I was meeting with someone the other day who is moving away and making some life changes because their spouse’s job requires it. During our meeting, we discussed careers and how the recent changes were about to create a real directional shift. What started as a series of questions regarding their current field took an interesting turn.
“Are you going to try to find a job in your field?”
“I am not sure, I have been doing this for a while.”
“Well, what did you want to be when you were a kid?”
It is a pretty simple question, but a stunned silence filled the next few moments. Their face said it all. There was something deep down that had been with them since their youth, but had not been uttered in years.
“I wanted to be an Egyptologist.”
The remainder of our time together included trying to figure out just exactly how an elementary kid even knew that that job existed. We tried to determine how long this job idea continued. It appears to have continued through the beginning of high school. But reality set in later in school, and the pursuit of more concrete and practical jobs prevailed. I could see by the spark and enthusiasm that came alive at the mention of this forgotten dream that it still held some power.
“So, where you are going, do they have a good museum?” I asked.
“Yes, yes they do. Maybe I can try to get a job with them, or at the very least, volunteer some time.”
“Great idea.”
What did YOU want to be when you were a kid? A pilot, an astronaut, a teacher, a writer, a baker, a dancer, an artist, a hero…an Egyptologist? It is not too late to reach towards the dream of your youth. Maybe just remembering will provide the spark you need to try something new. Go ahead, the world is waiting for you.
Carl Weber Consulting 