I always admired those kids who knew what they wanted to do in life from the time they were five years old. Wow, how awesome and admirable to know what you want, define that path, and work the plan to get there. That wasn’t the case for me. My problem was that it was all exciting to me — science, writing, music, sports, and languages — I liked connecting the dots between all these fields and learning. And projects… Give me a project with an end in sight, and I am in heaven.
What’s the point? Well, I have to say that this undeclared-liberal-arts major who loved science and couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do ended up with more career satisfaction than most of my friends who knew what they wanted from the outset. How did this happen? I happened to stumble (or get sucked into) a field that matched my temperament.
Enough about me — reader, are you a bit “undeclared” but pumped up by learning and connecting the dots? Check out the recent article in MMS by Ingrid Hansen, 11 Traits to Transition From a Bench Scientist to a Medical Writer at https://bit.ly/2FGiGRh. I found this article spot on in defining the work world of the medical writer. It resonated with me, since medical writing is really one of my happy places where I get to go into the zone, get therapy, and get paid.
So, in true Gidget fashion (for all of you who are old enough to know what that means), I’d like to summarize by reassuring those of you starting out in your career that it’s ok to be undeclared and excited by it all. It’s really just about finding the work that fits you, doing it at a high-quality level, and making sure there is a way to monetize it. And for some of us, that may lead you to the next crazy step — entrepreneurship — which will be the subject of my next blog. Stay tuned!
