It is said that those who can't, teach. I decided to prove to myself that I could survive and do well in the real world and retired from my tenured position (as soon as I was eligible) to serve as the grant evaluator for a not-for-profit. My academic skills transferred beautifully. What ever they needed I was able to deliver. Once I was asked, "How do you know how to do all this?" Thank goodness for research and quantitative skills! The proof is also in the pudding; 25 publications in jourals or as book chapters and requests to present at national meetings shows that others value my work. Being good at asking the right questions, identifying gaps in knowledge/information, and creativity as well as dedication to a job well done have always helped.