S
ome kids know early on what they dream of being when they grow up: a fireman; a pilot; a dancer; a teacher. I was not one of those kids. The first time I recall knowing what I wanted to do, it was not a specific job or vocation, it was the values and skills I wanted to deliver. Sounds crazy, right?
I was working as a temp in a company to make some spending money for an upcoming trip. I had a position assisting someone who I discovered was doing what I wanted to do. I wasn’t aware of her title, I was more focused on what service she was providing: coordinating and supporting others in rolling out a new product.
I remember the product was a new allergy medicine because I received a promotional mug with a big nose poking out the side. But the product itself wasn’t important, it was what my manager was doing that held my focus.
As the roll-out was happening, I watched as she listened to the needs, challenges and wants of her clients and how she skillfully guided them to reach their goals. She seemed to magically facilitate the progress of the launch of the product. That was it, I didn’t know what to call it, but I wanted to do what she did.
Through the various roles in my career, I accomplished just that. As a coder I helped to bring products to reality; as a leader, I led teams and clients to plan, develop and implement their solutions; and now as an entrepreneur, I help other business leaders discover the path to getting their products and services launched. Even as a yoga instructor I lead people towards their goals.
I may not have been able to put a label on what I wanted to be when I was young, but I always knew what I wanted to do: help others reach their objectives.
Sometimes the path to becoming what we want to be when we grow up is obvious, other times it is more abstract. Just being open to your core values of what you want to bring to the world, opens more opportunity to be what you want to be.
Have you figured out what you want to be when you grow up, or still working on it? What are your core values and skills? Share with me below.