Mark Anderson recently wrote a provocative column for the Ottawa Sun, examining Sean and the One Week Job project from a new angle.
He writes:
“To a greater or lesser extent, we’re all defined by what we do. Worse yet if we’re not doing what we think we should be doing, if we’re not “living up to our potential” (an angst-ridden phrase if ever there was one). Young people in particular struggle with issues of identity and career, of who they are and what they should be doing with their lives.”
I believe this partly explains Sean’s own decision to strike on the road, searching for that “perfect job” that could define who he is in life, and what he has accomplished.
But is Sean the guy to do it? As Mark continues:
“You can argue that Aiken is not an ideal role model for today’s youngsters, that by age 25 he’s no longer a child, but a man, and men work at careers, and careers, by definition, involved a degree of stick-to-it-ness and stamina, and sometimes even clenched jaws and indigestion.”
That’s not to say you should mistake arbitrary hard work for an inability to explore your options. Says Mark,
“If you graduate high school and know in your heart of hearts what it is you want to do with the rest of your life, by all means get on with it. Few, however, are in this rarefied position.”
In the end, does anyone really find their purpose in life? And can it be combined with their passion? One reader defined the idea of purpose in a unique way, that certainly fits the idea for One Week Job:
“Like so many of us who believe we don’t know our “Purpose†and need to find it – our purpose truly is more of a guide or compass than an actual destination. “
What do you think about purpose and passion? Share your thoughts in the comments!