The Journey of 1,000 Miles
An ancient Chinese proverb says, “The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” The problem with the proverb is that many people don’t know which direction to go! That is why we have people graduating from college with degrees that have nothing to do with their gifts or their calling.
I had that dilemma myself when I first started college. I thought I would be interested in being a Dentist. The only problem was that I had no real love for science! LOL. I found out pretty quick that I had to change gears or I was going to be mismatched to my degree.
Business, as it turned out, was a great match for me. I took quickly to the business school courses and excelled (most of the time). I found out I was NOT gifted in accounting though! That was not my thing. My gifting seemed to be geared more towards marketing and sales.
I had been an entrepreneur since 7th grade. My dad made some business cards for me and a buddy of mine. We started a lawn care business and went to work. That was pretty good money for a kid, but not easy by any means.
When I got into high school, my brother sold me a sno cone business that he had run for a couple of years and done pretty well with. He sold me the route which included a 1948 Willis Jeep that already had a gazillion miles on it, but continued to run every day. Over the next two summers, I did pretty well. The second summer I made enough in 3 months to pay cash for a new car and put $500 in the bank for college. This was back in 1969 and 1970 when the dollar actually had some value. LOL.
I worked from sun up to sun down 5 to 6 days a week. It was a great business and I made a lot of money to help me get what I wanted…a new car! My dad instilled in me the ethic of hard work, being on time, and setting goals. My brother inspired me to compete and excel in my work. He and I have a great relationship…but we are both very competitive and both of us hate to lose.
My point in all of this is that if you are struggling with finding your path, look to how you are naturally gifted. Pray about it and ask God to direct your path. He will if you ask Him and follow Him. Seek counsel from people you truly admire. It is OK to try things along the way to test the waters and see if it is really something you could do for a living.
Later in life I was between jobs and interviewing for a job that would require me to sit at a desk all day and answer the phone. The lady took one look at my resume and did me a huge favor by being honest with me. She said, “You have been in outside sales all your life. This job would drive you nuts!” I was shocked at her brutal honesty, but I really appreciated her saving us both a lot of grief and frustration.
I had multiple careers over my lifetime, but all of my work has been interlocked with my gifting and my calling. In each job I was involved in not just sales and marketing, but also in training and development. I have utilized all of that experience even to this day as I teach kids in grade school.
Because I also have a gift for writing and motivation, I use that as well to help others and inspire people to find their path…beginning early in life. That is why I love teaching kids. They are like little sponges and just need to soak up the right stuff to help them make wise choices and find their way in this maze called life.
For each of us, this is one of the most important things we can do for our own happiness and sanity. Nobody wants to end up late in their career and realize that their pathway lead to a dead end, and yet it happens way to often. Find your calling then take your first step of 1,000 miles in the right direction. The journey is the blessing, not just the endpoint. Shalom!
Daniel Skognes