"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
~ Steve Jobs
There’s an old saying about following in your family’s footsteps. It’s a beautiful sentiment - honoring tradition, carrying on a legacy, and all that jazz. But, sometimes, a farmer’s daughter simply should 𝗡𝗢𝗧 be a farmer. Take me, for instance. My dad is an accomplished farmer, coming from a long line of insanely impressive farmers. I could have easily…well…maybe not “easily”…followed that path, but I didn’t. I chose a different road, and let me tell you, it’s been an incredible journey.
Now, speaking of farming, let’s talk about my latest attempt at it. I decided to grow potatoes in my garden this year. I was optimistic, hopeful even, expecting to pull up a bounty of spuds that would make my ancestors proud. But what did I find when I dug into the soil? About two dozen of the 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩 potatoes you’ve ever seen. And when I say small, I mean smaller than a dime - imagine trying to serve those up at Thanksgiving!
But you know what? I’m okay with it. I followed my own path, and while I feel like I’m constantly calling audibles and rewriting my story, I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished, where I’ve been, and how I’ve grown. I love my story because 𝗜 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗜𝗧. Has it always been easy? Not a chance. But easy just isn’t my style. I live for a good challenge and the satisfaction of overcoming it.
So, why am I telling you this? Because it’s important to be your own person and follow your own path. Whether or not you feel any parental pressure, it’s crucial to follow 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 dreams because, at the end of the day, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 are the one who has to live your life.
This weekend, my daughter mentioned she was told she "has to go to college." And let me tell you, that got under my skin. Now, don’t get me wrong - I’m all for education! I got my MBA in Marketing after figuring out, or so I thought, what I wanted to do with my professional life. However, that came after a lot of starts, stops, and pivots. I eventually made a massive career change anyway!
𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝘁𝗼. There are so many paths to success, and college is just one of them. The trades, for example, pay well and are in desperate need of skilled people. What I want more than anything is for her to spend her time wisely (because we don’t get a lot of it) and to do what makes her happy. I want her to follow the path that pleases her, and from there, she will find success.
There are countless stories of people who took different paths and found their way to incredible success. Steve Jobs dropped out of college and went on to change the world. Richard Branson never even finished high school, yet he built a business empire. The point is, there isn’t just one way to do life. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻.
I’m not entirely sure why this bothered me enough to write about it, but I’ve lost sleep over my daughter feeling obligated to follow a path someone else laid out for her. It’s her life, and she deserves the freedom to choose her own adventure. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
Let’s encourage the people in our lives to explore their options, take risks, and forge their own paths. After all, the best stories are the ones that haven’t yet been written.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂? Are you following a path that feels right for you, or are you still figuring your sh*t out? I’d love to hear your thoughts. What does it really mean to live life on your terms.
