A few days ago I had a conversation with a good friend (let’s call him “Buddy”), and it punctuated for me the difficulty in pursuing an unconventional career path. During the course of this conversation Buddy struggled to comprehend my career choices. In particular, he was grappling with how I could have all these resources attached to my degrees, and not utilize them. “Why not just call career services at your former schools and ask for help,” he asked. While I am not opposed to seeking help, and have reached out, choosing where to ask for help can be a conundrum too. Should I pursue opportunities in higher education or entertainment law? What happens when your passions are pulling you in divergent places? Which route do you take?
At this point in my life, I am sure of what I do not want to do, but uncovering what I want to do is an ongoing process. I have some ideas, and I am pursuing some of them as they lead me to my next destination. But on this journey I have found that the path of following my passions and interests is not as clearly delineated as I would like, and at times it may look bizarre if not foolish to other people. Oddly enough, I am fine with people not understanding my choices. I anticipate that the end of this journey will justify the path in getting there. Furthermore, I know people speak from a point of concern, and what may appear to be confusion at my decisions or admonishment, is often done out of love.
Thus, the biggest challenge for me in pursuing an unconventional career path, is not the opinions of others, but my obsession with needing to make the right. As I asked before, how do you know which is the correct route for you when life presents many “right” looking choices? Sometimes I overthink myself into inaction because I am afraid of being wrong. Instead of just picking a path and being committed to it my mind starts to flood with questions like: If I choose this route, will I mess up and miss a great opportunity? Or if I try to launch my business now, will find that I am too incompetent and may need more training?
Despite these questions and fears, I’m slowly coming to realize, that the “right” answer I am often looking for is not as objective as I would like. In other words, sometimes the right answer is subjective to me and where I am in life. To be sure, I am not advocating a morally relativist ethos. Rather, I am acknowledging the reality that we are separate beings placed here by God to do different things; what may be right for you may be wrong for me. For instance, deciding whether or not to change careers is not something that can be answered with a universal response. Certainly there are considerations everyone should contemplate in reaching that decision, but in the end, it is a question that one has to decide for oneself. While I do recommend seeking counsel and much prayer in all your decisions, you must also do the hard work of processing that advice and figure out where you are being led. Ultimately, the question of “Is this right?” is one between you and God.
–Until Next Time–
Palooke
