Interviews

As I sit outside the Dean’s office at Montclair State University waiting for an interview with a newspaper person, I start jotting notes on my life’s journey – professionally at least – to prepare myself on what to say so I sound mildly enlightened.  In outline form, it is what one might considerately call lacking.

Lacking vision.  If you jot down “once displaced, a number of people would say to me in the course of conversation ‘I wasn’t even sure what you did’”, your career lacks vision.  How hearty is the “I’m a musician” “I’m a doctor” “I’m a teacher”?  You understand – not all the nuisances and nuances, but you understand the vision.

Lacking social return.  The job you take feeds your pocketbook, first and foremost, so you can pay bills and keep a roof over you.  McDonalds or Merrill Lynch – they are the same if all you do is pay the bills.  When you have the ability (i.e., education, modest financial ability) to do more than the basic, shouldn’t you?

Lacking strength.  If you try for your dream and fail, you have a story, experience, an edge – you have fed the core of yourself which acts as a ballast to life’s ups and downs.  If you don’t try, you’re hiding.

You never know when or where an a-ha moment might occur.