Fighting Burnout - Revisiting My Goals
I mentioned in my last post that I took the time to revisit my goals. Usually, I treat it haphazardly and combine it with something I’m hyped about at that present moment, but this time it was different. It’s a big decision to think about where you will go and what you will do next after college is finished. I had already decided I wasn’t going to stay in Utah; as beautiful as the state was, it just wasn’t for me with the seasons and how isolated I felt here. I even talked with my better half and prayed on this, and here is what I found.
I Couldn’t Stay West
I missed the heat, and I did miss the desert, but Arizona isn’t it for us either. Nate was happy to go wherever I wanted, but there is still an anchor I need to release. I can’t stay out west, not as the person I am now. I could never go back to California even if I wanted to, and my mother informed me that she is planning on moving out of the state with dad once I graduate. Nate is currently out in Alabama, and it makes more sense to move out east due to cheaper living costs, more job opportunities, and Nate and I will have an easier time purchasing a home. I’ve been reading a book about mortgages (which I can do another post for,) and it’s been getting us slowly ready for the prospect of a new home soon.
I want to revisit the book I mentioned in my last post: Stay Hungry and Kick Burnout in the Butt, and reference something interesting. Dr Steve Berglas wrote that starting any job means you are presented with a number of intriguing options to explore and accomplish. Whether it’s learning new skills or technology, reading a new novel, meeting new people, whatever the case maybe it’s truly stimulating.
I’ve been there done that out in the Pacific West, and I need to continue to grow up. It’s a stronger reason to move east for new opportunities, new adventures, new memories. It’s why I revised my goals to the following:
Graduate Fall 2024 with my Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication
Find a home/apartment to live in within the area I designated in Tennessee next to the Smokey Mountains.
Identify a possible internship opportunity for Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 to achieve work experience so it will transfer to the new job.
Open my quilt shop by 2034
It’s a start, they're not stellar goals but it’s a start. More specific goals always come out over time and experience.
2. It’s Time I Dug Deeper
It’s not enough to simply say “I want a quilt shop” and “I want to work in advertising”. I have to think deeper as to what I want to accomplish in my life. To start, quilt shops are fun and wonderful, but the question is what will set me apart from other shops? I’ve been keeping a journal, and as much as I want to share what I wrote that would open me up to having my ideas stolen by others. All I can say is that I want to create and refine services to people that are as old as Nana that still craft and cater to their needs too.
I also had to dig deeper into my career goals for when I finish college. We live in a wonderful world where we can message anyone in the world at any time. I connected with an alumnus from my university at a company I am interested in. It’s incredible to hear the experiences from someone and learning what is generally expected of people entering in the industry. My contact specializes in media, which means there is far more to simply marketing and advertising than I thought. I still don’t have anything concrete yet, but maybe that answer will arrive after my first internship.
I’m not looking for more money, I’m looking for challenges.
At the end of the day, sometimes the results of revisiting your goals aren’t a lot. I say that’s ok. Some next steps I need to take are internships, because that will be the iron boot into the door of the industry. More importantly it’s the iron boot in the door of my first job.
I’d like to hear from you: How do you revisit your goals? What do you do to self-evaluate where you are now and where you’d like to be in 3 years' time? Let me know in the comments!