I've Finally Figured it Out.

Yes, it's 3:33 am. No, I haven't been drinking. Sorry. No drunk blog posts today! :-P

It's no secret that I want to leave Ohio. One visit to this site and you'll know that I am indubitably obsessed with Minneapolis. To friends I have lamented that in lieu of my disdain towards Ohio I wish I could make myself enjoy it here. I've even asked for suggestions from many different people on how to like Ohio better, all whom had no idea how to help. However, I think I've figured it out.

I was reading an article today about a successful marketer. When asked what his greatest mistake was, he said that he wished he had fully experienced some of his earlier jobs instead of focusing all of his efforts towards a promotion. He said that many of the mistakes he made as a manager could have been avoided if he had spent more time learning as a regular associate, instead of making that big promotion his every yearning goal and purpose.

Here in Columbus, I am working towards that promotion. Every day I slash a number off my countdown to the day I leave Ohio, which has been going since it was in the 700-days number. I focus hard on school, but I'm only doing it so that I can prepare myself for Minnesota and for grad school. Essentially I am doing exactly what this marketer did; instead of maximizing my time here in Ohio, I only have the end in mind. It's like a race and I'm focused solely on mile 25, not caring about the first 24 that I need to go through to get there.

Clearly this isn't a revelation; I think anyone with a brain knows that focusing on the end goal while forgoing the steps to get there isn't a winning strategy. But, that's how I have been operating for basically the past two years. Reading this article made me realize that Minneapolis is the promotion I want, but I currently do not have the skills to maintain that job. I need one more year (385 days) to get those skills. So instead of whining and complaining that "Oh, I wish I lived in a real city", my new outlook is that I am simply not ready for that real city. I am not good enough. I do not have the skills, but I'm on my way there. And when March 21st, 2010 comes along, I'll finally the get the promotion I've worked for (then) 4 years for.

It's funny how perspective really changes everything. Someone I admire once said to me, "Perception is reality", and I've always liked that. (Philosophically speaking this is entirely wrong, but it's true to a certain degree of one's outlook on things). By this new perspective, the "I'm not ready" perspective, I really think I can do the next year.

Finally.