This week we had the opportunity to meet with Chuck Culpepper from the Washington Post. His career has taken him all over the world, working on projects that can last months at a time to shed light into the window of culture that surrounds sport. His work and his ability to travel have sharpened his perspective on life, which he openly shared with us in our meeting.
If there is one word that comes to mind when I think back to Chuck, it's adventure. His ability to "live a lot of lives," in and out of the United States, have made him believe in the beauty that comes with traveling the world. I asked him what he would consider the strongest pros and cons of his job, and his answer was quick and direct: only pros. Traveling has made him less afraid and transformed him into a different person than the one he was when he left his small hometown.
I had to stop myself from laughing when Chuck recommended that we all get laid off at some point in our career, but I quickly realized he was far from kidding. While many people see getting laid off as a set back, Chuck sees it as a door of opportunity. You don't know where the next position will take you, and you might need something else both in your life and your career ... you just don't know it yet.
His perspective on the world and his confidence in himself, both personally and professionally, kept my mind racing for the coming hours. I have always been a person with a plan, a checklist, if you will, of what I need to do to be where I want to be. The things on that list come and go, yet the stubbornness within my mind fights to keep me on track.
This trip is completely changing that. And that's okay.
My perspective on life and what is most important in life is being completely shaken, and, for once in my 21 years, I'm more than okay with that. This trip is opening my eyes to career paths, opportunities and adventures that I never knew existed. New people ... New thoughts ... New motivation ... Overwhelming my brain and my futuristic thinking. It's never been easier or more beneficial to enjoy the journey and accept the change in perspective that comes with opening my eyes and my heart to the possibilities of this life.
If there is one word that comes to mind when I think back to Chuck, it's adventure. His ability to "live a lot of lives," in and out of the United States, have made him believe in the beauty that comes with traveling the world. I asked him what he would consider the strongest pros and cons of his job, and his answer was quick and direct: only pros. Traveling has made him less afraid and transformed him into a different person than the one he was when he left his small hometown.
I had to stop myself from laughing when Chuck recommended that we all get laid off at some point in our career, but I quickly realized he was far from kidding. While many people see getting laid off as a set back, Chuck sees it as a door of opportunity. You don't know where the next position will take you, and you might need something else both in your life and your career ... you just don't know it yet.
His perspective on the world and his confidence in himself, both personally and professionally, kept my mind racing for the coming hours. I have always been a person with a plan, a checklist, if you will, of what I need to do to be where I want to be. The things on that list come and go, yet the stubbornness within my mind fights to keep me on track.
This trip is completely changing that. And that's okay.
My perspective on life and what is most important in life is being completely shaken, and, for once in my 21 years, I'm more than okay with that. This trip is opening my eyes to career paths, opportunities and adventures that I never knew existed. New people ... New thoughts ... New motivation ... Overwhelming my brain and my futuristic thinking. It's never been easier or more beneficial to enjoy the journey and accept the change in perspective that comes with opening my eyes and my heart to the possibilities of this life.