Don't Quit Your Day Job (and the US Olympic Team for Men's Curling)

I was watching an episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel the other night and saw a feature on the US Olympic Team for Men's Curling.  They're all from Duluth, MN and will probably never get stopped on the sidewalk by a stranger asking for their autograph.  Regular guys from a regular town with regular jobs.  They just happen to play an irregular sport.  At the Olympics.

It's inspiring, what these athletes accomplished.  Curling isn't exactly an amazing draw in the US.  Most Americans don't even know the rules (myself included).  The US Men's Olympic Curling Team collectively made about $19000 last year.  Divided by 5 people that comes out to $3800 a person.  Enough to live on?  Not so much.

So, all of the curlers have day jobs.  Software Tech.  Teacher.  Regular jobs for Olympic athletes.  They've represented their country and now get to go back to the daily grind.  But they love curling so much that they devote whatever free time they have to honing the skills needed to become an Olympic athlete.

I'm not planning on quitting my job anytime soon, and seeing what these athletes were able to do while still holding a regular job makes my decision even easier.  One day I hope to be lucky enough to pursue music as a full time career, but in the meantime, I hope to be as successful pursuing my dreams as the US Olympic Team for Men's Curling.