What do you want to be when you grow up? A nurse, a teacher or a nun?

In the times of great uncertainty and the ‘The Great Resignation’ many of us are re-assessing our career and life choices.

Over the years I have often told the story of my grandmother asking me this question when I was a little girl. I recall looking at her weirdly and replying, much to her astonishment; “I don’t want to be any of those grandma.” She gasped, threw her head back and almost dropped her Rosary beads!

I must have been all of seven or eight years old. The youngest of six kids where the boys went to trade school and the girls went to secretary school. I knew then I wanted to work in Health. My eldest Sister had been hospitalized for two years and my formative years were spent in the Hospital corridors. Strangely, I never wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to me a medical receptionist. I used to set up the old card table with piles of old magazine coupons and line up my Teddy’s and play Medical Receptionist. I even did my year ten work experience as a medical receptionist, after which I was offered a role. It was then that our careers teacher said to me; “Katrina, you should aim higher”.

One of my favorite books (and one a great leader first gave to me and, yes, I have brought for many a leader since) is You Inc by John McGrath. Here he talks of ‘adjusting your thermostat’ or what many of us may refer to as ‘raising the bar’. But should we? Was there something in the simplicity of the options that my grandma presented that has been lost today?  Don’t get me wrong, I am all for equity and equality. Women should and can do any role they choose, as can Men.   As many of us have spent more hours than we prefer in our homes and our own company reflecting on our values and reshaping our lives, many of us are appreciating the simpler things in life. Reducing our options, getting back to basics – hell even growing our own vegies and buying the odd chicken.   The desire to spend our time on things that are aligned to our values, that are purposeful and now more than ever- balanced, is higher than ever. As I reflect on my over 20 years in Health, the majority at a Senior Executive level, the challenge now is what voice to listen to? My Grandma? I get queasy at the sight of blood and I’m not a huge fan of little people so that leaves the Nunnery. My Careers Teacher?   Should I aim higher? What will the next chapter of my career look like if I keep my eyes up? Or perhaps the answer after all lies with John McGrath and I just need to adjust my thermostat? The things are, as we know with thermostats and temperature control what is just perfect for me may be too hot for my husband or too cold for the guests. But that’s it isn’t it? It isn’t about setting our career, our work or our life to anyone else’s gauge. It is about finding what is just right for you. Sometimes you must try a range of climates before you work out what is the right temperature. Right now, I am quite happy in the hills and bush working out mine.  That said, if Grandma was still with us today, I think I would tell her that I wanted to be happy, present and impactful and live and do aligned to my values when I grow up.

What voice are you listening to right now?