Good piece.

Fortunately for me even with a mental illness - which I've overcome, I skipped the pattern almost entirely. I skipped #s 3, 4, & 6.

On losing motivation - the death of my father happened on my 55th birthday. I continued to work while taking caring of my mom with dementia and cleaning out my parents house. Around Christmas that year I flew with my Mom's to my sister's where my Mom would be staying and flew home afterwards.

Most of my clients disappeared. But, as soon as I began working for my old employer that I had left 15 years previously, my private practice went into high gear. Murphy's Law.

One of the keys to success is re-invention. Yes?