Did You Choose Your Career, or Did It Choose You?

Journal #7 just found a new home at 8th & Market SEPTA station in Philadelphia. I left it there yesterday morning, June 18th, around 11am — and if you’re reading this because you picked it up, welcome. I’m glad you found it, and I’m glad it found you.

This one’s actually a journal, not a book to read cover to cover — black cover, “The Only Way to Do Great Work is to Love What You Do” stamped right on the front. Keep it, pass it along, fill every page, whatever feels right. No judgment either way.

I left this particular journal for a reason that’s been sitting with me for a few days. Two conversations, actually — both with employees of clients I work with.

One man started in housekeeping and janitorial work and climbed his way up to something close to director of operations. As he talked about the company, he used words like loyalty and “ride or die.” But underneath that, I heard something else too — a little bit of gratefulness tangled up with fear. He said something like people like him don’t usually get opportunities like this. That stuck with me.

The other woman has worked at the same place for almost 60 years. Her mother worked there. Her sister worked there. Now her daughter works there too. I didn’t ask the question I wanted to ask — did her daughter actually want this job, or did she just fall into it the way I think a lot of us do?

That’s the question I’m leaving with whoever finds this journal: are you spending your working years the way you actually want to, or did you just end up here? And if it’s the second one — what, if anything, are you going to do about it?

I’m revamping my podcast right now and would genuinely love to have you in my community — subscribe for free at https://theleadershipdrivestour.substack.com. I meet every single podcast guest in person to find out what actually drives how they lead and live.

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