I was standing behind the counter at my part time job with my boss the other week when we got to talking about college. He was in the military for awhile and then went right into retail, never going to college (nothing wrong with that, for the record!).
He got to asking me how I picked what I wanted to study, let alone what I wanted to do with my life. He remembered feeling confused and wondering how someone makes that kind of decision. He told me I didn’t have to answer the question, but really there was nothing to hide, my answer was simple:
I always knew what I wanted to do.
I remember friends in high school being overwhelmed with the decision, bobbing back and forth, and feeling envious of my confidence. I never laughed at them but I remember an uneasy laughter, not knowing how to help them make their decisions, I had always just known. Sometimes, I think they’re the ones laughing now.
To this day, I still fight and question my place in the music industry – does it exist? Do I even have one? Do I want one?
If you ask any of my friends that are in it, the answer is a full blown, no questions asked YES. This is especially true if you talk to anyone who knew me when I was in it, who saw my passion, drive and perseverance.
At one point in time, I remember saying that I wasn’t sure my place in the music industry existed yet and rather, it was something that I had to create. The more time that goes by, the more I bob back and forth, the more my thoughts run with ideas and potential, the more I think that may still be the case.
This isn’t a post with a resolution, in case that’s what you’re looking for. Rather, it’s a post to share the continued question of what ultimately is right for my life, my future, my goals, my dreams. In no way am I planning to leave my job but rather find the thing I can do outside of it that fulfills me to the very core, helps pay the bills and save (hello, travel!), helps people, and has the potential to come together in a passive way.
I’m brainstorming and planning and working through the many things I question about myself (hello fear of failure paired with knowing I have the potential to do amazing things).
I share this with you today, for myself but also for you. For hopes that my story will resonate with you in some way, even though we all have lived very different experiences.
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So tell me this – does the work you do fulfill you to your core?
If so, what do you do?
If not, what do you want to do?
Nice Post! I totally agree with you to dream big and aim high to touch the sky. Also I believe that its important to do whatever you love because unless you won’t have job satisfaction, you won’t be happy.
Ana recently posted…Glimpse of Renaissance Festival 2016
As an actor – the questions and worries that arise asking if I am doing the right thing definitely make their entrance. Over the past 7 years, I’ve “tried” to leave the industry… thinking I was supposed to go to university instead, or travel… but, funny thing, my passion kept finding its way back to me. So I stopped doubting it. I stopped having any doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do. Where will it take me? I have no idea. Will I be broke? Quite possibly. But if you have something in your life that is your ultimate passion and makes you truly happy, then I think that is already a greater bit of success than most people can say. The rest will take care of itself. At least that is what I am choosing to believe.
Cora recently posted…WIAW: The Day I Slept in and Ate Street Meat
What I want to do keeps changing. I think I have a hard time ever thinking of a job, a location, etc. being permanent. I got a degree in psychology without having a clue what I wanted to do. Then I found my passion for running and nutrition and got a degree in dietetics and became a dietitian. Now that I am in the “real world” I keep feeling like “is this it?” I am still trying to find my dream job or moreso my dream situation. I find that when things are right in my personal life I am happier in my job, which right now things are not so good.
Jill @ RunEatSnap recently posted…Thinking Out Loud… Is it “Just Me”?
My work doesn’t fulfill my core in any way. However, I enjoy it while I’m there, and appreciate the steady hours and pay that allow me to do everything else that I love. Of course I’d like some additional vacation days, however for now I show up, do the work, go home, and do whatever else I want to do. And that works for me. In a few years maybe I’ll be with a different company, or in a different position, for now, I just do what I need to do, so I can do what I want to do.
Katie recently posted…February 2015 Recap
What a good post! My main job is homeschooling my children. Some days it doesn’t fill me up and others I couldn’t imagine anything else. It is so hard balancing things and with so many varied interests, staying dedicated is often a trial itself!
Amanda recently posted…Starting a Routine – Part 2
Great post! I’ve always had the general idea of what I’ve wanted to do, but the how seems to change almost yearly ha
alexandra @ my urban family recently posted…Free Quote Printables #6 & a Thank You
I remember when finishing school I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. Others started college or apprenticeships and I didn’t know what to do. I took a few months off – traveled around with my best friend and after that decided on my career path. I went to college got my degree and started working. I am happy with my choice but I would probably do something else if I could turn back time and start all over again. Great post, Katie! xxx
Chrissy recently posted…Spring can’t come soon enough.
i didnt know what i wanted to do while growing up..but once i joined dietetics program, i know food and health is the industry i want to be in. i wont say i hate my job right now..but at the same time, i am getting little burnt out because i have been on the same job for almost 4 years now..im ready for some change but i know i want to say in food and health industry..as long as it has a compassion component, i enjoy it.
dixya | food, pleasure, and health recently posted…Palak Tofu
It’s funny, I went to college and got a degree in public health. I worked in that field, got married and ended up having to move. Now I work full time in a running store and I love it. It’s never what I pictured doing but honestly I have no complaints and enjoy it so much.
This is a great question as I struggled for years not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I went to college and took jobs that I thought I would enjoy. To this day I still struggle with finding my passion. I am a work in progress but hoping to find out what fulfills me real soon.
Christine recently posted…Finding The Right Accountability Partner
Fear of failure creeps into my life with everything I do. I’ve changed career paths many times already and I’m okay with that. I like dipping my toes in the water rather than jumping in head first. My career is like my life, constantly moving and changing directions until my heart is happy and full. 🙂
Jenn – a traveling Wife recently posted…Flourless Chocolate Skillet Cake
Love your “continued quest” idea…as that feels like a good fit. I have been in my career for a long time now and love it, but am always thinking about what might come next. You never know… life is a journey, right?
Karen | GlamKaren.com
Karen recently posted…Pretty in Pink
I always knew that I wanted to help people, but the “how” has definitely changed since I was in school. After getting a degree in psychology, a few things happened in my life that totally rocked me to the core and sent me in a completely different direction. I left psychology to pursue health and nutrition, and here I am — blogging and health coaching. And for the first time, I -finally- feel like I’m where I want/need to be.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…so many feels, upcoming travels, and when did that happen?!? (ToL #172)
I was the same way, knowing I was here to help but not the how. I did a lot of volunteering but nothing felt like THE ONE. I got into the diabetes prevention study that gave me 2 years of Weight Watchers for free and it finally clicked!
What I have wanted to do IN my life has changed, but I know what I want to do WITH my life: help others realize the potential of their lives and to live beyond expectation. I want to be a mom, have a family, and share the love. Both in my own immediate family but also grow a family beyond those borders.
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…What Does a Running Coach Do? Running Coaches Corner 2