When I have big decisions to make or problems to solve, I change the scenery in an attempt to clear my mind. Removing myself from the physical day-to-day environment by going abroad or being out in nature helps me gain perspective. But rarely do I have any big revelations on the trip. Sometimes it might come a week after, in the shower or a completely random moment. Most times, there’s no specific revelation at all, just micro ideas that slowly stitch together a novel way of thinking.
The first time I went searching for answers was in my early twenties, yearning for a career change. I knew I didn’t like what I was doing, but I didn’t have any ideas about what I should do instead. The indecision and uncertainty was paralyzing. It was like being in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight, not knowing which direction to swim. I read plenty of books, the most helpful of which was The Defining Decade, but there were no revelations there either, only the comfort that I wasn’t alone in how I felt.
A decade later, I find myself at another inflection point. This one, while similar in purpose, feels quite different, with excitement for my potential, rather than apprehension.
Think of it as LEGOs. In my 20s, I wanted to build something different with my set, but didn’t have enough pieces. I was constrained by what was there, and lacked critical parts for a new kind of structure. Someone eventually took a chance on me, and gave me the pieces I needed to do something I hadn’t done before. Now, I have enough LEGOs to create hundreds of interesting projects. The possibilities are there, I just have to take all the pieces apart, and decide what to create next. I’m still missing pieces here and there, but now I have the ability to invest time or money to acquire them.
I truly see the importance of taking time to seriously reflect every couple of years. I’m a completely different person than I was when I made my first career jump in my 20s - the things I need, like, and where I draw energy from are no longer the same. Even the way that I see myself is different. While I have no answers yet, I’m making space to synthesize what I’ve learned about myself, so I can build something outside the box.
