the course on the fear topic and add the article. That way, students can read this article while taking the course. If fear is so common among those who want to take advantage of this opportunity, it would make sense if it becomes part of the course, right?
Yes 🙂 I can add a link to this exact blog post, as a matter of fact!! I do have to be careful, though: I don’t want to duplicate content too much. If someone enrolls and sees a blog post used as a course unit, that could rub someone the wrong way 😉
This what just what I needed right now!! My fears were starting to get to me and I am not very far into the course. I know that I love to proofread, so this just makes me more motivated that I can and will succeed. Thank you again for this great post!
🙂 So glad it “got” to you!! Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are amazing proofreaders!
What a timely post. Thank you! When I first learned of your job as a proofreader, it was the first line of work that I KNEW I could do part time, hopefully allowing me to quit my career as a teacher and spend more time with my family. I was nothing but excited about it, but oddly enough, since I signed up less than two weeks ago, I have been plagued with nothing but fear and anxiety! I have had to work hard to not let those feelings consume me. But as I read through your post, I realized my main fear results not from the unknown of finding clients, but more like what Megan said, the (debilitating) perfectionism that has me convinced I’m going to mess up and not do a good enough job proofreading. While I’m looking forward to getting to the marketing part of the course, it is the practice transcript module that has me shaking in my boots, and I’m still one module away! I had a professor in grad school who said when you’re writing, you have to turn off your inner perfectionist, and I think that’s the approach I need to take with the practice transcripts. While I want so badly to get it all right immediately, your reminder that they are there for practice, and that through practice I will learn how to proofread transcripts well, is just what I needed. So look out, PT1 (which I’m totally dreading because of everyone’s FB comments), here I come!
😉 I struggle with perfectionism, too! Even when it comes to building this course. I think to myself, if I don’t spend all of my free time trying to make it better, doesn’t that make me uncommitted? UM, NO. LOL. It’s definitely been a learning experience for me and I’ve had some hiccups along the way. Thankfully everyone knows I’m a human, too!! As you may have heard, regarding the PTs, we are going to be adding MORE on July 1!! You will have PLENTY of practice. We have to look at practice as moving us forward, not holding us back.
Angie, we need to chat sometime! I am currently a substitute teacher (after leaving the field to stay home with my children) and am very much a perfectionist! I am just getting ready to start my PT1, so we will see how that goes. I would love to hear how it went for you.
Great blog and very inspiring video. Time for me to feel the fear and do this course anyway.
Time to start searching for an iPad and giving this my best shot.
Thank Caitlin you are truly inspirational .
Nancy
What a great blog post and discussion, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Neil Gaiman speech. There were so many great lines and thoughts in all that!
Yes, I so agree that mastery is the key. I may not ever completely get over that niggling feeling of dread, waiting for “the fraud police” to show up, it’s been with me for a lifetime. But … mastery is like a badge I can flash when they come a-knockin’. My papers to prove that I really belong in the world of proofreading!
(I hadn’t heard about the additional practice transcripts coming. That’s awesome — thank you!)
The video was awesome. Loved how he stated at the end to just pretend to be that person you’re not. Some of our fears are rooted from years and years of wrong thinking. Changing those thoughts and fears won’t come overnight. I am hopeful that my negative thinking and behaviors will be reversed as I step out and try this thing called proofreading!
YES! New ways of thinking and doing can always be learned; old ways of thinking and doing can always be unlearned 🙂
Oh yes, Go and make mistakes!
that’s my mantra for the month of June.
It’s a good one!!
Thank you, Caitlin, for publishing the speech. It made me cry, but they are tears of relief, and it made me smile as it was so well delivered.
It’s so good, right!? Life is so short — we’d be silly to spend it doing anything other than making good art.
What a fantastic video!! That was some of the best advice I have ever heard & I will be bookmarking this page so I can reference it later. Thank you for posting it!!
Wow! I am so glad to hear it impacted you positively 😀 It’s definitely something I have to repeat to myself on a regular basis, especially when I catch myself in self-doubt!
What great and encouraging advice! This whole topic of fear reminds me of one of the most important, if not THE most important thing to remember that I’ve learned from my personal achievement coaching, that there is no such thing as fear. Fear is a concept of the future, thinking or believing the worst of what may happen ahead, out of the present moment. While creating the most of our life and fulfilling every dream and goal, we must live in the present moment, always deciding to move forward toward those dreams and goals, as time never stands still. So believe in yourself, believe in your dreams, and pursue what you want to accomplish. Live in the present. That’s all there really is!!
Thanks, Caitlin, for the reminders we can all use, some of us on a daily basis! 🙂
Wow!! I can see you’ve benefited a lot from your coaching 😀 😀 Thanks for sharing it on the blog with us!
I am currently enrolled in the 7-day free introductory workshop. I’ve been clicking almost every link to every article on proofreadanywhere.com. I love this article and I love the video with Neil Gaiman!
First, the article. I am a jack-of-all-trades sort of individual. I have mainly worked in the sciences in laboratories mixing chemicals, repairing machines, billing, administrative tasks, etc. My ‘hobbies’ would include that I’ve done home plumbing (ripping out 60 year old metal piping and replacing it with PEX), several re-roofings, automotive tinkering (I recently rebuilt my car engine! I’ve never done that before, but I had a manual that told me how 🙂 ) and I’m sure much more than my wife would care for, haha. I’ve always been a fan of editing others’ work and learning new things. I think this article helped solidify that I am going to become a PA. I want a technical mastery in a specific field and this is going to be a great way of achieving this!
Second, the video. “And you don’t even need all three. Two out of three is fine.” I love that segment of the video! I know I can at least manage two of the three at any given time, although I will want to provide all three to better market myself.
