We’ve been trained to change ourselves to make ourselves fit into the cars that drive us to the buildings where we work in the jobs that we study for so that we have the right skill sets. And we wonder every day if who we are is good enough to be there. It’s the dilemma of the square peg worrying that someone will find out it doesn’t belong in a round hole.
Liz Strauss from Successful Blog
If we’re lucky we grow up in a good home with a nice family. We have very few cares in the world. We might find ourselves a bit angsty when we hit puberty, but we get over it (eventually!). Over the years we might dream of being a ballet dancer, an actor, a police officer, a photographer, a CSI. None of those things are particularly related, but we’re young, we don’t have to know what we’re going to with the rest of our life.
Suddenly, we reach the end of high school. We have a fair idea of the things we like and we’re expected to use those things to set us on a heading that will be our direction for years to come.
I was pretty good at most of my subjects at high school. In the end I was good at Biology, I loved Visual Arts, I loved Maths, Modern History and English were okay. My future could have gone anywhere, but in my mind it was between biology and art; what I was really good at, or what I loved and was okay at.
Strangely enough, I’d only chosen Biology as a subject because I wanted to do Chemistry, but it clashed with Art on my timetable. I sucked at Physics, so that just left Bio.
Now I’ve been doing biology for five years. I appreciate the things I’ve learnt and I think all the decisions that have been made (whether by me, or by God, or someone else) led me here: married, Christian, biologist, who loves design and photography.
What if we all fit jobs to ourselves and best skills instead [of] trying to fit us [to] them? Wouldn’t we be outstanding performers?
Liz Strauss from Successful Blog
Does this mean shaping the jobs we already have to do, to suit us? Or finding a job that suits us? The problem with the former is that most jobs are already pretty well defined, either by employers or by the needs of the position. If that doesn’t suit you, then you’re left with the latter, which isn’t easy.
I don’t love the attitude in biology. Expectations to work so hard and so much, compete for grants, do novel research, make breakthroughs… and yet people are expected to collaborate as well. It’s not that I’m against hard work, but I’m against expectations that don’t leave time for anything else: family, rest, hobbies.
So now I feel like a square peg in a round hole (or possibly a round peg in a small square hole). I’m coming to another crossroad and I’m not sure which road I’m going to take.
What road are you on? Are you happy with it? How did you get there?
It’s a challenge when you have so many interests and areas you want to explore- difficult to choose just one. Hopefully you can find a path that allows you to do all the things you love and keep the “balance” in your life as well. I can identify with you so easily. The left brained things like science, math and techie stuff are fun because it’s challenging, and the right-brained artsy stuff is satisfying in a whole different way.
I have definitely found satisfaction in doing web design because it is a great mix of the use of both the right and left brain. When I had a regular job doing database marketing, I enjoyed the challenges, but really missed having opportunities to make “pretty things”.
I agree with the satisfaction and challenge of web design. It’s cool to get the code side working with the visual/images side, and then learning the ins and outs of the software that helps you to do that stuff as well. Bringing something together for function and visual effect.
Which makes me wonder if I should just dive into that field and never look back…
What choices did you make to get where you are Randa? A marketing background must be great for dealing with clients and analysing their needs.
I’m not entirely sure how I got on my road. I know the events, but I still have trouble fitting it all together. As for where the road leads I am not sure, but it looks promising.
Three days a week I am challenged in my own world-view by working with the homeless of Sydney. The other two days I work in a much quieter admin job at my church.
The church job is exciting as part of taking it on was the understanding that it would change. Whats more it will change in directions that I influence it. So I am quite an unusual position to shape my job to suit me.
Whatever your choice, it’ll be the right one, even if it leads to another change.
I’m happy with where I am, and just need to watch the news to appreciate how fortunate a life I’m leading.
Whatever road you decide to take, do let me know if I can help in any way.
David (leps), I think your 3-day job is so good… I live a rather sheltered and fortunate life. I think a challenging job like that would be cool (in a difficult, but eye-opening way), but I’m not sure I would be well suited to it. That’s good that you get to shape your church job. I had a friend who left work at our own church because the oldies were a bit too demanding/picky and she found it hard to remain gracious. Do you find it strange being involved with behind-the-scenes/private info type stuff?
p.s. I think I still don’t know where leps comes from…
David (Airey), I think the choice will be correct – I know what my most important roles to fill are, I just need to find something that allows me to do those things. The difficulty is in the not knowing (for my husband to, who wonders what I’m going to be doing).
Yep, I have tended to avoid the news because it’s rather depressing (although I do scan the headlines every day).
Thanks, I’ll probably have questions in the future that you might be able to help with 😉
David,
I agree with Kris. It’s very admirable what you do (working with the homeless). A good friend of mine is a social worker here in Edinburgh, and some of the stories he tells makes me wonder if I’d be able to hack it. He finds it tough, but wouldn’t change his job for anything.
