Interview #3: Colin

Posted on November 30, 2007
Filed Under Interviews |

This is the third in a series of interviews with people who have successfully ‘dropped out’ of the rat race.

ColinName: Colin Bell
Age: 58

Colin gave up the fast-paced life of a TV producer to fulfil his long-held ambition of being a writer. With the kids grown up, Colin and his wife now live in the Sussex countryside, where Colin can often be found practicing kung fu.

Where do you live now and what do you do?

I live in a small cottage in the Sussex Countryside though about to move to a small town nearby. I am trying to make a living as a writer.

Where did you live before and what did you do?

I used to live in a big Regency house in Brighton and worked in television as a Producer/Director and Executive Producer making arts programmes.

What made you decide to drop out of the rat race?

I wasn’t so much dropping out of the rat race, even though that was what I was doing, as wanting to try and achieve my long held ambition of being a writer and that meant making some very welcome life changes.

How did you get started?

I had a long conversation with my wife over a few pints of beer and then started the whole business of selling up and, luckily for us, applying for the early release of an old company pension (which I had always resented paying in to). I then just got on with it…writing fiction which I am still doing and gradually getting invited to contribute film reviews to a website (www.mansized.co.uk) and various articles to music publications.

How is your life different now?

I am a lot poorer but I am now doing what I always wanted to do. I am free from workplace pressures and can work to my own routine doing pretty well exactly what I want. I can also now do more non-work related stuff like taking up martial arts, which I had always wanted to do and to fit in all the essential practice, which was impossible when I worked in television. My life is more solitary than before and, as I am a fairly sociable sort, I have had to find new networks of people. Now I can choose when to be alone and when to party! The most profound change is living a life doing something where I have to value the end product. It is great when I’m on a writing flow but depressing and challenging when things aren’t going so well. Then you have to question whether you are just being self-indulgent.

What have been the highs and lows so far?

The freedom has definitely been the greatest high. I’ve not only been free to do what I want but also free to think what I want without being bombarded from outside.

The lows have been all to do with self-confidence and self-value. There is no one there who can say, “You were marvellous darling!” If you let the self-discipline slip then the writing starts to clam up and you can easily slip into depression.

Would you have done anything differently?

Not really! I could not afford to do it earlier (not whilst we had dependent kids or so I believed) even though I wanted to so I couldn’t have changed that. Psychologically I would have been tougher on myself. I don’t always succeed in avoiding distractions when domestic problems loom large as they do when you are working from home. I am getting better but I have wasted time over unnecessary things.

Do you have a philosophy or a mode you like to live by?

I don’t think I have a philosophy as such but I do try to listen to my inner self and do what I really believe in. I am very conscious of the finite amount of time we have to live and I try to fill my life with the things I really value. That was not always possible before.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to do the same thing?

Advising is very dangerous as it is such a personal thing. I guess I would stress that you have to be really sure that this is what you want and that you are not just avoiding other painful realities in your life. It is an opt-in and not an opt-out. You need to be highly self-critical but also self-confident. Also you need to be good at living in your own head but also capable of staying a part of the outside World. It is tough even though it is also wonderful to live this way and you may not always like what you see in yourself.

Stumble it!

Comments

2 Responses to “Interview #3: Colin”

  1. JRL on December 1st, 2007 7:41 pm

    I’m really liking these interviews. If you’re looking for more people to interview, may I suggest contacting a guy named Irv Thomas. He has stuff all over the net, so if you google him I’m sure you’ll find his email.

    Cheers

  2. sally on December 2nd, 2007 1:57 am

    Thanks for the tip. Do you know him personally or have you come across his material online?

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