A Six-Year Journey: Find the Curve, Ride the Wave
A few weeks ago, I crossed a significant milestone. As many of my LinkedIn connections noted, I ‘celebrated’ my 6-year anniversary with my employer. Six years may not seem like a lot to many, but for me and my Escher-like career path, it’s a pretty big deal.
(And yes, the fact I didn’t post this on March 24th doesn’t make it less important. It just means that I’ve been oh-so-busy with so many things! I’m currently riding a peak of creativity at the moment, and as most creatives know, you just don’t break that wave early.)
So why is six years, a paltry amount to a lot of Gen-X and Boomers in the workforce who are used to long-term employment, such a big deal for me?
Because it’s the first employer that I’ve stayed with for that amount of time. (SHOCKING, this is, to those who know me well.) My previous long-term employment stints – two, exactly – lasted just over 5 years. Both were in retail management.
From Wasteland to Bountiful Fields
Looking back at the career landscape I’ve traversed, there’s a lot of weeds and abandoned structures – and a few charred remains of bridges I torched. Some of it was from my own innate stubbornness (and early on, lack of decorum dealing with people in power who maintained outmoded perceptions about some things), and some from outside obstacles. I never felt at peace in any position, always looking behind me for the inevitable trainwreck to engulf me and set my life careening off another cliff or down a different mountain pass.
That changed in March of 2015. I’ve recounted one significant event that happened during my first week; I had no idea that one project, thrown out on a whim, would become just one of several foundation stones that changed my outlook on my skills and wellbeing. It’s also a critical lynchpin that has defined my success and trajectory in my current job as well.
At AIHA, I feel creatively secure. What I mean by that is, at this organization, my teammates and leadership at different levels have allowed me to explore and expand my creative scope beyond the traditional “association norms.” Never did I dream I’d be writing comic books, never mind doing it at a nonprofit for a subject matter that is seemingly tight with technical perspectives. And that’s just one of the many ways I’ve been allowed to bloom creatively.
Creative Wave Rising
Over the last six years – and I’m still in awe of typing that phrase – I’ve found my creative perspective expand into areas I never thought I’d enjoy, much less dare to tap into. Video production? HA. Comics and experimental communications? NO WAY. Getting certified in instructional game design? SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. Producing a neat little STEM game for kids? PINCH ME I’M DREAMING.
Yet I’ve done all that and more. And what’s even cooler is that my topsy-turvy unconventional career path contains all the right stops and connections that have elevated what I do.
The fact that AIHA gives me the creative comfort and security to not just succeed but also FAIL is tremendous. I cannot express my gratitude and thanks to everyone I’ve worked with over the last six years in providing that environment. Sure, I’ve explored what other opportunities might be out there, but at the same time, it’s hard to think that I’d even want to leave.
I know at some point in the future the box I’m in will feel small, and I’ll find a new opportunity to continue that growth. But honestly, right now my creative box seems pretty massive, with me only discovering a small part of it. (Like being in the latest Assassin’s Creed game, or exploring the No Man’s Sky universe.)
And I’m happy with that.
Here’s to six great, formative, creatively expanding years. And I’ll raise a glass to many more to come.