As I’ve matured, one of the biggest awarenesses that I’ve gained is that I have the power to achieve whatever I put my mind to. This week, I want to share my thoughts on this realization and the advice I’d give my younger self.
Following the Expected Path
Growing up, I pursued a path that I feel society encourages: excelling in high school, graduating from college, conducting research, securing internships, and receiving a master’s degree. I’ve always been advised to study hard, work hard, and save as much as I can for retirement; and, it’s worked out so far. This track led me to a successful start for my career at Amazon, and I even earned a promotion in my first few years. However, I’ve come to understand that life is not just about planning for the future; it’s also about enjoying the present.
Realizing That I Can Define My Own Path
I’ve recently come to realize that I have the freedom to do whatever I want. For most of my life, I viewed experiences like a surf trip to Morocco to be out of reach. Now, I recognize that if I want to, I can take time off, book a flight, and go. And if I really wanted to, I could drop everything and get on a flight tomorrow. It would cost a lot, but the only thing preventing me from doing something like that is, well, me. A recent trip I decided to take on a whim was a solo journey to Iceland to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). The pictures in this letter are from that trip!
This awareness has changed the way I spend my time. I no longer worry about societal expectations. Instead, I feel empowered to do things that bring me joy. I feel like it’s part of growing up, but I’ve come to care less about what other people might think of me. People have their own lives to worry about, so there’s no need to worry about what they might think if you start a newsletter, for example.
Looking Back at the Path I Took
Reflecting on my high school years, I recall the pressure to attend a four-year university as if it were the only path to success. Maybe it was just my school; but, I imagine other schools had a similar philosophy— especially other private schools. Now as an adult, I see that there are countless ways to build a happy, successful life and career that definitely doesn’t require getting a college degree. While I don’t regret my choices, I wish I had been more aware of the options available and the decisions I ultimately made. I do, however, think I got lucky and ended up on a path that I would’ve chosen anyways, but I don’t know that’s the case for everyone. And that, I think, is one of the many flaws with the education system, at least in the US. In my experience, I don’t think students are made aware of all the different options available after finishing high school. I also don’t think high schoolers even know what they want to do, which is fine, but I think they should know what their options are so they can at least take a step in the right direction.
What I Would Tell my Younger Self
If I were to give advice to my younger self, I would say:
“you can do anything you want in life and it doesn’t have to be what you think is the ‘right’ thing. While it’s important to consider the consequences of your choices, know that there are many paths to a fulfilling life. It’s different for everyone so you don’t always have to do what society says is correct because not everyone has the same goals or desires in life. For any given person, the things they want now may be different from what they want in the future and that’s okay. While it’s important to plan for the future, it’s equally important to enjoy the present, so don’t let future plans stop you from being happy now. If you are always pursuing the things that make you happy now, I think you’ll end up a lot closer to what you want in the future anyways.”
Final Thoughts
Think about your long-term goals, but don’t let it prevent you from pursuing your passions today. Your desires will evolve, so don’t waste time trying to predict the future. Focus on what you want now and make it happen.