The number of people that I have met who have told me that they have experienced a mid-life crisis related to their career is immeasurable. Almost every adult that I have encountered who is currently employed in a field with the intention of helping others once had a dream to follow a selfish career path, but later realized the importance of empathy and outgoingness. From teachers who used to be video game designers to firefighters who used to be accountants, the shifts that I have seen have inspired me to follow the right path before I actually realize what that path is.
Along those lines, a similar lesson that can be found in the lives of these adults is the importance of dedication to one's craft. There is no point in doing something if you aren't going to put your all into it because there is more truth behind the statement "you get out what you put in" than most people realize. Just think about all of the stories you have heard about self-made women and men, people who spent the last of their money to move to America and created lives for themselves and their families. This is not a miracle or simply a result of America's socioeconomic systems, but the consequence of engulfing oneself in a dream and a mission.
I sat in front of my laptop a few weeks ago with two windows open, side by side. One contained an email from a Marine Corps Selection Officer looking to recruit college students to train to enter the Corps as 2nd Lieutenants. The other contained my college course "shopping cart," full of psychology and pre-med classes. As I read through the email, I was reminded of these two lessons mentioned above, and I hit reply.
My entire life I have followed the philosophy of this second lesson, the idea that dedication is the key to achieving one's full potential; however, my decision to complete a lengthy application, acquire more references than any college application required, push my body to its limits in training for months on end, and ultimately put my life in the hands of my brothers and sisters was truly inspired by the knowledge that the purpose of human life is to help others prosper. This is a part of one's character that I truly believe develops with time, but ultimately becomes one of the driving factors in one's life whether they are dedicating themselves to raising their children, saving lives as a surgeon, or performing humanitarian work. People truly are nothing without other people, and that's an idea that a large part of our world seems to have forgotten.
If you are stuck in choosing a career or a hobby or a lifestyle, I urge you to choose whichever one will provide the most benefit to the people around you. You are what other people perceive you to be, so you might as well be the best version of yourself.