Hi, Chad!! This comment made my day! I come back to this article and video on a regular basis just to check myself, especially when I’m feeling overwhelmed or like I’ve forgotten what I’m doing 😀
All of the feedback here is so encouraging! Life is really short! I have decided to reinvent myself, move forward, and invest in the course.
Caitlin,
Every day’s material of your Introductory Course has left me thirsty for more. Thank you! The information you provide in each day’s nuggets is opening a brand new world for me and I can’t wait to dig deeper. I so appreciate the great links you include in your material. It’s like going on a scavenger hunt.
Today’s eMail is the best so far – Neil Gaiman’s “Make Good Art” address left this old gal breathless. I’ve been down many roads in my professional life and have encountered many of the situations Mr. Gaiman so brilliantly addresses. I can relate and I am humbled. I certainly got a good dose of inspiration from it and it reminded me of the many times I’ve gone down a path without really knowing if I would travel it successfully. The fear was there, but way, way, beneath the excitement of learning and doing. I’ve bookmarked this page already and will revisit many times.
I think it’s time to open a new chapter in my life and travel a new road. Thanks for your very unselfish effforts and contributions.
Grace
Thank you so much for your kind words, Grace!! I loooove that speech!! Neil just nails it, doesn’t he!?
What an amazing and inspirational speech. I love when he said “You have something that no one else has, you have you.” Fear of failure has always been an issue for me and a major factor in holding me back. I have been excited everyday reading each of the emails I have received and truly can’t wait to get started on the program.
Such an inspiring speech. I’ve done so many things past the point of enjoyment, but eventually stopped those activities. Many times in my life I have pretended to be a person who can do such and such, and amazingly I became that person! It was a matter of just being confident in my abilities. Thanks for this!
I’ve listened to a lot of commencement addresses, and Neil Gaiman’s is exceptional. And potentially life changing. His focus on “good art” and creativity is interesting in light of the usual perception that proofreading is more about enforcing rules than creating. I think, however, it is possible to conceive of excellent proofreading as a highly creative activity.
Caitlin is right in stating that “mastery allows you to gain confidence.” Well-known psychologist Albert Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy are personal performance accomplishments, learning from role models, social persuasion (encouragement), and physical and emotional reactions. Of those four ways to build a sense of efficacy, personal performance accomplishments are the most important source.
So trust Caitlin on this. Without mastery, confidence doesn’t happen. And that’s one of the reasons her teaching approach intrigues me.
Thank you so much for your participation and insight, Ranee! 🙂
I love Neil Gaiman so I was quite excited to get to the end of this post and see his jovial mug. 🙂 There are so many wonderful points in his address and I think there is something to learn for everyone in his words.
I have been discouraged from making “good art” more than once in my lifetime up to this point. I am so looking forward to nurturing what has always been innate talent of mine and use it to get me closer to my mountain.
My comment above is a good example of why you should ALWAYS proofread your work before putting it out into the world. I could have sworn I wrote “…has always been AN innate talent of mine…” and immediately saw that was not the case after hitting “submit”. Grrr…
It happens to the best of us! And I get a little excited about Neil Gaiman, too. I understand getting flustered! 😉
I enjoyed this address immensely. I loved his points about fear. I think I will pretend I am someone who acknowledges fear and then continues moving forward. I believe that if I pretend enough then I will become that person.
I have not yet really become fearful about getting clients. My fear was whether or not I will master the art. This is in essence fear of failure. I realize that I have a degree of control of the success of any endeavor. I certainly do not want to relinquish that control to fear. In other words, I don’t want to ever fail because I was too afraid to try.
Thanks, this recording was quite inspiring.
My “fear” is not about the ability to get clients, but as an old-timer, it is more about the technical aspects of the job. I work on a computer in an office every day, but switching over to a tablet and learning to download/proofread/forward on a device without a person standing by to help is making me doubt my ability to do the job. How can I build my confidence in this area without spending the $1000 + for the course?
If you’ve never had the opportunity to use a tablet before, you can go to an electronics store and try out a display model. I think you’ll find they’re less of a mystery than it seems. 🙂 You’ll also find a lot of help in the student community in addition to the course resources. We help each other out!
Ok, now I’m really in! Neil Gaiman! 🙂
What an insightful speech! I wish someone had delivered that address at my graduation. His message reminds me of a quote by Henry Ford. He reminded us, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.”
That is SO true! 🙂
Nuggets gained: Practice makes perfect. Be authentic. Take action to get to the place where you need to be. Do the work you are proud of and success will follow. Learn to say NO!
Remember, the one thing you have… is you. The hardest lesson in life is to let go and enjoy the ride. Be wise, as the world needs more wisdom.
Whatever discipline you are in, you have the ability to make art …the lifesaver. When things go bad, make good art. Go and make interesting mistakes. Make the world more interesting. Make good art!
I'm interested in proofreading e-books. I am retired, and I read a lot. Almost every book I read has grammar errors, wrong words used, etc. I'd like to offer my services to these authors. What would I reasonably be able to charge them? Do we charge per page, per book, per hour? What would be a reasonable amount? I'm not sure if they would even be interested in this service, since people are obviously paying to read their books as is.
Hi Sherry, all of the information is within the course.
I love this commencement speech! I am sure I am at the opposite end of the spectrum from most of your students. I am not concerned about replacing a full-time job, since I am 70 years young and already retired. I had three careers in my working life – elementary teaching, mental health counselor and lay pastor. The part of the commencement speech that resonated most with me was his words about enjoyment. I have enjoyed all three areas I have been involved in, and I fully intend to enjoy my season of proofreading. I have always corrected spelling and grammar, either silently or vocally. Now I look forward to learning the nuts and bolts that will make proofreading my fourth career choice. I love quiet enthusiasm, and that is how I feel – quietly enthusiastic.