I drive through Seattle quite often, there’s a lot of construction, and on each site, one element is consistent - scaffolding. Scaffolding is a stable support for the construction crew when building the structure. Without scaffolding, it would not be easy to leverage tools and address specific elements of the building project that help the team stay focused on the end product and maximize labor and resources. It strikes me that we don’t build our careers similarly. I think many successful people find themselves doing work they didn’t set out to do five years ago. There’s nothing wrong with that - they’re achieving great success in their careers. They are going to do their best; they are going to grow others in the process; they are going to make their organization a lot of money and set high standards for excellence in their field, and in many cases, that success will be the result of happenstance.
For example, I look around the Human Resources field and see many people who didn’t go to “HR school” crushing it in the space. They are teachers, psych majors, marketing folks, and military veterans who land in Human Resources by chance. They step up and step into opportunities based on transferable skills and get selected to do key jobs in a pinch. I’ve met and worked with many such career professionals who seemingly have the Midas touch regarding their careers. Maybe you’re one such person, perhaps in a different field, who found yourself in a role you never imagined. You’re doing great, yet unfulfilled. I think that effortless happenstance makes this kind of success in our careers dangerous to the soul. I wonder if the lack of focus creates space for questioning the value of efforts; I’m curious if the lack of career intention sparks regret.
Maybe I’m wrong - it happens all the time - but I think there’s something to having a North Star for the places we want to arrive in life. I imagine that we are all on a vast ocean in our boats, navigating our careers and lives. Some of us have outboard motors on our boats. These professionals are going exactly where they want to go, at the speed that suits them, navigating choppy waters when necessary - focused on the North Star. Many others have sails up, waiting for the wind to pick and take us wherever it will. I consider those of us who do great things in places we never imagined in boats with sails. It’s a nice boat, but the destination is never sure - never something we quite desire. Think about your scaffolding, and check the direction of your vessel.
Ask yourself, “Am I going in the direction that best suits me?”. It’s never too late for that outboard motor. Scaffolding is used on buildings already constructed all the time. You can find your true North Star. Your story is still being written, and there doesn’t have to be a chapter on regret - let’s connect.
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