When I met Jason Wilcock to talk about career change, I knew he had changed careers at least once. I was keen to share his experience with other people. Hoping to inspire them to follow their own dreams and find a job they love. During our ninety-minute conversation, a fascinating story emerged.

I discovered that when it comes to fulfilling his dreams, this very friendly and unassuming man 'stops for nothing'.

Image of Blackburn in the 1970’s, courtesy of the New Statesman

A Lancashire Lad's Dream

Jason Wilcock was born in Blackburn in the 1970’s when the once thriving cotton industry was in decline. From humble beginnings, his Dad worked many jobs to provide for his family. This inspired a similar work ethic in Jason.

He grew up in an era of economic uncertainty with hundreds of cotton mills closures and high unemployment. Jason wondered what life prospects his hometown could offer - he began dreaming of adventure and world exploration.

By the age of fourteen, Jason had developed an appetite for testing his own endurance. He also had an enthusiasm for adventure, and this led him to make his first career choice. He decided he wanted to become a Royal Marine Commando and earn the coveted Green Beret, so he ran down to the local Royal Naval Office to apply.

At fourteen years old, he was too young to join. This news did not deter Jason. On the day after his sixteenth birthday, he returned to the local Royal Naval Office and signed up.

Just before he started his training, he got a job so he could pay food and board to his parents. He worked in a shoe factory that heeled ladies’ shoes. His main job was to move pairs of shoes from one rack to another and Jason remembers how unfulfilled he felt at the time. This experience made him even more determined to follow his dreams. He wanted to get the most out of life - A year later Jason was awarded the Green Beret.

A World of Adventure

Five action-packed years went by. Jason loved working with his Royal Marine Commandos unit. He enjoyed travelling and being part of a brotherhood and elite fighting force. Some of his operational duties included Northern Ireland and Arctic warfare in Norway.

At the age of twenty-two, having successfully pushed his body and mind to new limits, he began to imagine his next dream. One where he could explore the world under his own steam, at his own pace. Hanging up his Green Beret for the last time, he left the Royal Marines in search of his next adventure - Canada.

Jason returned to the UK for a short spell to earn money to finance his world exploration. He worked in security and managed an amusement arcade until he raised the funds. Then he spent a couple of years exploring the continents of North America and South Asia.

To cover living expenses, he worked as a tutor for the Canadian Western Arctic Leadership Program. Later he became a white-water rafting river guide on the Ottawa River and then in Nepal. He led river expeditions on some of the best white-water rivers in the world.

Jason returned to work in the UK to finance another world trip to Australia. He worked as a child-care worker in Staffordshire for twelve months. Once in Australia, he did a short stint as a security guard at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Sydney.

An example of Jason's work

A New Direction

At the age of twenty-nine, Jason returned to the UK and started to work with young offenders in Wales. Shortly afterwards the company shutdown. Jason saw this as an opportunity to decide what he wanted to do next.

He decided to stay in Wales and go back to education, completing an A level in Fine Art and a Diploma in Art and Design. At the same time, he discovered an appetite for entrepreneurialism. During the second year of his diploma, Jason would sell his own paintings from his local market stand.

He went on to complete a degree in Design and Multi-Media at Glyndwr University. Half way through it, he and a few of his university mates also set up a commercial creative design company. They successfully ran the business for a further four years until 2006.

Dream Catching

Earlier in 2005, Jason had received a phone call from his dad. This call would persuade him to change the direction of his career again.

Jason’s dad was a keen amateur photographer. He had always dream't of turning professional one day and Jason shared his passion. During the call, his dad shared a vision of father and son starting up a company and working together. One where they could follow their passions and spend quality time with one another.

Within 3 weeks of the initial conversation, they started a wedding photography business. Their dream partnership was a great success and he and his Dad would go on to photograph over forty weddings a year.

Several years later, business was booming, and Jason became a Dad. With his new status as a father, he started to think about how he wanted to spend the next chapter of his life. He had already travelled and worked in over seventy countries. His next adventure was to be with his family -this led him to make another decision.

Family and Freedom

Jason wanted to be a great dad and be more present in his daughter’s life. At the time, his own Dad was also approaching retirement age. With some sadness they decided to dissolve their business partnership. This allowed Jason to continue to grow and run his own photography business. Running it in a way that allowed him to spend more quality time with his daughter, Lily.

Eight year have passed since Lily was born. Jason still runs a successful photography business, spending precious time with his daughter. They share a passion for adventure and often explore nature in search of new experiences. He continues to travel the world, ticking off adventures on his bucket list and promising plenty more adventures yet to come.

Bringing Life into Careers

What’s interesting about Jason’s career choices, is that he has shaped his career around what he wants out of life. His story reveals how it is possible to follow and realize your dreams. There are three things we need. Flexible thinking, a willingness to try and an unwavering determination to make it happen. His journey blazes a trail of significant events. Ones that have motivated and inspired him to get the lifestyle he wants. This is not a person who gives up – it is a person who sees life as an adventure. Someone who always wants to explore what’s round the ‘unknown corner’. He is a dream catcher. A person who does not let obstacles get in his way and never settles for a life he would consider to be second best. He understands and embraces the change in his expectations, dreams and aspirations. Always trusting that following them to fruition, will bring him ultimate happiness and fulfilment.

When I asked Jason what advice he would give to someone thinking about making a career change, he replied;

‘Always try to have a financial plan before you make a career transition. This removes some of the fear of going into the unknown. Also, make sure you are in love with your dream - it will keep you going when obstacles try and stand in your way’.

I wanted to know more about what obstacles he faced and overcame during his journey. He told me;

‘deciding what you truly want to do next - once you have decided though, it’s simple, you just crack on and get on with it’.

Jason is living proof that nothing can stop us from achieving our dreams. All we need to do is decide what we want to do, really want it and have an unconditional commitment to making it happen.

Before we said our goodbyes, I asked him what he has gained from the whole experience. Self-belief is his answer. I expected him to say happiness, but it does makes sense when you think about it. Jason has successfully re-designed and re- built his career many times. Above everything else, he trusts in his ability to achieve anything he puts his mind to. Without his growth in self-confidence, he may not have followed his dreams and earned the success, happiness and fulfilment he now enjoys. When you consider this, it is not surprising that he says self-belief is ultimate pay off.

Acknowledgements

Huge thanks to Jason Wilcock for sharing his fascinating story with me and for also giving me permission to share it with you.

Click here to find out more about Jason and the great photography services he provides.

Get in touch

If you would like help to find your happiness, success and fulfilment like Jason, contact me at kate@rootball.co.uk or call me on 07759 652357.

Jason Howard Photography owns the copyright for the images used in this article, where supplied by Jason Howard Photography.