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It had been my dream for years to become a doctor. I was set on studying Medicine. In Grade 10 I drew up a list of medical definitions and stuck them next to my door. This was so that whenever I went into my room, I could start learning medical terms and get a headstart. I remember asking my mother to buy me a stethoscope. This was so that one day when I was a doctor, I would remember the days being a doctor was merely a dream.
Then, my physics marks started dwindling. I still wanted to go into the medical industry, and I applied for speech audiology. I was even accepted. But one day changed things.
I was job shadowing an occupational therapist at a hospital. I got to be in a hospital environment. I got bored. For the first time, that day, I asked myself, 'What if the medical sector is not for me?' It was one of the few times I had allowed myself to seriously consider another industry.
'So what are you going to do now?' asked the occupational therapist. She was a lovely lady. She sat me down and was serious about my thoughts.
"I think I'm going to study law."
To this day, I do not know why I said that. I had job shadowed at a law firm but didn't really like it. Yet for some reason, I chose law. I love studying it. A few weeks later, just before Covid hit, I wrote my final physics test and dropped it in my matric year. It was a hard decision, but it was a sacrifice I would later come to appreciate.
There are two main lessons I learnt during this experience:
1. Don't let one dream confine you
It sounds odd. Yet, sometimes we are so adamant about one path, one way, one dream, that we do not allow ourselves to become anything else. We do not give ourselves permission to experience other avenues or test the waters elsewhere. I'm not telling you to give up your dreams. Pursue your dreams, and leave room for several other things in life.
2. Some will have to push, and others will have to let go
When I hit rough waters, it was time for me to let go. Yet, you may have to do the opposite. you might have to hold on and push through the difficult times. It is up to you to make the distinction regarding which group you fall into. Is it time for you to let go? Or will you fight to make your dreams come true?
To catch the podcast where I speak about this journey, go to our CYA podcast page:
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