#IfIWere22 Many young people don’t know what they want to be “when they grow up.” They go to college and take a wide variety of classes, hoping something will “click” and that they will find a career in these four years of “higher education.”
I could never understand how people could not know what they wanted to do. Entering high school I knew that I would make a career as a lawyer, and so I focused on all classes and extra-curricular activities that would help me become the best lawyer I could be. I ignored subjects like science and math, because I thought to myself, when would I ever need math as a lawyer? (I’d hire an accountant to handle that part of my business!)
I still intended to be a lawyer when I graduated from university with a B.A. in law...but at that point I knew there was something missing from my life...after three years and that degree under my belt I then became curious about other fields, and helping people in other ways. All of a sudden the door to becoming a financial advisor opened up to me. Had I paid more attention to math in school, the path to my new career would not have been quite as rocky as it was, as I had a lot of catching up to do. But I was good with the principles, found I had a natural aptitude for it, and enjoyed it much more than being a lawyer.
The moral of this story is just because you know with certainty, at the age of 18, what you want to do with the rest of your life, don’t close yourself off to other knowledge and skills which can help you to expand your horizons, without having to take remedial classes to get where you need to be! #IfIWere22
Am I where I thought I’d be?
I am where I thought I’d be – working in a career field that I enjoy and doing what I love – but I achieved this goal in a different way than I expected.
I am an educator, a corporate leader, an author and an entrepreneur. I have the knowledge, now, that lets me stand out in each of those fields. My passion is showing other people how they can achieve the same success – I love to Educate – educate personnel on their current job, Develop – develop them for their next role, Guide – provide coaching, guidance, and correction along the way, and finally Empower – set a good example and then get out of their way to see what they can achieve. #IfIWere22
Advice for today and tomorrow
Many people think that school is over once they graduate with their degree. When they get a job there’ll be training specific to that job, of course, but overall they think their education is over. They get rid of their textbooks and don’t intend to open a non-fiction book again.
Learning should be – must be - a lifelong process. Embrace the opportunities to learn everything you can, it will help you in your chosen field and it can help in any other field that might come your way. #IfIWere22
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