Today's thoughts
If I look back at my professional development, I had several stages. But one thing was for me clear from the beginning, I did not want to be an engineer like my mom and dad, thought it was too technical for me.
Until I was 14 years old, my dream was marine biologist. Rather strange choice, don’t ask me how I came up with it, but I wanted to research whale behavior. My mom acknowledged it and then made only one comment: take a look at the map and let me know if Romania has whales in the Black Sea. It made me think for some years till I realized that it will be very hard to achieve that dream, so I rethought my future.
For another 2 years, I invested a lot of energy and time in learning History and Latin; I thought I’ll be the next Perry Mason. But then I realized how many colleagues of mine had the same aim, and moreover I noticed that law is not necessary my field even if I was always fascinated by crime mysteries. So another line set aside.
Being 16 and with not really a direction. My generation was almost focused on law and economic studies, many of my colleagues graduated in these fields. Not many doctors, very few teachers and some engineers.
So somehow on the road I realized that studying engineering combined with economic studies does not sound that bad and guess what? I ended up being a civil engineer. That much about my childhood dreams!
Anyway but that was not the point of my entry. I actually started this because I remembered this morning at breakfast that my most utmost desire is to have fun at work, to be appreciated and to enjoy every day. This is what my mom told me: if you wake up in the morning with the desire of going to work and you feel enthusiastic, then you are in the right place.
Maybe for some my current job does not sound so fantastic, being on business travels on a weekly basis, lot of pressure (time and budget wise), but for me (most of the time) it is a great place to be.
Guidance in my daily work was given by Goethe as well:
‘Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming’
I was lucky during my professional life to get support, mentoring and help from peers and superiors. I know how fortunate I was / am, therefore I try to apply this towards my colleagues as well.
Another great lesson given by Eleanor Roosevelt
‘Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people’
It does not work at all times, but it is a great advice!
And what I request but also give:
‘Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival – to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated.’
Stephen M. Covey
And look how much I write just because of a thought at breakfast. Probably I should stick to coffee only! LOL