The counselors advice

The year was 1993 and I had just graduated from high school just like most students at the time I had no idea what I wanted, but I thought I knew it all. Being eighteen years old and finishing high school gave me and almost everyone I knew a false sense of power and a strange feeling of supremacy. All of a sudden we were better than everyone, we were the big boys, we did not want to ask any more questions, because we knew all the answers. Even our parents became inferior to us, I mean what would they know, they are so old and don't understand the world the way we do.  I am not sure if this resonates with you, but this is my story for sure.

I was one of those kids that started college in the summer in order to get a head start from all others, I mean I wanted to conquer the world and there was no way that I would go on vacation for three months when I knew that I could get started on my career and start earning the big bucks.

Accounting is what I called my career at the time. I mean how hard could this decision be, I was good with numbers, I liked money, I was an accounting tutor in high school and my parents approved, plus they made good money. Don't tell me you did not believe at eighteen years of age that the most important part of the career you chose was how much money you would make. As a matter of fact, there is a big chance that there was no other factor being considered in this decision at the time.

It took only a couple of semesters for me to realize that this was not for me. I thought I loved numbers, but this was not even close to the numbers I had seen in high school. What was I to do? What would I tell my parents? I needed to change my major as soon as possible and not waste any more time. There was no other solution, I had to go see the counselor. I mean, I know that I knew it all, but maybe he would know better than myself what it was that I wanted to do with my life, and what I was good at.

The next day I sat in the counselors' office for the first and last time in my life. We spoke about my current classes, my grades, my personal life, my extracurricular activities and at the end of what was probably a two-hour conversation he ended with, so what do you want to be when you grow up? So here I am first of all trying to get him to tell me what it is that I need to study, and after all these questions and not so funny jokes all I get is the same question I came her with. The crazy thing is that I did not have an answer at the moment, but then he said two things that I had not stopped to ask myself. What do you like to do? and what would you like to get paid to do?

As funny as it may sound, my answer came very quickly, as a matter of fact, I believe it was more my subconscious who answered than my self trying to be smart. I said it loud and clear. I like to party, and I would love to get paid to party. Then he just laughed and said, wouldn't we all. So I elaborated a little and explained to him that I had thrown a few open house parties in high school and with my friends, we not only had a great time, but we made lots of friends and made a  few extra bucks. Then I finished by saying I want a career in nightclub promotion, as he replied knotting his head and a grin on his face that made me feel like I was never going to accomplish anything, "that is not a career". I paused for about two minutes, stood up and said, well it should be. As I left the room with a smile on my face and the great feeling of knowing what I would be doing next.

The problem was that I knew what I wanted to do and not ho wI wanted to do it, I mean there were no schools for it, no special courses or technical institutes, not even a small class that would help guide me in the right direction. How was I going to make money throwing parties? How do I get started? What kind of parties do I throw? Where do I throw these parties? So many questions without answers, but I did have one thing and that was determination, plus I had to prove my counselor wrong.

There is a main reason why I am bringing up this story and this is because this counselor almost made me give up on what was my dream and my calling. I was lucky enough to realize at a young age what it was that I wanted to do with my life, I also realized that money should not be the most significant factor when it came to this decision. You hear a million times in your life that you should do what makes you happy, whatever pays the bills should not feel like work, if you do this you will not work a day in your life. Just remember, the counselor did not know better, if there was a career in Nightlife Entrepreneurship back then, or even now he would have told me what I wanted to hear, and I would have enrolled in those classes that would have made my life a lot easier.

The point is that it is only in you to make these choices, you don't always get to pick the easy road, but make sure it is the right road. I am not saying don't listen to other people, but I am saying only pay attention to your gut and do what makes you happy all the time. But if you don't take that road, don't blame it on the counselor's advice.