Yesterday, I had an epiphany. I have spent my entire life struggling to answer the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up!" As a child, I learned to develop canned answers that often changed with the seasons. 7 year-old me could tell you exactly what I was going to be, where I was going to college and where I would work upon graduating. I quickly caught on to how impressive that was to adults so I continued with these antics, changing the details ever so often. 3 colleges, 7 majors and 3 more specialties later I stand at the intersection of my past, present and future, in a priceless moment where I finally get to define myself for myself, for today, with no guarantees about tomorrow. I quit a job with no prospects of another, and turned down 9 others in between, to get to this place. I am a former salesperson, a former building manager, a former lawyer, a former professor, a former K-12 educator, a former HR specialist, and the list goes on. I am 33 years old and 6 careers later, I am still coming up with canned answers to the same old question, now couched in adult terms: "What are your short term and long term goals?" or "Where do you see yourself in 5 years...10 years?" I actually answered that question honestly during a recent interview for a legal specialist position, and still received an offer of employment. I DECLINED...that was so 5 years ago. I am, however, appreciative and humbled by the referral. Check out the Ted Talk that changed my life!
