The “Art Of Doing”
Five Hundred and fifty propellerheads crowded the walls of the grand ballroom, flown in from all around the world, to learn from and collaborate with each-other. For those not attune to the terminology, a propellerhead is an engineer. Overly analytical and particularly blunt by nature, gathered to share and bring truths to the folk tales from the field. An environment to laugh, learn, leverage, and dodge (very similar to Patches 5 d’s). Each individual has had a unique journey, bringing them to this very moment, sitting amongst the crowd I wondered….. How many were doing what they truly loved?
A general session on the last day added fuel to this burning question, the title – Career Development and Obstacles – leading the conversation was an insightful battle-tested executive, with him, five panelist from different areas of the organization. They told their stories, guitar teacher turned engineering manager, another dropping everything and quitting with no clear path in sight, there was certainly no disappoint. As the propellerheads laughed, gasped and whispered with each tale, common themes began to form. More often than not, each progression, next step, new adventure came from a unique mixture of two base ingredients:
1. Ownership – Taking active control, rather than sitting back passively
2. Risk – Taking a chance, Flipping the script, Letting the butterfly’s loose to scurry around ones stomach
Careers are an interesting concept, for most they span over the majority of their lives, consuming – on average – our physical and mental peek years. I don’t really feeling like digging up stats but I would say that north of 90% of people enter the workforce for the sole reason of making an impact! Just kidding, it’s to get that Mula! Looks like most have to! A 2017 CareerBuilder Study found that 78% of americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. I mean, in order buy cool shit and do cool things you need have some paper flowing your way, right? It’s in this ignorance, most open the page to their story and begin to put pen to paper, how interesting or dull it turns out is up to them.
All Risk is NOT Created Equal
One year turns to five, five to ten, ten to twenty and finally when you enter that exclusive forty club, you realize the club scene isn’t for you and hang up the old ID badge one last time. Throughout it all, a weird thing called life happens, adding complex variables such as marriage, houses and kids, all umbrellaed by the “fan favorite” bills. With each variable comes a shift of priorities, responsibilities, and dependence. Risk tolerance begins to dissolve, and the need for a steady income, insurance, and retirement take center stage. The “dream” risk to pursue something truly meaningful to you is overpowered by the “safe” risk of taking calculated chances along your career path. Don’t get me wrong, risk is risk, and most take it at some point, however, it’s the type and magnitude which make it effective. This is why it’s typically less risky to take a chance in a structured career field – such as finance – than it is in a Dream Field – or what you are truly passionate about.
Five hundred extremely smart industry experts in a room, but how many were there because they felt the need to follow a structured career path? Or because they kept telling themselves that they’d get going on their true passion next year, entangling themselves more and more to the status quo. I bet if I snuck some truth serum into the water (the coffee may be a better bet), and proceeded to ask each and every individual if they are doing what they truly love, I’d be surprised if I didn’t get an astounding NO. The best technical minds in the organization, who are great at their job, adhering to their position that distances them from true happiness as a result of some(or many) external variables. Myself included, and America in a nutshell.
I think it is extremely true that to advance in any career (structured or dream) one needs to take ownership and risk. But you need to decide if you have the courage and audacity to go after something that is truly fulfilling. Maybe your doing it, if that’s the case, you’ve won. But your probably not, and that’s on you. Now before you tell your boss to “Go Pound Salt”, risk doesn’t mean drop everything and pursue, it comes in different flavors to different people. Major Risk is not needed to seek happiness, most ambitions can be started with an investment of time, on the side, post nine-to-five grind. You just need to become a practitioner in The “Art of Doing“.
Do It
It’s handing your mind a temporary cease and desist on all it’s awesome ideas, instead focusing your attention on putting the base architecture and operations into motion. It’s when things get real, and only real things can tell your story. This isn’t a risk conundrum, it’s a courage one. For the most part, your brainchild won’t look like you drew it up, all that means is your on the right track. Your Doing!
In his 2017 Harvard commencement speech , Mark Zuckerberg told the crowd that Facebook would have never happened if he didn’t have the freedom to fail, clarifying that he had the safety net of his parents to fall back on if all else failed. Ready for some math, thirty minutes a day equates to 182.5 hours a year, adds up huh? Tell me you can’t find 30 minutes each day to follow a dream and I’ll tell you it’s simply not important.
I wonder where we’d be if every single person pursued what they were truly passionate about, if they took “Dream Risk” and practiced the “Art of Doing”. If it’s important, you’ll find time. You just have to be ready for the roller coaster, because as Zucks pointed out in that same speech…
“Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started.”
