If you were told that you would never reach your desired destination, your goal, would you still remain on the journey you are on right now? Are you passionate enough about the work you are doing that if the ultimate dream doesn’t materialize you will, with lack of a better term, be okay? Will it still all be worth it?
If you are expecting me to suggest that you should set an easier goal, please hold…
In Chris Hadfield’s book, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life, he writes about what it means to be an astronaut. Unfortunately, walking on the moon, spiralling around in the space station free of gravity or the glitz and glamour of life in space isn’t part of the definition. Space travel isn’t even a known certain for an astronaut. The job is the never-ending grind of hard work, preparation and research. Too many things out of their control will determine whether they ever achieve the ultimate goal: to be launched out of this world.
Ultimately, it’s the journey that becomes the destination.
For you and me, the goal is indeed much different. It may be to obtain a specific internship with a certain team or organization or functional area. It may be to secure a job or to receive a promotion. Yet the equation remains the same and so does the number of variables that stand in your way. What won’t be different will be the hundreds or maybe thousands of other people applying to that same position with the very same goal. Many with equal, or more, experience or with less experience but a pre-existing ‘in’. But sometimes it doesn’t work out and you can’t figure out why, while other times it does and you still can’t quite explain how.
Despite the number of factors that may stop you from reaching your desired destination – the journey is yours. The only factor that determines your mindset through the process is you. Can you remain positive? Can you recognize each lesson or feel grateful for every misstep and every no? Can you make the best out of the situation you are in or the hand you are given? Can you persevere through the never-ending grind of hard work while knowing you may not have it in you to succeed? Can you keep smiling? Can you keep going?
And ultimately, do you want to?
This is your attitude and this is what you can control as you move towards your destination.
“Ultimately, I don’t determine whether I arrive at the desired professional destination. Too many variables are out of my control. There’s really just one thing I can control: my attitude during the journey, which is what keeps me feeling steady and stable, and what keeps me headed in the right direction. So I consciously monitor and correct, if necessary, because losing attitude would be worse than not achieving my goal.” – Chris Hadfield
I undoubtedly believe in my ability to reach my desired professional destination and my hope for you is that you feel the same. Above all, I hope your attitude and happiness remains intact as you bump around along the way.
Sara
