Finding your calling: Switching Careers Revisited
Sometime you have to try on a lot of hats before you find the right fit.
Many write about articles about “finding your calling” and “living your dreams”. The basic formula reads something like this, “Find something you love to do, and do it for a living”. Easier said than done, in my opinion. Finding your calling is pretty straight forward if you like to act, cook, or design cars. There are set paths for those career-choices, and plenty of university degrees available.
But like many web-folk, my career has taken a zig-zag path to where I am now. The web just wasn’t a career option back when I was in university. Had it been, things probably would have worked out differently. Not that I’m complaining. Over the last decade, I’ve worn several hats and enjoyed the fit of each one. I’ve been an engineer, a photographer, an entrepreneur and a lead web designer. And each role along the way has taught me countless lessons which I continue to benefit from today.
Some may view my career shifts as a product of indecision and uncertainty. Pfft. I believe it to be quite the opposite. Fifteen years ago, I knew I wanted to create something. I just wasn’t sure what. I tried my hand at a bunch of stuff but none of it felt perfect. So I kept listening, kept working hard, and kept pushing my limits. I knew my calling would make itself heard, it simply didn’t exist yet. It took me a while, but I’m certain I’ve found it in web marketing intelligence. Unfortunately, this journey can take a very long time for some. That’s the harsh reality of life; for many people:
The world hasn’t caught up to their dreams. Read more…