The Question

As a college student, I get asked every day "What do you want to do when you finish school?" and the answer is a carefully considered, but practical. I would like to work in finance at a surf company. The troubling thing is how I, and many other people came to this very sensible decision. After weighing out salaries, possibilities for promotion and the chances of realistically succeeding in our fields we all come to a realistic and practical conclusion. But what about if the exterior money woes and fear of failing were stripped from of the equation. Then, I'm assuming, our answers would be very different. The question is no longer, "What are you going to do when you grow up/get done with school?" but instead it is, "What would you LIKE to do with your life?," "What would make you HAPPY to do for the rest of your life?"

What would you do if money wasn't a part of the equation and there was no chance that you could fail?

Would you become a professional baseball player, help children in Africa, or own a major corporation? Would you be a dad, a teacher, or surf every break in the world? What is it that fills you with joy, gets you out of bed every morning excited, and sets your soul on fire?

I'm asking my friends, coworkers, family members, and anyone who's interested, to consider this question and take inventory of dreams and desires that may have been left in the dust years ago.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Own a Law Firm that Merges International Corporations

"If there was no chance for me to fail and money was not an obstacle then I would want to own a law firm for merging international corporations. It would be the perfect setting for me to meet successful, smart professionals. My job would also require a lot of traveling... Not only will I be exposed to new cultures and ideas, but I could also learn new languages. Plus even if money was an obstacle, I would not need to worry. I hope this helps"
(Originally written on bright orange paper)

Kindergarten Teacher

"I would want to be a kindergarten teacher. I want to plant the seed of education in the children's mind. Little kids always put a smile on my face, so why not hang out with them all day? I want to teach little kids that education is important and the foundation of where and by who kids learn this from is just as important. If I show to kids that education is fun they will strive to achieve."

Join the Peace Corps or Teach Overseas and Write

"If I could do anything without fear of failure or money problems I would join the Peace Corps or some other non-profit, and work overseas as a teacher while writing about my travels at the same time. I think a person's life gains meaning through their impact on others and I'd like to be someone who inspires others to be more curious about the beautiful world we live in."

Inventor

"If the world was a place in which money served no purpose and there was no chance of failure, I would want to invent. In my mind, the more efficiently something is, the better it is. I am constantly trying to do things in the most efficient way possible. Creating a machine or device that generally makes life easier for people would be my ultimate goal. Through my inventions, I hope to better the world by making certain tasks easier for people."

Photographer


"If I could be anything in the world without money being an object, I would want to be a photographer. I want to be one because I want to capture every memory I make. I never want to forget anything. I want to be able to do that same thing for other people also. I want to be able to capture to moments everyone wishes they had on film.
I want to do this because my dad took pictures of everything and I love looking back at what he saw.
So that's that, peace and love."