They say you never forget your first

They say you never forget your first and that sentiment holds true to your first job as well as your first love (or so I believe). For me my first gig out of college was as a tour guide in a National Park. From the interview I realized that what I was signing up for was no walk in the park (pun intended). The interviewers actually slid a British Naval costume across the table and asked if I would have any problems wearing it on occasions when cruise ships were calling at the port. I remember smiling and answering in the affirmative and thinking somewhere in the back of my mind that these people had to be crazy. But none the less I was merely enthused at the prospect of working outdoors talking to people as I had always been the more reserved type. This job would undoubtedly challenge me physically and mentally as I would be facing scores of visitors looking to have a good time while still learning a bit of history.

As luck would have it I had a very easy going supervisor, sometimes so too easy going for his own good. I was also lucky to be part of an initial group of about 10 coworkers who were in the same age range as me. On some days work seemed like a leisurely stroll with friends back for a visit while other days I broke more than a sweat. It was mundane at times trying to plug the same old punch lines with the regular tour operators knowing your pitch like the back of your hand. But the days when the tips were heavy and the mood light it seemed like it could go on forever and it seems as it did at times. Though I was young and impressionable I was able to experience that satisfied feeling from putting in an earnest eight hours and being justly rewarded (as per the industry standard).

But as you put your shoulder to the mill and continue grinding out good results, you start thinking outside the box and wondering if there’s more for you to accomplish. That coupled with an entry salary in a service industry without much prospect of advancement lead to an exodus of all my fantastic coworkers. Some moved on to better jobs while others like myself pursued higher education. As I write this though I wonder how much money could have made me stay at that job and for how long. As life would have it though I would welcome the opportunity to work in an environment that is based on leisure activities and interacting with wide eyed travelers looking to embrace the world to its fullest.
The question of selling out or trading up may have some relevance here but then again not pushing yourself to unlock your potentials trumps settling when you have the urge to excel. At the end of the day though I am proud of my humble beginnings that have given my life perspective.

So to the graduating class of 2012 I say you may not get what you’re looking for right off the bat but whatever it is its sure far better off than your couch. So whether you’re suiting up or scrubbing down don’t forget the big picture that is your life. You never know how your experiences today will affect your outcomes tomorrow.

Life's work

Earlier last week I was listening to an afternoon program on the radio and heard the presenter ask the question, what is a career? The options given included; A. your life’s work, B. A part time job and two other incorrect answers. The answer clearly was option A. The phrase life’s work stuck a nerve when I began to think about my life’s work. Pondering what would be the end result of my years of toil and labor made me both hopeful yet sorrowful. Ideally I am in the prime of my life. I have energy, enthusiasm, and drive just to name a few. But one must ask of himself at the end of everyday, did I really make a difference in anyone’s life today while being gainfully employed. Did I make any positive contribution to my life other than drawing closer to my next pay cheque? Did I DO anything worthwhile? This point hit home for I plan not to be one of those individuals who are only as good as their last pay stub. The reality is that it happens to the best of us no matter how good our intentions are. To keep this post short and to the sweet I will end with the old proverb that goes something like this:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The question I ask is this, what will be lost for the want of a job? Will it be your childhood dream, your relationships, your health, your pride etc. all for the want of a pay cheque!

Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers says the following “Hardwork is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you grab your wife around the waist and dance a jig”.