How did I get here?

Let me just preface this post by saying that I really struggled to come up with the content. What could I possibly write about that anyone would want to read?!

For inspiration, I started to ask myself questions. The first question that popped into my head:

“How did I get here?”

This got me thinking about all the decisions that I’ve made to get me to where I am today. I feel as if all of my decisions have led me to find this job. To be totally honest, I was becoming very disenfranchised with the hospitality industry after only 3 ½ years. I could not picture the rest of my life enduring the long hours and the less than impressive salary. Not to mention, you have to be very mobile if you want to climb the ladder.

After thinking about that, I then asked myself:

“Would I change my career path knowing what I know now?”

“What has my professional life been like?”

I was a college student athlete. I worked for one of the most prestigious luxury hotel companies in the world. I now work for a tech startup that is taking over that world.

That is how I would sum up my professional experiences “on paper”. But there is so much more to the story. From playing a division 1 sport, to working in luxury hotels to joining a small but rapidly growing company, I have learned a lot of things about myself.

1. I am very loyal. I definitely drink the kool aid when I join a team or organization. I really do not like to let people down. After suffering a major concussion my senior year of college, I told my coach that I would return for a 5th year before I knew if I would ever feel normal again. I didn’t know if I was actually getting to play ever again or if it would just be me helping to coach on the sideline. But ultimately, that didn’t matter. I was returning to finish my time with the program because it felt like the right thing to do.
2. I have a fear of failure. Did I mention that I do not like to let people down? I work very hard to earn the respect of the people around me. I could never control how fast I was, I couldn’t snap my fingers and make myself smarter but I have always been able to control how hard I work.
3. I flourish in a team environment. I quickly realized that being a part of a team would accomplish a whole lot more than trying to do everything on my own. If being successful and respected is important to you, having a career and learning from the people around you is one of the greatest things in life. Being a part of a team is being a part of something bigger than yourself. I live for that feeling!
4. Failing and making mistakes has helped me to grow. Managing people was one of the hardest things I ever did. You are constantly forced to think about your actions which requires you to take a good daily look at yourself. Again, did I mention how much I hate letting people down?!

The list could go on and on. The best part is, I’m still building that list out at a company and with a team that I believe in.