Hedgehogs Aren't Tepid

Yesterday my four year old daughter Marley told me that she wanted to be a hedgehog when she grows up.  This is a slight course correction from her previous career aspiration as a pirate.    I resisted the urge to act like a "grown up" and tell her how you can't really be a hedgehog when you grow up.   I just simply said, "Okay, that sounds like fun!"   Hey, if you really like hedgehogs and want to have pointy hair, crawl in the back garden and eat slugs, who am I to burst your bubble?

Then, I started to think about becoming a hedgehog myself.  In fact, I was somewhat envious of Marley's no-holds-barred-dream-the-big-dream mentality.  Like most parents I've always tried to balance a career that provides stability and income with one that provides fulfilment and joy.    Most of us (at one point or another) have had a beer or dinner with a friend and said, "I really hate my job".   Likewise, many of us have been in the opposite situation and reported, "I totally love my job!"    Fantastic!   Guess who's picking up the bill?

Of course, the reality is that over 20 or 40 working years these conversations will ebb and flow.  There will be periods (months or years) when it will feel like walking in the desert.   And, there may be periods when you feel like an unstoppable omnipotent promotion getting machine.  

The point is that there is a spectrum in your working life between Love on one end and Hate on the the other.   Lurking in the middle is Tepid.   Unfortunately that's where a lot of us (especially in mid-career) hang out.    We might say things like "It pays the bills."    And, hey, in today's economy simply payin' the bills is not a bad place to be.  

But, saying something like "I want to be a hedgehog when I grow up" is all about Love.  That's your inner child (or your outer child if you happen to be four) gushing forth wanting to become something they love.   There is something powerful and liberating about striving towards the "Love" end of the spectrum.   There can also be something financially rewarding about aligning your strengths and passions with your paycheck. Of course, moving from Hate to Tepid or from Tepid to Love requires thought and introspection.  More importantly it requires action.    Moving through the spectrum (in the right direction) will require work.  And, work is something that requires motivation especially if you're stuck at Tepid or below.  

You only have one Life.   But, you can have may jobs and careers.   It's your choice.   It's a free country.    There is no one stopping you.    If Love means being a hedgehog, then be a hedgehog.   

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TomMc