Happy Thursday, folks! I figured it was about time to get back in the game and grace you all with my bountiful knowledge-- and by that I mean ignore my lectures and rant about nonsense while pretending that you all care. Inspiring, right?
Anyway, the reason behind my recent revelation (and motivation to do something in class other than mock my Greek Mythology professor) comes from the lessons of a guest speaker in my business class today. Jullien Gordon, CEO and "purposefinder" of The Department of Motivated Vehicles, asked the audience to think about our own individual definitions of success and write them on a piece of paper. On my slip of paper, I wrote, "The ability to maintain balance in all aspects of my life by doing what makes me happy." After writing it, I reread it-- patting myself on the back for coming up with a pretty decent response.
And then I thought, "Wait... what in the hell makes me happy?"
Which happened to be the exact purpose of Jullien's lesson. Imagine that! He argued that too many of us focus on societal definitions of success; or perhaps our family's definition of success. We are encouraged to take the right steps to achieve the goals our parents construct for us, without even beginning to "innerview" (Jullien's term meaning "self reflection") ourselves to find our own passions that we wish to pursue.
He asked the class, "How many of you think that your parents pursued a career that they are passionate about?" Less than half of the class raised their hand. So HIS purpose was to change that.
I recently switched my major from Business to English Literature with a concentration in creative writing-- an internal debate that's been driving me up the wall for the past several months. Week after week I would sit in my business class listening to instructors and professors put the Kelley School on a pedestal (which it should be-- everyone there is brilliant don't get me wrong) and they had me convinced that it would be ignorant of me to change my major to something so general; however, one day when meeting with my counselor, I asked him to please declare my major as English Literature.
The succeeding several weeks I regretted my choice and I beat myself up for making such a rash decision. I felt embarrassment when people asked what I was studying because I knew after I told them came the endearing, "Ohhhhhhh," followed by the concerned, "So what do you plan to do with that?" response. I swear it's as if those phrases were meant to destroy one's good faith in themselves. Either way, I instantly felt they considered me to be less intelligent or no longer fit to succeed because I was not attaining a major that was suitable to their taste.
But it was not their fault that I felt inferior. It was my own.
So today, when Jullien stood in front of three hundred business students professing that in order to achieve the definition of success we create for ourselves, we have to seek our purpose; find what makes us tick-- and then master it. I realized there was no reason for me to be embarrassment when I tell people my major. It's what I love.
I love to write. I love to talk. I love to give my sometimes over-bearing opinion. And I love how refreshing it is to hear from a professional that my life is my OWN vehicle, and I control whether or not I'm in the driver's seat.
Which is why I decided to blog today.
Love you all! Have a good weekend :)
P.S. Jullien Gordon's website is julliengordon.com << check it out!
