I didn’t choose my career path, it chose me. Lol. I wish I could say that but I actually did choose this path that I have taken.
I hereby introduce you to the most confused child. I have been told by a family member (cousin) that I was famous for not completing things, which was true but I just never expected that truth as a person who was on their journey to self-discovery. I finished high school as a science student with a weird Advanced level combination of Mathematics, Chemistry and Computer Science. I guess I have always been a weird child. My logic behind this combination was that I would either end up in Information Technology or in Chemical engineering depending on how my results came out. I took a gap year after high school which I used to work as a personal banker at Kingdom Holdings. After my gap year I enrolled in an Information Technology program specializing in Network Engineering. I completed my certificate level after which I realized I was not really into this IT stuff. After a few years of helping to run the family business and running projects of my own I then enrolled into a Chemical Engineering program – worst mistake, this was the worst year of my life. I was miserable then I dropped out. I told you I was a confused child.
In this whole mess and, ups and downs, I found my passion in women’s development and empowerment. I triggered my passion by founding a non-profit organization which led me to starting on my journey to obtaining a degree in Women’s and Gender Studies. I had never enjoyed doing something in such a long time as I did then. I remember getting back home from a class one day and my sister had come to see me after hearing that I was not feeling well. She was shocked that I had actually gone for a class yet I was not feeling well. It was at this that even she discovered that I had finally found myself. I got an opportunity to travel to the United States for a semester, an opportunity I would have probably never received in another field. In all this mess I discovered my leadership ability, my writing skills, my entrepreneurship mind and my passion for community service. What a journey it has been as I have been on this past. I have been in court yards that I never expected through my passion and talent. It is true that when you are in a career you are passionate about, you never have to work a day in your life as it basically becomes a lifestyle.
What I have learnt in this journey of self-discovery is the importance of career guidance and nurturing of talent. It is unfortunate though that when one has various passions and is multi-talented they seem to be all over the place but with proper guidance all these energies can be channeled into one. I also learnt the importance of family support in the road to discovery. My family believed in me and also always supported me in every decision that I was making, with guidance of course. Never in a day did they complain about my indecisive nature in finding myself, they would always celebrate even the small milestones. Every business that I have started, they have been the greatest marketers and always there to support. My brother in law still believes that one day I will obtain a Private Pilot license in order to quench my thirst of wanting the thrill that comes from flying plane, (maybe then I will own a private jet, #laughs).
Day 19 of the #30DayAfriBlogger challenge, I chose my career path after a great trip. My journey kind of reminds me of the children of Israel. They took a 40 year journey in the wilderness where there was a route that could have taken them a week of travel. We all have different paths and we are all running different races in order to reach our destiny (insert Zahara’s song-Destiny). I have always said some people have their life set out, they get places at schools that they want with no struggle, enroll at universities they want and soon after they get their ideal job and so forth. Then there are others that struggle to get into schools that they want, always get their second choice of university programs but after all that they make it. Then there are others who almost fail to make it into a grade one class, have their mother’s crying in the headmaster’s office for a form one place, go up and down seeking their passion but after running their own race they make it to the end and finish the race.
Those who are not afraid to live all their passions out, live their lives to the fullest.
Munhukadzi 