Growing up isn’t as straightforward as I thought it would be. It’s not linear like how my well-meaning teachers sold it when I was young. Do this, and you’ll be that. After achieving this, you’ll head out to the next and continue to reach more extraordinary things.
No one exactly told me at school how important it is to tame a beast like a car or manage my finances so that I won’t worry about money as much as a grown-up would. No one at school ever taught me how stressful it could be, especially when you transition from singlehood to married life. So many things to save up for that the promise of an early career can barely keep up!
But no, schools indoctrinated us that you must pass all the exams and get high grades to be successful in life. For what? To land a job.
Until jobs aren’t as rewarding as they sell it out to be.
And beyond the facades in social media, most people I know feel this rut they have in their careers. Are we a lost generation? I don’t think so. Perhaps, we simply believed a fairy tale that doesn’t exist anymore, that if you only work hard as much as you do, you will do well in life. But does that mean you have to live in a rat race?
It is rare to find the kind of work where your passion and abilities meet. Or is it just me? But if you’ve found the type of work that fuels your desire to produce and at the same time keep the light on, please let me know.
In his book for budding scientists, Edward Wilson wrote, “go where the least action is occurring,” and I am still searching for that road less traveled by. And when I do find it, I hope it’s something that could also put food on the table. Because wouldn’t it be challenging to think with a hungry stomach?
jessa 