Monday Afternoon, 3:39PM

I decided to come outside and sit on the patio to write this afternoon. I’m at a loss of what I’m trying to write about, but isn’t that the point of this blog? Sit down, open the laptop, and rambling until something comes out. Of course I have plenty to write about, my head is constantly thinking about something. However, on quiet days like this one, where the house is silent, no work, my laundry is in the machine, and I’ve got nothing else to do besides get to bed at a reasonable time to wake up for work in the morning, my thoughts get loud.

One big thing that has been swirling around in my head recently is that of career direction. Shocking… I know. It seems as though this has been the topic at the forefront of my entire existence since high school.

I’ve flip flopped all over the place in terms of what I’ve wanted to do with my life and career, and this is not unlike those other times. If I were to flip again, I would pursue a degree in Civil Engineering and take that as a fresh start and start anew in a field that I have interest in. However, I was given some advice by some peers to look into obtaining an MBA to further my skills in business and leadership/management.

My last role was a management role, and during it, it felt like a lot of responsibility and effort to sustain the people and the business alike. However, now that I have been able to reflect upon that time in my life, I don’t think that I’ve felt more fulfilled with a job than I did in that role. One of my former employees, who I have grown to consider a close friend, texted me out of the blue on Thanksgiving Eve and told me about how the workplace is since I’ve left. He described how every day is a “little more drab” since I’ve left and that some of the other guys have been just “going through the motions.” It was very touching to also hear him say that I was “the songbird that couldn’t be caged.” The impact that these guys have had on me has been profound, and based on what I’ve been told and seen, I have made an impact on them as well.

What I want to do is to give that level of leadership, support, and guidance to more people. I want to be a reliable, compassionate, strong leader. I remember all the mentors that I have had growing up and those that I look up to for advice and guidance. These people I have the utmost respect for and they give me the same respect and dignity back.

This is where the challenging part for me comes in. While I know what I want to do and who I want to be, I have no clue what company, what industry, what organization I want to do that in. The skills necessary to do what I have been talking about are transferrable to almost any and every industry/company. Everyone needs strong, effective leaders to manage their organizations, so in theory, I can throw a dart at a board of every company and be able do what I want to do. But where do I start with that? I need to find the industry. What industry do I want to work in? Something creative? Something industrial/construction related? Something technological? Almost every industry I look at, I could see myself in, but then the paralysis of choice kicks in.

The current timeline I am working within is 12 months minimum before I enroll back into university for a B.A. in Civil Engineering. The other idea is to pursue an MBA in a specific focus. I am leaning towards management, finance, and construction management. I have to wait until I qualify for in-state tuition before I enroll, which is why I have to wait 12 months since I just moved into this state. I have a job currently at the same company I’ve been at, but as a regular full-time associate vs. management.

I want to make positive impacts on others’ lives. I want to positively influence then, support them, lead them to success and fulfillment the best I can because that ultimately fills me with the most fulfillment I have experienced yet.