Passion Makes Perfect
“I didn’t decide my career trajectory — my career trajectory decided me!” #ThugLife?
I digress: upon graduation from high school I went to community college for a year, discovered it wasn’t for me, stopped showing up to classes, got another part-time job (because $9/hour was everything when you’re 18 in 2002), and eventually just began living the same monotonous life day in and day out. Until one day my grandparents laid it out for me: I was a bum, going nowhere, with no ambition, and I couldn’t even legally buy an alcoholic beverage.
My grandfather retired a First Sergeant in the United States Army after serving in the Vietnam and Korean Wars. A man whom I have always had the utmost respect for — even as a degenerate child. He was my first real hero, as Pollack outlines in Chapter 25 (74–77) and unlike some issues that could arise in Step 3 of contacting them (76), mine was at my disposal all the time.
He always thought the military would be good for me until the unfortunate attacks that happened September 11, 2001. His tone changed a bit once the country went to war. Oddly enough, that was the first real time I ever felt drawn to something.
Pollack says “note that I never say ‘what do your (grand)parents want you to do” (Pollack, 49). Given their tone changed I guess you could say I followed that advice, but the seed was certainly planted from them early on. If it were up to me I may still be working at the Annapolis Mall so I can’t really say it was a bad move at the time — I lacked discipline and the Army gave that to me.
My years of military service gave me many skills. Among them was an appreciation for free time (trust me, it’s a skill)— which I would fill with things I’m passionate about: writing, singing, theoretical and philosophical discourse with like-minded friends over a cup of coffee or a good glass of scotch.
The military also provided me with my first ‘shoulds’ as outlined by Pollack (52–56) because while I was beginning to engage in things I was really passionate about, I always thought to myself: “I shouldn’t get too attached to these things because I’ll never have the time to do them.” Now I’m often curious as to where I would have been when I medically retired from the Army had I actually kept up with some of those passions.
I am proud to have served and am ready to transition into the civilian world and become a successful contributing member of society. I’ve developed a sense of maturity that doesn’t come just with my older age, but from a sense that I understand what it is I do and do not want to do. I’m now attracted when I see articles such as this:
I’ve subscribed to a local open mic forum:
Hell, I even answered the call to train as a professional wrestler:
Because why the hell not!? I love to act, tell stories, and being active . . . wrestlers get to do all that in a well choreographed ‘dance’. I love learning. Homework is no longer a burden . . . but a challenge. I can sing and it makes me feel good.
So why not, as Pollack says in Chapter 20, ‘explore a passion’ (59–62)?
Happiness is what weighs most in my decisions, now, not necessity. For too long I woke up dreading the workday (which began at 4:30 am and could last until 7–8 pm) and I refuse to do that again. In 2015 I was medically retired for myriad conditions I won’t go into detail about — but I will receive a government paycheck for the rest of my life. In 2008 my father passed away and I was granted a large insurance settlement with which I was able to purchase a home. I’m the lone heir to my grandparents small fortune. I certainly didn’t wish ill upon my father, want to be burdened with a slew of physical ailments, or want my grandparents to leave my life anytime soon — but I’m in the (un?)fortunate position where I don’t have to work to make money just to survive. I want to wake up and WANT to go to work. So that’s what I’m going to do.
This past summer I held my first marketing internship and I am very attracted to that line of work. I believe innovative ad campaigns could be my calling. What I learned at my internship, though, is that I need to be a part of something big. I was the interim marketing director for a small local company of no more than 45 employees. It was a great introduction into an industry I’m passionate about but it gave me the insight to know that I would be better suited for a larger ‘think-tank’ rather than manage a brand for a small ‘mom and pop.’
And you know what? If I don’t find what I’m looking for, I don’t have to force myself into taking a position. I make decent money on the side and have minimum monthly financial obligations. I have mentors from every industry I’ve been in, ranging from military intelligence to professional wrestling (Pollack, Chapters 24 & 26).
The weight of my decision has shifted from needing to provide for my family to needing to be happy and engrossed in something meaningful to me in order to be a better member of my family (a better dad, grandson, brother, uncle). And honestly — being in my position means less stress. Certainly there were stresses along the way, more weight than I would ask my worst enemy to hold, but thing are working themselves out. I’m finding myself. And I won’t and don’t have to change who I am to fit something I’m not for someone who couldn’t care less about the real me.
“Even if a job is not very prestigious and doesn’t have the best boss in the world, I think you’ll still be happy if you absolutely love the work you’re doing every day” (88).
Writing (these assignments are 350–500 words; you’d have to shoot me to write that little), acting, being creative, sharing ideas — that’s what matters to me. I will not settle for less.
