A skill that I have been wanting to get better at and attain is the ability to trust myself as an engineer and person. I feel that I often tend to shy away from creative ideas I have, for my fear of failure or thinking that others may not like it overcomes me. What I want to learn to do is to be able to take risks and really go for it. I want to be able to come up with a creative idea and show my potential to its fullest.
Though my post graduate plans immediately aren’t that of what most of my peers will be doing, I am very passionate about them and for going after my dreams. 2016 will be my first year racing professionally as a triathlete, so initially I will solely focus on training, racing, and recovery. I dream to travel the world and see other places, meet other people, and better understand the world and the different cultures within humanity because I know there is so much more out there.
In the fall of 2016, I plan to begin working in an engineering position. I would like to have a position in which I can interact and work with others on a daily basis. Ideally I would like to have a job in which I have the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of others. It is hard for me to explicitly say where my desire to help others will take me, therefore, I cannot simply lay out a specific job title that is my “dream job” at the moment. I don’t know what my dream job is, but I know that if I am working with a group of positive, kind, motivated individuals who I get along with, it will be my dream job.
I have certification in engineering management, so one day, once I am established, I would like to move up to a managerial position in which I can really show my strengths as not only an engineer but as a person. I don’t want to be in an elevated position for the sake of power, but because this way I can have a platform to influence others in a positive way.
Though I cannot lay out my dream job right now, I can share with you what my dream situation would be. I would like to have a job which doesn’t feel like work, but feels like a privilege each day because I feel passionate about the work and my coworkers. I would like the position to be enriching in my life, and like any job it will take up time, however, I desire to have the ability to still train and travel to compete as an elite athlete. My dream would be to have the best of both worlds, which in my life is BALANCE. Balance between family, work, friends, and athletics. That and my health is all I desire.
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That’s awesome that you’ll be competing as a professional triathlete in 2016! Is there a reason that you’ll only be training full time in the summer, and plan on getting a job in the fall?
If you look long enough, I’m sure that you’ll find a job in engineering that you’re passionate about! There are a ton of athletic companies that hire engineers – maybe some of those positions directly interface with competitors?
That’s good you recognize the importance of balance in life. It’s easy to get caught up in the American work culture which is to just work all the time, live to work. Maybe you can find an engineering job in the sports industry!
Just curious, what would your average speed riding from Boulder to Lyons and back be? I just started road riding and I wonder what sets the pros apart.
I agree that it’s almost impossible to know what you want out of graduation, and realistically even if you did, you’d probably have to climb into that position. I think I have an idea, having worked for a year and come back for a graduate degree, but I won’t be able to just jump right in. I think its really important to understand that success isn’t black and white.