Forgetting the Timeline

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.

I hope those of you that had a 3-day weekend enjoyed your day off!  I was lucky enough to have a visit from my brother and his wife!  Originally I had planned to start a Motivation Monday post, but in honor of MLK Day- this weeks is on Tuesday.  And while this post has nothing to do with MLK Day--in fact it is only loosely related to fitness--  I did like the above quote about dealing with adversity.

Preston & I in Times Square

After graduating college I volunteered at a week long camp for girls.  The camp focused on teaching skills and concepts they would need in order to grow into well adjusted and happy adults.  One of the activities had the kids take life events, such as graduating college and getting married, printed on a piece of paper and paste them on to a timeline.  As a recent graduate of college it was funny to see how orderly they thought their lives would go.  Almost every girl had college from ages 18-21, first job right after college, marriage 1-2 years later, and a baby just a little while after. 

The reality of timelines...

             
For a variety of reasons my expected timeline for life has been changed.  Over and over again.  Even as I laughed at the girls and their neat timelines I was in the middle of planning my own new, neat timeline.  I had adjusted for the time off from school I was about to take, but it was still orderly and required everything to go as I planned it.  Lately I have noticed a lot of my fellow 20 somethings falling into the same trap.  Rarely does a week (day) go by where I don't find myself or someone close to me saying "I'm [insert twenty-something age], I should [insert job they should have, things they should be able to afford, place they should be living, health insurance...]."   

Being the goal oriented person I am the thought of letting go of the timeline model has been particularly difficult for me.  However, the more I have thought about it the more the timeline seems to be hurting my goals rather than helping them.  As one of my friends put it, the twenties are particularly difficult because high school and college are filled with so many accomplishments in a short amount of time.  Winning a track meet, getting into college, making the Dean's list, landing that summer internship...then comes the plateau.  Your entry level job isn't what you want, the money sucks, you can't see your friends all the time like you could in college, everyone is getting married, and suddenly it seems like you're not making any progress.  It's like your training for a half marathon, but you just can't seem to get past the 6 mile mark.

This analogy alone is one of the reasons I love fitness so much.  Your ability to set a physical goal for yourself and figure out how to push yourself there mimics the challenges of life so well.  This is why my biggest goal for 2014 is to stop thinking of life in terms of a timeline.  This is essentially the blind leading the blind but here are my tips for finding a career that fits your passion:

1. Figure out what you want to be remembered for in your career.  For years I've wanted to be a doctor, but when I thought about what I wanted to accomplish as a doctor--helping mothers and children live the healthiest life possible I realized there were several paths that I could take to accomplish this.  That is why I have decided to drop the timeline modality, and focus more on whether each step I take is helping me towards accomplishing this goal.  

2. Don't be afraid to have plans A-Z.  This is kind of a continuation of #1, but it is something I have both excelled and struggled with.  Making a plan is something I am good at, but letting it go often feels like a failure to me.  Again my advice-- not always my practice-- is to think back to your overarching goal and start thinking outside the box of ways you can get there.  Maybe you're going to have to go back to school when you didn't plan to or move across the country to take a different job.  
    
3. Network outside your network.  Careers are no longer the linear path they used to be.  You never know what the photographer who started their own business could contribute to the PR firm you want to open.  Plus it's always good to have a diverse friend group.

4. Use your time wisely.  If your job isn't what you want, and you're working on a side project you may have to get up early, stay up late, or work evenings and weekends.  Plan your meals and exercise schedule ahead of time so you know your health won't suffer.  Remember you are working towards what you love!
   
5. Remember patience, a good friend, and a bottle of wine can get you through any bad day.

I didn't say how big...

And a special birthday shout out to my middle brother!!  Happy birthday, David!

What do you want to be remembered for within your career?