Chain of Failure

[altimit]

IDK if this is the right place for this but I'm in the middle of a chain of failure. Maybe it is just me and this makes no sense but there are times that are bad, and they hit hard and in succession. And the stupidest things that would not otherwise fail will magically fail.

It is nothing big and dramatic like a family death or house burning down (yet.. i hope not..), but a bunch of tiny little things back to back adding up to overwhelming proportions..

Has this ever happened to you? If so how did you cope, or escape?

Edit (2hr after original post):
I feel better now. The string of failures was going on since yesterday, but since I posted this I feel better and things are going better. I don't know if its just in my head, or if someone here did something to help. If so, thank you to whoever helped. :)

[danyaeldemonic]

I know exactly how you feel. Almost a year ago I'd hit the bottom in my life. I was divorced, re-married to an old friend but we were having problems. Due to outstanding traffic warrants I was always scared to drive...but I had to in order to get to work and pay my rent and eat. Where'd I work? I shoveled horse manure on a ranch. I worked up to 8 hrs a day in the hot Texas sun shoveling crap. This wouldn't normally have bothered me except that I've been told all my life that I was brilliant. I'm a musician, writer, I build web communities and I'm skilled in numerous other fields. But there I was, shoveling all day long.

I got depressed, and then I started looking within myself. I looked at my other talents. Certainly I couldn't just pick up and make a living doing music. I can play a guitar, but I'm no Eddie Van Halen. I chose building web communities because I'd always wanted a stay at home job, and that was something I could do cheaply and easily. When I started this, my wife had a part time job that was helping a lot (poop doesn't pay much). Now, she farms HER old job out to another. The site I started now pays every bill we have.

I know you've probably heard this a hundred times, but look at everything you can do. See if there's a need for it in the community. Is it something you can market? Can you start it part time? I also had to make a life changing decision that's cliche, but "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had." Look at your habits. Do you see any patterns?
Sorry this was so long :)

[altimit]

I know exactly how you feel. Almost a year ago I'd hit the bottom in my life. I was divorced, re-married to an old friend but we were having problems. Due to outstanding traffic warrants I was always scared to drive...but I had to in order to get to work and pay my rent and eat. Where'd I work? I shoveled horse manure on a ranch. I worked up to 8 hrs a day in the hot Texas sun shoveling crap. This wouldn't normally have bothered me except that I've been told all my life that I was brilliant. I'm a musician, writer, I build web communities and I'm skilled in numerous other fields. But there I was, shoveling all day long.

I got depressed, and then I started looking within myself. I looked at my other talents. Certainly I couldn't just pick up and make a living doing music. I can play a guitar, but I'm no Eddie Van Halen. I chose building web communities because I'd always wanted a stay at home job, and that was something I could do cheaply and easily. When I started this, my wife had a part time job that was helping a lot (poop doesn't pay much). Now, she farms HER old job out to another. The site I started now pays every bill we have.

I know you've probably heard this a hundred times, but look at everything you can do. See if there's a need for it in the community. Is it something you can market? Can you start it part time? I also had to make a life changing decision that's cliche, but "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had." Look at your habits. Do you see any patterns?
Sorry this was so long :)

I'm always told I'm good with computers and should open a computer shop. Granted that is probably the only thing I could do, had I the money to start a business, since I can fix computers really well.

All my other skills though are just good enough for a hobby. "Jack of all trades master of none", so to speak.

I can program C#, but not anything worth selling.
I can code PHP, but I can't write you a forum software.
I know basic HTML, I have the coding skill to make a design work but not the creativity to create the design.
I can sequence music, but even giving it away is hard. I paid $20 to list a single on iTunes, Amazon, ect, and didn't make a dime. So my music just cost me :P

That and I have a VERY short fuse, so I get easily irritated if my code doesn't work, ect.

All of my skills I can use and enjoy as a hobby but if I am under pressure and have to use my skill to accomplish X by Y with Z style, then I panic and fail.

I've also had a history with theft. When I was younger I coded this wicked web script and one guy managed to break into my web server, steal the code, put it on his site, and claim that *I* stole it from him. >.>

Sadly for him since it was my code, I knew the bugs, and exploited one to delete it from his server, but that's another story lol.

I am vengeful sometimes.

[danyaeldemonic]

I had a computer repair business during my first marriage. I started with enough money to buy some business cards. Now, granted, I had a few tools already but nothing fancy. Small screwdrivers, canned air, etc. I started putting those business cards ALL over town. That was back in 2003 or so. I charged $45 an hr for housecalls. I replaced hardware (use a small markup if they want YOU to buy and provide the parts), cleaned viruses, etc. Simple stuff for me, but the customers were people who weren't too computer savvy. Make sure its something you like though. Another cliche saying..."be careful what you wish for, lest it come true". Don't turn a hobby into a business if there's no passion for it or you'll end up hating your job like 95% of the population. The worst part is, you can't give your boss the finger because YOU'RE the boss.