Monday, March 10, 2014

The Biggest Success?



There will be many entries to come about some of the interesting conversations I have had in the last few months. Today a question was posed to me and I was completely dumbfounded.

In your whole career what has been your biggest success or the thing you are most proud of?

Ugh! Seriously, nothing in my ‘career’ has made me proud. What I do impacts no one directly.  It holds no value in my mind. How do I answer this question? Granted, I go to work to be able to pay the bills and take care of my daughter but aside from that so little of what I do means anything to me. There’s a reason that my answer to the question of ‘what do I do every day?’ is ‘sit at a desk’. 

How do I even attempt a response? Yes, it makes me happy to make some things more efficient and to make other people’s lives easier. It gives me pleasure to point out the illogical silliness that happens day-in, day-out in the office. All of my pointing out and communicating to no avail of course. But do I save lives? Do I make a difference? Not in the least.

This question sent me on a spiral of doubt. Why haven’t I felt like my career is a success? Is it because I’m doing something I just shouldn’t be doing? Perhaps and most likely the case. I had envisioned myself helping others and not in the sense of filling pockets for ethically challenged CEOs. 

Maybe the thought I had in bed last night was actually coming into play. It’s time to take a break and really concentrate on doing something I want to do. Something I feel proud of when I’m not home with my daughter.  Writing this is a step in the right direction.

No comments: