What Wall Is Your Ladder Leaning On?

I received an unexpected phone call from a prestigious lawyer in the area. Wondering what in the world I could do for her, she said she had seen me coaching my club volleyball team and had a good feeling about me. She offered me a position to be the nanny for her 13 year old daughter. After meeting several times and coming to agreements, my adventure with Lily began. 

I was there in the morning when she woke up for school, I was there to pick her up from school. We worked out together, prepared meals together, laughed, cried, argued, and trusted one another. This beautiful young woman became my best friend. The quality time we were able to spend together gave us a bond that no one else could have. 

As my life took me a different direction to move overseas, my employment came to an end with their family. I will never forget the last conversation Lily’s mom had with me in the car when she dropped me off at my apartment for the last time. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “Diana, you have spent more time with my daughter the last 24 months than I have in years. Make sure when you pick a path in life, you remember what’s really important to you. If I could go back in time, I would have picked a different profession… One that didn’t consume my life.” 

Many people get caught up in thinking their careers define who they are. Living in Europe, then moving back to America, I have noticed copious amounts of people who define their life by their career instead of by the depth of their relationships, or their passions. The depth of your relationships should define who you are. Your passions should define who you are. Your career should simply be a vehicle that generates income to buy you time and experiences with the ones you love. 

Coming from a family where both parents had to work full time to provide for their kids, I didn’t see my parents a whole lot during my youth. I respect them for going out and providing for my siblings and me, but I always thought to myself....there's gotta be a better way. I am passionate about having control over my time. I want to have choices. Choices to travel when I want, stay at home with my kids when I want, make as much money as I want. I just wanted to create choices.

The best advice my mentors have given me is to look at the end result before dedicating and investing years of your life into a specific path. If you are currently climbing a ladder, whether in the academic world, corporate field, business realm, you must look at what wall the ladder is leaning against. Is it leading to a life of money with no time, or is it leading to a beautiful abundance of time, money and choices. I have chosen to change careers and venture into the business world based on that one piece of advice. Its easy to see two years or even four years ahead. But I challenge you to look 20-40 years ahead and see where you are on trajectory to end up. If you like the end result of where it is taking you, keep doing it. If you dont, jump off your ladder and find a different one. Not one that looks pretty, but one that is leaning against the right wall. You may like the process, but the end result is what is actually important.

Book Recommendation: “The Choice” by Og Mandino 

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