I recently was lucky enough to go to Italy and I realized that we did it all backwards. Although many of my friends loved the book, “Eat, Pray, Love,” I also know a lot of people who did not enjoy the read. Granted, the style wasn’t perfect, but I took away a lot in terms of the themes of the work.
In my mind, the idea is that we are needing to let everything go and learn to give ourselves excess, then go somewhere and do quite the opposite and have austere spiritual experiences, and lastly, scrubbed clean of all of the false trappings of self, fall in love.
But in so many areas in my life, I’ve done it all backwards. I fell in love and got married, then went on a spiritual retreat, and then went to Italy. I’m tempted to look at my career in the same way. I fell in love with the social-organizational psychology program and the work that lies ahead, and essentially married it by spending two years in grad school. Trust me, it will be a lifelong commitment (oh Sallie Mae). Then I got out of school and am doing some part-time contract jobs while I send out resumes for the grand launch of the career. Humble and austere times, these are. I’m feeling like the feasting time is just around the corner, and am not sure how all that plays out.
Recently, I have been applying for different types of jobs that are not necessarily change management-focused and I’m finding a lot that I like out there. It’s not that I’m giving up on a goal; I have simply been surprised at the breadth and depth of my experience and how it relates to my education now that I’ve left academia. It seems that there are interesting bits out there that I may have overlooked before.
For example, my interest in data management links to the systems perspective that is central to my interest in change management. And my value system and experience links to workplace diversity initiatives. Even further, my technological experience combined with teaching experience and org. psych. education might make several combination fields I haven’t thought of before. Most of the time it’s pretty exciting.
So I’m going to get ready for that feast by keeping my mind open to all of these opportunities I am finding. First I found love so I have a beautiful support base and new way to enjoy life, then I found the discipline to channel all of my energy, and now I just need to sit down and eat. Doesn’t sound so bad when I put it that way.
Integral Talent Management 