I choose ‘journey’

One of my greatest challenges over the last couple of years has been letting go of long-held dreams. Circumstances beyond my control pushed me out of the journalism profession and into public relations and marketing. While I enjoy working in PR and social media marketing, I haven’t quite been able to let go of being a journalist.

Dealing with that career transition was one of my top goals in working with a mentor (read more on that here). She’s really been terrific in helping me on the road toward establishing a well-defined future career path. Step one was deciding whether I could commit to a career in PR.

I spent three weeks dwelling on that concept. Could I make that commitment? And, if so, could I be content in my decision? I ultimately decided to make that commitment to a new profession and quit straddling the fence – one foot in each career world. I decided to stop looking back and begin looking forward.

That’s not to say if an opportunity in journalism or any other career field comes along I can’t stop and take a look. But for now, I need to accept my life as it is.

In discussing this with my mentor over lunch last week, she asked me if I saw my career as a “journey or a destination.” I truly had to pause and think. A dozen years ago, I would have answered “destination” – my sights were set on a journalism career for a big city newspaper.

Today, I answer “journey.” There’s nothing wrong with having dreams, goals or aspirations, but despite all your best laid plans, your life’s road often takes such a different path that you can no longer see what was once your destination.

It’s much like taking a trip. You map out the path, selecting the interstate because you can hit 75 mph and focus on nothing but your destination. Or, you can choose the back roads, driving through small towns, eating at diners, getting out of the car to take a photo, browsing a quirky antique store or stopping at a roadside market for crispy apples and juicy strawberries.

You may eventually hit your destination or you could find joy in the journey, possibly taking so many side roads you stumble upon something even better. It’s easy to be 22 years old and have a destination but as we grow older, we find the destination always changing and oftentimes elusive. Having learned that — sometimes the hard way — I’ll choose the journey. Usually, it’s more interesting anyway.