Career Musings

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
~ Mary Oliver ~

God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there
And learn by going where I have to go.
~ Ted Roethke ~

Poet Mary Oliver's challenge -- "Tell me" -- speaks to the part of me that wants to lead an intentional life, set goals, and plan for a future that is fueled by my passions. Roethke's poem, in contrast, speaks to the part of me that wants to live with mindfulness, go with the flow, and trust that the right path for me will reveal itself. Rather than choosing either approach, my aspiration is to live comfortably in the hammock that swings in the space between them, not alternating approaches exactly, but enjoying the best of both.

In practice, I tend to move forward [and sometimes backward or sideways] through a non-linear process of setting goals, taking steps that feel right, and stopping to look back, look ahead, and check in with myself about whether my goals or steps or both may need an adjustment. They usually do, because the processes of goal-setting and taking action often result in new learning that inspires a change in direction or, to be honest, create a strong emotional reaction that paralyzes me or sends me off on a tangent. This approach works well for me in my all-too-human attempt to create meaning in my life. The hammock has room for mistakes and regrets as well as joys and accomplishments.

A career path developed in this manner has certain rewards: I have had a variety of experiences I might not have had if I had stuck to the plan I had in mind when I graduated from college. It also has its disadvantages: I can not easily visualize the job title on my next business card.

As I look to my future, lines from poetry are not the only words stuck in my head. I also hear the voice of Eleanor Roosevelt urging, "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." For years I have been stuck in a vortex of believing--not really believing, but behaving as though money, joy, and being of service to others are incompatible goals. In other words, the thing I think I can not do is this: Be well-paid to do noble work that I enjoy. So my goal is to find or create a position that meets those conditions. I want to do work that I consider worthy of my investment of time and talent--specifically work that inspires transformational change and assists individuals and organizations in that process. I want to earn a good but not outrageous salary doing it. I want to work with a team of people I respect, like, learn from, and laugh with often. I want to enjoy variety and be able to be creative.

And, come to think of it, I don't much care what title is on my business card.