I Tame Wild Buffalo For a Living

February 16, 2010 in Life with 25 Comments

If there’s a single question that I hate more than anything else it’s,  “what do you do for a living?”

I guess it’s interesting to know, or maybe we’re just looking to break the ice and have something to talk about.

However, from now on, I’m going to say “I tame wild buffalo.” I mean really, what could be more interesting than that?

  • If you say you’re an artist, they’ll respond by saying “oh that’s cool.” And then they’ll probably talk about you behind your back and wonder how you could ever afford to pay your mortgage.
  • If you say you’re an accountant, you’ll get called a bean- counter.
  • If you say you’re a teacher, many will immediately feel anger and resentment toward you because you enjoy the summer by lounging around a swimming pool.

When I sat down to think about what really bugged me about the question, it was how willing are we to give up our real identities to what we do to make money. So why not just say something that makes you sound more interesting?

I just got new business cards and the card says: marketer | entrepreneur | dreamer

I’m a big dreamer. I probably should have left marketer and entrepreneur off the card completely.

My next batch of business cards will say starving artist or maybe aspiring linchpin. I’m not an artist in the sense you’re thinking. I can’t  paint worth diddly squat, but I’ve got goals  to make sure every day counts by doing work that matters. That’s the definition of an artist.

I’m not willing to give up an irreplaceable day of my life in exchange for a paycheck. No way.

Everything I do from here on out has to matter. This blog post has to matter. If it sparks any sort of positive feeling in you, then I’ve accomplished my goal.

I hope you do the same…. Make it count.

  • http://twitter.com/inmyhands_ Elke

    That´s a great idea! I should think up something like that too :-)

  • http://twitter.com/mike_key Michael Key

    I have always hated that question and always answered it with a list of some of the hobbies I enjoy. It's particularly fun to do at networking events filled with marketers.

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Tim Ferriss spoke about this too. He used to say he was a drug dealer.
    Let me know when you come up with what you do!

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Yeah. I hear ya. I am going to stick with things that involve large wild animals. I dont know why. Just sounds fun!

    Thanks for commenting Michael.

    Noah

  • John Kane

    Cool post.
    I think a tough job might be selling Tutus, in Da Hood :)
    The job requires YOU wear one to demo how lovely it looks.

    I do also think you a spot on about “ice breaking”.
    School should have classes to teach us all to not be knob-heads when meeting new people with those foofoo questions.

    As far as you not being able to paint worth diddly I would debate that.
    For like some famous pianist said when some one said they wished they could play like him, he berated them for they had no clue about the insane amount of work it required to “get good” much less great.

    We are ALL artists. You just haven't got serious about painting.
    Want to? Goferit.
    Peace out,
    Picasso's evil twin

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    John you're so right. Who says I can't paint? That was my Lizard Brain talking. Shame Shame Shame.

    ~ Pablo Jr.

  • http://milia-monacia.com/ Milia Monacia

    I agree business cards are so cheap nowadays. Putting something interesting on one would at least make conversations interesting when you give them your business card :)

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    My most recent cards I got from moo.com – they are awesome and interesting. I got the mini-cards and I'm very impressed.

    Thanks for commenting!

  • http://benmoreno.net/ Ben Moreno

    For now on when people ask me that, I will simply say, “I live for a living.”

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    I like it Ben!

  • Stacey Brooks

    I”m inspired! Thanks Noah!

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Hey Stacey

    Thanks so much for dropping a comment.
    What are you doing these days?

  • lindsaymarilyn

    I so know what your talking about Noah.When people ask me what I do,I feel like I need to justify why I'm not working outside the home. The biggest mistake we can make as humans is to judge others by their profession , status,or education . And what has been a very rewarding life for me may seem very lackluster to others. I do believe if you have a dream, GO FOR IT!!!!

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    You can say you that for 30 years you have tamed wild wildebeests and I will vouch for you :-)

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    I must have missed the part about just saying Ninja.
    That is very cool.

    You should do business cards like little ninja stars!

  • lindsaymarilyn

    Thanks Noah, In more ways than one lol!!!

  • http://lamiki.com/ Laura Kimball

    This is beautiful, Noah. For one thing, buffalo are awesome creatures and not one that usually pops up in conversation.

    This is a question that I've always hated. Right now I'm going through a career-reinvention so I'm title-less, but even when I was working at a company I hated answering because there's more to me than what I did at my 9-to-5 and that's really the core reason why I shrink inside when it's asked.

    The best advice I received for answering this question is along the same realm as you–”I stir up trouble.” Not as crazy as wild buffalo taming, but still mysterious.

    I agree, you need a biz card that says that. Bonus would be if it has brown fur on it. Just sayin'

    I found your blog based on a plug from @TMFProject on Twitter and I'm glad I clicked through.

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Hey Laura

    Thanks so much for commenting. That means a lot to me.
    You are not title-less – you are a stirrer of trouble!

    I love the idea of a brown buffalo fur business card.

    Thanks again for popping in. I checked out your blog. Looking forward to further updates there as well.
    What's your twitter username?

    Cheers
    Noah

  • http://lamiki.com/ Laura Kimball

    Hey Nick,

    You can find me @lamiki. Oh, and I just saw you tweeted about me. Feelin' the love :) Blog just launched this week, it's bare bones but hoping to get some visual pimp-age later this week. Needed to start producing content, you know how it goes.

    I also just thought of a crazy business idea related to this thread…okay, creativity is rollin'

    -Trouble Maker

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Who's Nick? :-)

    Crazy business idea! 3-2-1 GO.

  • http://lamiki.com/ Laura Kimball

    Hmm, apparently I don't know how to read…either that or you have a new nickname.

    Here's my crazy idea: a website for fun where you type a word or click a button that says “What's do I do for a living?”

    Bonus, it's tied to a website like moo.com that will pump out business cards for you that are, um, shaped like Ninja stars from a previous comment or like the random animal you tame.

    -Lauren

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    You should totally do that!

    I love it.

  • http://milia-monacia.com/ Milia Monacia

    Telling people you're a ninja should make your conversations interesting Michael

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