What do you want to be when you grow up?

It’s a question that’s asked of almost every child, over and over again as certain life milestones are reached. And whether they will admit it or not, it’s a question that adults ask themselves all the time, even when they are well entrenched in a “career” and a long way away from being 10 years old and dreaming of being a fireman or a teacher or an astronaut.

I’ve found that I am at that questioning stage in my life once again. For the past several months I have been questioning the what and why of my present career status. I am good at what I do, but am I still enjoying it? Am I getting the support I need to do the best job possible? Do I feel good about my efforts at the end of the day and am I excited about doing it all over again tomorrow?

What it boils down to now is that instead of looking for an answer with a monetary return, which was so much more important when I was younger, I am looking for an enrichment return. The next career shift that I make must allow me to grow and to help others to grow. It must provide opportunities for me to interact with a diverse group of people, because diversity is what adds spice and interest to life. And, it must make me happy, because life is too short and too precious to waste time being unhappy.