One Thing or Many Things?
The world is filled with so much to see, smell, feel, taste, and listen. When we are born we are filled with curiosity. What is that white foam when a wave hits the shore? What is this thing with 6 holes on the wall that nobody will let me touch? is the stove really hot? we have so many questions when we are young and willing to learn every new fact that we encounter. I am of the belief that intelligence is malleable.
My Younger Self
Growing up we are told we can be whatever we want. Personally, I wanted to be a firefighter because I wanted a Dalmatian. When I was in fourth and fifth grade I knew that math and science were my forte. I was in an aerospace magnet program, and at some point, I wanted to be an astronaut. At another point in my life, I became really intrigued by sharks. Throughout middle school and high school, I was in the band program. I did wind ensemble, jazz band, marching band, it was a fun time. Reading and writing weren’t my forte, but I did have quite an imagination. I scored a 5/5 on an essay, I thought I was going to be the next C.S Lewis. That day I learned that just because you struggle with something doesn’t mean you can’t be good at it.
My College self
Following high school, I wanted to be a music engineer, I wanted to intertwine my love for math, science, and music. Ended up with people asking a lot of questions such as “why would you study two things that have nothing to do with each other?” Music doesn’t pay a lot. Long story short I went for it anyway. I didn’t get into the school I knew was going to help me become the best I could be in music engineering.
So I went to a different school where I chose computer science (CS) as a career path and became involved in marching band. During my time in college, the electives I was highly encouraged to take were CS electives. One time my advisor told me that I shouldn’t be in marching band because I should be dedicated to CS. Those weren’t the exact words, but you get the idea. And some people are of the belief that you shouldn’t take classes that are outside your major. But I find it quite fascinating when someone who majored in business knows about biology, or history, or some other field that is completely outside their “expertise”.
My Current Self
I am now a software engineer, I feel as if I am expected to breathe, eat, and dream the topics surrounding the field 24/7. It is a fast-changing field, which makes it fun and challenging. However, I have other interests. I want and will write about a plethora of things. I like sea creatures so maybe I will write a short story about sea creatures. I am a software engineer so eventually, I will end up writing about tech. I enjoy writing, so I will continue to write. I choose many things, even if the world says to choose only one.
I believe knowledge is malleable. You can learn to do things. You might struggle, but you can definitely learn. You should look for opportunities to learn about something that is outside of your profession or interest. I don’t believe we are meant to do one thing in life. Constantly challenge yourself. It may be hard for old dogs to learn new tricks but it’s not impossible.
“Somebody asked me — you know, how come it took you so long to win a national championship? And I said, ‘I’m a slow learner; but you notice when I learn something, I have it down pretty good.’” — John Wooden
