Former Lawyer Uses Life's Education To Find Himself
Brian Cuban is the administrator of the Fallen Patriot Fund, an organization that helps seriously injured veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cuban is empathetic to the struggles of others. Brian's older brother, Mark Cuban, is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, started the Fallen Patriot Fund.
The road to find Cuban's passion wasn't an easy one. "I was bullied as child for being overweight and I saw law enforcement as a way to shift the balance of power so I wouldn't be bullied." Cuban graduated from Penn State with a degree in administration of justice. "I wanted to be a police officer. I didn't pass the police officer exam and had friends who were sitting for the LSAT. I thought, 'OK, I just wanted to hide for three more years,'" said Cuban.
He graduated from University of Pittsburgh School of Law and passed the bar, moved to Dallas, and went to work for the City of Dallas as a right-of-way purchaser for public land use. He worked for Travelers Insurance Company as an adjuster then, he moved to another company and after passing the Texas Bar Exam, worked his way up to litigation management. When the company he was working for changed their business focus, Cuban established his private practice. "I was an ambulance chaser and I hated it," said Cuban.
Cuban went to work for his older brother Mark as the point of contact person during the construction of the American Airlines Center.
Cuban became suicidal and suffered from body dysmorphic disorder, alcohol and drug abuse. He had been in Green Oaks Psychiatric Hospital and knew he had to make a change. Cuban recently celebrated eight years of sobriety. He took his life's experiences and wrote the book, "Shattered Image: My triumph over body dysmorphic disorder." He now is a motivational speaker helping others recover from eating disorders, depression and addiction.
What would you tell someone who is considering returning to school?
"It is never too late to do what you love. It is never too late to find your passion. I know people who are miserable in what they are doing. Write down five of your passions and see if you can make a living at any of those. It is important to find what feeds your soul. It is ok to change careers even if you're in your 50s. It took me over half my life to find my passion."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com