Well, I actually majored in music in college and went for a career as an opera singer for a while before deciding to get a regular job and providentially landed in marketing. When we had our first child, we were committed to me staying home with him, which allowed me to pursue the fun of web design. The marketing background, working with clients, etc. has been the perfect skill set to add value to my services.
I will tell you, should you decide to jump into it, there is WAY more work than there are designers. Especially in developing for WordPress, as the use of WP is growing exponentially and there so few good designers. With your contacts among designer/bloggers, you would easily get lots of pass-along business to get started with.
I spent many years as a journalist: a great job with the stimulation of each day being different from the one before. But ever since high school I knew that design was something I wanted to do as well. As a school leaver asked the standard question “what do you want to do?” I replied, journalism for a while, and design for a while. The response was frequently “you can’t do both, you have to choose one”. I didn’t believe it back then, which is good because I have made the career change, and I love what I do. I’m also working for myself which provides the flexibility that I want with family commitments.
It was a big leap, made all the easier for having the love and support of my husband and family to back me up. Those things are essential.
If you do make the change, best wishes for the path ahead. Drop me an email any time you want for advice or support. By the way, are you still looking for a digital design course?
That’s cool that you got to pursue both the things you wanted to do (I guess I still have the opportunity to do that too!). Did you find journalism satisfying? I was thinking for a while that journalism could be a way I could use my science background (and not waste it), by being a science writer or something. However, I look around and so much journalism seems sensational, what sells, what makes headlines. Did you find it was like that, or maybe it’s what you make it?
I’m definitely still interested in courses. I haven’t gotten much further in finding out what’s available in and around Sydney.
Overall I found journalism satisfying, and I could see myself making occasional forays into freelance journalism in future, if/when I’m strongly motivated to write a given story.
Science journalism is a great option, and having a science background is a huge asset. It’s also something you could try out (as a freelancer) before deciding whether to leave your current job/career. I know that Deakin University used to offer a graduate program in Science journalism by distance education, and it may have been open to Science grads (not just journalism grads). Might be worth investigating. Yes, journalism is definitely what you make of it: there’s a lot of sensational reporting but there’s also a lot of quality reporting.
I feel the dilemma you face. Sometimes I wonder about my job, too. But don’t go thinking that it will get easier in terms of being able to better prioritizing your life just because you become a designer! It’s the same in this industry, too, though we are usually competing for business, not grants.
The corporate culture at my current employer seems to be sacrifice for the good of the company! I struggle to “be a team player” in this environment without sacrificing my mental/emotional well-being and time for me and my family. Freelancing is a tempting option, too, but I know that would require strict discipline to sit down and work and also to not overwork and neglect family.
How I got to where I am? I’m sure you’ve heard this somewhere before but… I’d always been interested in art, but of course, told that you can’t make a real living being an artist (and I’m really not that good at drawing). After high school, I was debating between Psychology and Computer Science (programming) and chose Psychology. I met my husband half way through my first semester of college and he showed me Photoshop. I fell in love and did full time at the university I was originally at and part time at his school to get a feel for what graphic design was about (driving almost 50 miles—80 km—between schools in one day). I loved page layout and decided to switch majors and transfer schools. While still in school, I got a part time job with a non-profit as a webmaster, which turned into a full time graphic design position once I graduated. I worked there almost 2 years before I made the leap to the corporate world about 8 months after graduation and I’ve been here almost a year (in August).
As for what you “should” do? I don’t know. The only advice I have is pray and be sensitive to where God wants you to be. A Christian in the scientific world, imho, is a good thing, but God can use you anywhere!
Choosing a career is extremely stressful. I’m a soon to be junior in high school, and my parents would like nothing more than for me to become a doctor, but I’ve long since ruled that out. English is my favorite school subject, I’ve got a natural talent in managing finances and business, find languages extremely interesting, love traveling and meeting new people, and enjoy working with computers (particularly graphic and web design). Best of luck with whatever direction you head in! =)
Lauren, I guess whether prioritising is easier, depends on the person more than the job. I just know that I don’t do it well when I have to travel 40km to work each day, I’m much better when I’m closer to home.
I’ve heard some of your story before, in different words. It’s a good example of finding what’s right for you and how choices lead to something great. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t chosen psychology…
I feel like to be effective in the science world as a Christian I’d almost need a diploma in theology (which actually, I’ve considered doing as well). Otherwise I would end up being more passive, trying to be godly among my co-workers, letting them know what I believe, leaving it up to them to ask me questions etc (there’s nothing wrong with that in general, but I think it’s probably less effective with the type of people that are in science). Unfortunately, I think my work place has been a poor influence on me, rather than the other way around (me being an influence there)… lately anyway.
Amrita, it’s so hard because we all want approval from our parents. I think you really need to want to be a doctor to be a good one, and to endure those long hard years of study. Good luck pursuing your interests and finding your place. I hope your parents are supportive, whichever way you go. 🙂
I can see your point about needing to be more forthcoming with your faith in a scientific community. I take your approach at work, trying to set a good example. It’s tough! Especially with the gossip that inevitably goes around :/