By Karen Lee, Co-Founder
Growing up and going through a rote learning education system made me wish, on hindsight, that I’d been exposed to, and taken the initiative to explore different fields and career options at an earlier age.
I had always been intent on pursuing a medical career due to the influence of my parents, until I found that I just could not memorise copious amounts of information solely for the sake of passing exams.
Thus began my journey of exploration in college, and til today I’m still trying to figure out whether there is ‘one particular path’ for me or whether I’m just destined to constantly explore different things.
The world prescribes a standard path - pick something you’re good at, ideally a ‘professional’ career (in medicine, law, engineering or accounting) that offers stability and is predictable - but I’m realising that that path also leads, predictably, to discontent and lack of fulfillment.
It is with this experience and mindset that I’ve spent the last two years exploring different fields - including entrepreneurship and youth leadership development - that have led me to consider that this may well be what I’m called to help others do too. Except when they’re younger so that they spend less time meandering through life wondering if the way they chose is the ‘right’ one.
I believe that each experience one goes through in life brings one closer to figuring out what really makes them tick - and the sooner that process of ‘starting with why’ begins, the sooner one can begin to do what truly matters to them and is meaningful to society. Not that any other job isn’t meaningful - but that people would be so much more fulfilled, know why they do what they do, be wholeheartedly committed to what they do, and genuinely care about the result of their work.
I believe everyone should start with why. And the rest will be taken care of.
P/S: This post was inspired by the following TED Talk by Simon Sinek: