"When you hire people, just because they can do a job, they'll work for your money. If you hire people that believe what you believe, they'll work for blood, sweat, and tears." Simon Sinek wasn't wrong in any part of this. I've been in the working world for nearly 30 years. I've seen friends take jobs to have a paycheck and I've done so myself. As the saying goes, money doesn't buy happiness. It can buy comfort and security and can pay off college loans, though. So, I think in the early working years, many of us end up doing jobs to pay the bills, but didn't feel great satisfaction in the "why."
Today, I work harder and (usually) smarter than I ever have. Part of this is understanding what it takes to be successful, for the most part, in my organization and on my team. I understand why we do what we do and that I want to continue to be a part of our overall organizational, "why." After kissing several career frogs, so to speak, I finally found a "prince" in my career and have been supporting Waterford's partner schools for over 13 years.
So, if things are good and going well, why shake it up with a Master's program that is somewhat all consuming?!? I'm at a point where I want to do more and help grow others that understand the mission of our organization. I've seen the, working-for-the-paycheck-people come and go and I know we can do better for those that have the vision and the desire to improve literacy skills in our youngest learners. The "why" in my work is clear, but the "why" of returning to school never quite had been, until I learned about the EDLD program at Lamar University. Many of my college friends went right into Master's programs after graduation. I went right to work. Even 20 years later, there wasn't a clear path for which I wanted to dedicate my own blood, sweat, and tears. Digital Learning was not a "thing" and even if it had been, it wan't MY thing until about 5 years ago. Then, the pandemic came and made us all digital learners, so I was not longer on my own little island of digital life.
Please know that wherever you are in your learning journey, you are doing A-ok. Your why may not be clear and your focus may shift as your career progresses and that, too, is A-ok. Learn in your own way and at your pace, but trust your gut, and your limbic brain, as you go.
Tedx Talks. (2009, September 28). Start with why: How great leaders inspire action [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
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