There is nothing more stressful and rewarding than understanding why we chose the paths we do. It often leads to second-guessing ourselves which, I am here to tell you is totally fine. Moreover, a little second-guessing can be used as impulse control if it is managed correctly and not in the form of panic. (A post on this to come soon I promise) 

This post is very personal because it is the brief story of how I switched my focus from being an office lawyer to a tech startup entrepreneur. A total one- eighty I know but hey everyone needs to check themselves every now and then. Hopefully, this will spark something in one or all of you readers to examine your current situation. Without further rambling here we go!

MY CHOICE

All my life the thought of being a lawyer stuck in the back of my head like a piece of me. It can be linked as a core value to help paint a clearer picture but that’s because both of my parents are lawyers by trade. Thus, the groundwork for me had already been laid, especially with both of them owning private practices. Who wouldn’t want to continue their parents legacy through such a powerful profession? Not to mention all the power, success and money which, come along with it!

Yet, my mother always steered me to go into technology due to the fact that I was always taking apart or putting back together some sort of technical device. Even down to replacing tv and computer parts to fix or maximize performance without needing to really study them. It just came naturally, the ability to pick up something broken and fix it by opening it up.  My mom deemed it as my gift but to me, it was just a passion of mine which, did not have to be anything more. Moreover, if it got too complicated there was no deadline on the task, therefore no stress. Back then, work was supposed to mean some sort of stressor because that’s what everyone made it out to be.

Following the tech path would also require giving up on my moms legacy to build my own and that was something terrifying. How could I just abandon my dream of being a big-time lawyer as well as running her firm to wade out into uncharted territory. At least what was perceived as such due to my exposure thus far.

After several talks and some self-reflection I realized that she was right about tech being my calling and my dream of being a lawyer was fueled by more than my two dreams. That excess fuel of power and success were not good enough because they lacked passion and therefore would eventually lead to less meaningful work.

However, figuring out a way to aid others through technology was full of passion as well as drive. Moreover, it didn’t seem like work when I got to build someone a website, social media profile or advise them of helpful apps to get them outside the office. Furthermore, it allowed for a sense of freedom due to the need for only two things, clients and internet. Not to mention, the euphoric rush that occurred every time I was able to help someone progress in their own lives through this kind of meaningful work. 

It is very clear that there is a lot more to the story but I believe you understand what happened. However, if you don’t then here it comes. Once I took the time to evaluate myself and remove goals such as money and power. I was able to create a professional path of truly meaningful work that encompassed my passions. 

All of you deserve to do the same because life is about doing what you love no matter what it takes. Thus, I challenge you to figure out your “why” and walk to the edge of your comfort zones to follow it.