I´ll never forget the dinner for initiation into Phi Beta Kappa. To this day I don´t know who nominated me but, a mysterious professor or several apparently believed that I should be part of only 22 people to represent my college graduating class that year. The speaker quoted Charles Schulz, in saying ¨there is no heavier burden than a great potential.¨ What an awesomely terrible self-fulfilling prophecy those words have become.
I feel like I have never been sufficiently satisfied in my career direction so when the opportunity came up to go to Buenos Aires, I jumped without so much as an afterthought feeling that anything was better than my lackluster office job. I desperately needed inspiration. I had all but stopped writing in my journal even.
Those days were dark. My days in Argentina have also been dim more often than I would want to admit to those I happily told about our plans to move here. I´ve just finished an intense round of long, brooding, teary, days trying to plan for what may be next because I feel this stage of professional exploration giving way to a more driven purpose. The thing about having potential is that you are always aware that you are capable of more and you are never satisfied. It weighs on you with every breath. Forget looking for a career that makes me feel happy. Discontent will likely be my reigning professional theme. And, I don´t think that is such a bad thing. While some friends have settled into meaningless careers and started acquiring stuff, I´ve tried a few different things, worked for myself, learned a new language, and lived abroad. I am an expert in stress management and transition planning. Nobody can budget like I can and I doubt many others can boast about their creative negotiation skills.
My advice to those graduating this year/recent grads: the best thing you can do for yourself now is to throw out all the conventional career advice ever thrust upon you by your parents. Spend some time in your 20s focusing on doing things you want and taking productive risks. Worried it will ruin your chances of getting a good job? It won´t. I can´t tell you how many 30 something professionals I have met that spent their 20s teaching in Thailand or, learning html and working odd jobs. What your parents don´t realize is that the days of climbing the career ladder are over for all but a few lucky ones. So, go create the person you want to be on your resume.
