Be who you are?
At some time in the not-to-distant past, a former boss of mine presented me with a bit of wisdom that has recently been swirling around in my head. During a conversation with him concerning our careers in management, we both were whining about how we didn't really enjoy our jobs. This wasn't unusual since we had always been in agreement that most corporate (or non-corporate for that matter) food service managers were, well...miserable, ie, hated their jobs. He threw at me a little saying, "This is not what I am...it is simply what I do". In other words, "we gotta do what we gotta do" (to earn a living I suppose). One must do what is neccessary to pay the bills, right? Like Popeye said (and more recently Tony Soprano), "I'yam what I'yam". So, presumably, if you can do "what you are" to earn a living...so much the better. Hence, my recent foray into self employment...I'm giving it the old college try!
Rewind some thirty years ago to something a psychology professor said to me. Evidently, an old catch phrase amongst pyschoanalysts exists and it goes a little like this: A neurotic is someone who thinks he is a dog...a psychotic is someone who knows he is a dog.
So how do these two sayings relate to each other? Think about it. Quite possibly, one must be at least somewhat psychotic in convincing oneself that he is accurate in his preception of who he or she is! While in reality, you may be something entirely different. Up until last October, I was a corporate restaurant manager. Now I am a consultant/photographer/writer. Or am I?
To put it simply, you are whatever you want to be. In order to combine what you do with who you are, one must only make the statement...then, do something about it. There may be some societal rules you must consider. I always wanted to be a Gynecologist. I suppose I could call myself a Gynecologist, but I would have to add "amateur" as a preface since I didn't go to medical school. But I have been a practicing (though not professionally until now) photographer. People are paying me to do this, voila..."professional". Whether or not you are good at what you "are" is irrelevant!
What about that saying "You are what you eat" from years ago? Nevermind, that is for another post.
Woof!
Rewind some thirty years ago to something a psychology professor said to me. Evidently, an old catch phrase amongst pyschoanalysts exists and it goes a little like this: A neurotic is someone who thinks he is a dog...a psychotic is someone who knows he is a dog.
So how do these two sayings relate to each other? Think about it. Quite possibly, one must be at least somewhat psychotic in convincing oneself that he is accurate in his preception of who he or she is! While in reality, you may be something entirely different. Up until last October, I was a corporate restaurant manager. Now I am a consultant/photographer/writer. Or am I?
To put it simply, you are whatever you want to be. In order to combine what you do with who you are, one must only make the statement...then, do something about it. There may be some societal rules you must consider. I always wanted to be a Gynecologist. I suppose I could call myself a Gynecologist, but I would have to add "amateur" as a preface since I didn't go to medical school. But I have been a practicing (though not professionally until now) photographer. People are paying me to do this, voila..."professional". Whether or not you are good at what you "are" is irrelevant!
What about that saying "You are what you eat" from years ago? Nevermind, that is for another post.
Woof!
posted by James | 5:20 AM
1 Comments:
Me again! (Proving that I am staying here way more than the minimum 30 seconds!) I used to be a resale buyer, now I'm a laid off desperate job seeker, ...but I don't want to be. :`(
I give you credit for starting your own business, though! When you start hiring employees, please keep me in mind! :)
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