Passion For Retail
Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 1:02PM ;)
For the last thirteen or so years of my young life (I'm 30 if anyone's counting) I've been preoccupied with the notion that my value on planet earth was defined by my career (or lack thereof). Similarly that my career defined who I was a person- that when introduced to someone I might as well have said "Hi, my name is Clerk at Blockbuster. It's nice to meet you Genius at Apple Store". Funny story, the first job I got once I graduated college was as a clerk at Blockbuster. After moving to Los Angeles, the first job I applied for was at the Apple Store and in a mass group interview we had to make what they called "a heartfelt explanation of why we were passionate about retail." Not Apple products mind you, just the concept of working in retail. Needless to say my acting skills were not at the level that I could BS my way through the verbal obstacle course that was that interview. As I've gotten older my quest for identity as defined by how I pay my bills has softened. Sure I still get the desire to prove myself to the world through career accomplishments but at least these days I can safely say that I am more than my job. I am more than the career ambitions that I never reached (or at least haven't yet anyway) and when I meet people, I am not defined by whatever I introduce myself as. Especially when I lie and tell people that I am a professional ghost hunter- and part time wrangler for that monkey that dresses up like a cowboy and rides a dog. (Sigh) Only in dreams.
;)
Look at his little smirk! That monkey balls so hard, other monkeys wanna fine him!
Reader Comments (4)
I actually had that issue- I completely identified myself with my career, which was being a CHP Officer. I worked very, very hard to get there, and continued to do so to be effective at it. My identity was so wrapped up in my career, that when my wonderful hubby would buy me gifts, I didn't get jewelry or normal "wifey" type gifts- I got blued steel handcuffs, military style boots, guns, etc. The one time I asked for some jewelry, I got an awesome(and expensive) gold class style ring with a CHP badge design and my badge number on it. I loved my career and was proud to serve, but that all came to screeching halt when I was hit, off duty, by a drunk driver on Interstate 8- which also happened to be my beat on graveyard shift. I suffered crippling injuries, including a broken neck, which temporarily paralyzed my hands, a skull fracture, a shattered right wrist which permanently crippled my hand, and many other injuries. It's pretty much like the person I was died that day- all thanks to a selfish man who had been caught twice before and arrested for DUI. Now I am just a stay-at-home-Mom. I have recovered physically as much as I am going to- I'm an artist and I write(not professionally), but I just don't feel like I really contribute anything to society. I know that really isn't true, but it's how I feel. Maybe I'll borrow your idea and start telling people that I have some ridiculous career now. I wouldn't mind being a Cowboy-Monkey Wrangler.
I really love this post and the accompanying photo. I"m happy for you that you have found out more about yourself. I have continuously and at times proudly used my job or fancy titles to hide behind and identify with. Then I made a possibly ill-timed decision to leave my last job (yes in this economy) and haven't worked in about 2 months. If I'm not defined by my job or lack thereof, I'm not sure who I am. I went from a Director of an Organization to folding strangers' laundry and I did it to myself. New age books tell me I'm not really anything I do on the outside, and I'm also not my egoic thoughts. What is left? Some sort of anomalous, enlightening presence or constant state of bliss that cannot be described? I don't get it. I'd love work to mean waking up every day to a challenge that draws forth my curiosity, serves a higher purpose, and helps me pay my bills. I just want to fall in love. Even as I type this, I can hear the entitlement rolling through it. Only in the USA. Work around the world is pulling rickshaws and hacking at crops until your back aches. Many of those people are happy....they have families, if they are lucky they have food, and on a good day the sun comes out to dry their wet clothes. Perhaps you are indeed right, and there's much more to discover here. Thanks for inspiring new thoughts in me today.
I had the same issue and I'm only 22. LEft school, Managed a fitness centre, year later managed a ralph lauren store, year later worked for virgin earning 70-80 thou a year and it did not make me happy.
I ran under the assumption that 'If i do not do something with my life, if I am not a success, I AM NOTHING. Not even a hobo, I am Literally NOTHING.
Fuck that, I do not need to be a huge sucess to be happy in life. I do not need to sell things to people that they do not actually NEED. No-one needs a 2 thousand dollar jacket, unless that jacket provides life.
You know, it's interesting how society has put in our minds that we have to be "something". Personally, education is great, but what about skills? I am not a student, I am an artist and I am someone's significant other. I go to school so that I can hopefully continue to have a stable life. But by no means am I my job. I sort of have a tendency to want to just take off and explore for a while and be on my own just to figure some stuff out. We live in a weird world, that's for sure.