A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.
In my 23 years of life, I’ve worn several hats. I’ve been everything from a Catholic Missionary, an artist, a varsity Pistol shooter, a student consultant, the Jaro Fiesta Queen, a corporate management trainee, a non-profit marketer, a fitness class addict, a traveller, a performer, an actress and so on.
Some scoff and I say that I have no sense of commitment for moving from one thing to another. For those people, I only have but a chuckle and a slight eye roll. Yes, there is beauty in those who find their one great passion in life and stick with it. There is a lot to admire about people who become Olympians, win world cups and become award-winning actors. I have a deep sense of regard for those who can life their life that way. It’s important to remember though that you can admire the way someone lives their life but still recognise that it’s not the way you want to live yours.
My personal greatest joys in life come from new experiences, trying and learning new things, and seeing and integrating myself in new places. While I’ve been recognised for a few things before, I’ve found that trophies and congratulations only make you feel fulfilled for so long. Inherently, I found that my real happiness comes from the knowledge that I’m always doing something that I feel like is worth doing and always learning something I think it worth knowing.
While initially, it’s easy to wave off my desire to do one thing and another to having a lack of grit. This is where I argue, because I do feel that there is a difference between giving up and pivoting. To give up entails you already had a goal in mind where you are compelled to stop the grind to reach it because it becomes too difficult and the difficulty overrides the motivation to get there. To pivot means that you commit to building yourself up in as many ways you find necessary until eventually you find a space wherein you can fully contribute what you’ve learned in a space that matters to you, regardless if you recognise what the end goal is or not. I choose the latter.
I’ve committed to the process of continually improving myself in a slow but steady way in all the things that matter to me. I’ve learned to become patient with the skills I build, and recognize that both the little by little I am guided by the things that have become close to my heart and the doors that have already closed on me. I may not know what the end goal is, but I’m having fun along the way. While my inner critic does occasionally come up and remind me that I could have been famous and multi-awarded for any of the things that I’d given up, I like to think that that wouldn’t have guaranteed a sense of fulfilment or happiness.Building a life that I’m proud of and getting to where I want to go without comprising too much of my mental health, my relationships and my happiness in a sustainable manner is the way I want to strive for excellence.
On my list are many more hats to wear: skin diver, civilian pilot, voice actress, and start up founder!
