My 52 weeks have come to an end – What an adventure!
I think back to January 2007 when One Week Job was simply an idea and I wasn’t entirely sure whether or not I could go through with it.
It’s incredible to see how far it has come since then.
Though it was a lot of work and wasn’t always easy, I am extremely glad that I decided to take the leap. It will no doubt be an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.
Now that it is over, I am excited to take some time and reflect on my experience. It was difficult to do so while on the road as I was constantly on the move: organizing what would be the next job, how we would get there, and where to stay once there.
As one week finished, I was grateful it happened, then it was quickly time to move on to the next. It will be nice to stay in one place for a bit and not have to continually make new plans.
Some people ask, “Sean did you ever foresee this growing to such an extent as it has?” Early on I realized it was something that resonated with many people and I soon felt that I was a part of something much bigger than myself. What has been remarkable is to envision these plans in your mind, and then to see them come to fruition as you imagined.
One thing I could not have foreseen was the kindness and willingness of others to get involved. 
I was so lucky to meet some amazing people over the past year and it would not have been possible without them.
Complete strangers on Monday morning became close friends by the end of the week. Wherever I do end up, I’ll be sure to have a nice guest room because I expect to have many visitors!
I have learned that if you are able to articulate what it is you are trying to achieve, the majority of people will do what they can to help you take that one step closer.
Thank you so much to all of my past employers, people who let me stay at their house, those who picked me up when I was standing with my thumb at the side of the road, and to everyone who sent emails or left comments on the site with positive messages of encouragement. You are what made this experience memorable – I am so grateful to all of you!
I also owe a big thank you to NiceJob.ca who believed in the project from the early stages and were willing to come on board as a sponsor to help with travel expenses.
I don’t think I have officially announced it on the website, though I will be writing a book about my past year that will be published Spring 2009 by Penguin Books in Canada and Random House in the USA (if you live outside North America, I’ll keep you posted).
It will be the story of my experience; from graduating college with no clue what I wanted to do and scared of all the responsibilities that lay ahead, to starting One Week Job with all my adventures throughout the year and what I learned a long the way.
We are also looking to create a documentary with all of the footage that Ian shot.
Targeted for High School and Post Secondary Students, the documentary will use my unique experience to provide an entertaining, yet educational and inspiring exploration into the question, “What should I do with my life?”
We are currently seeking sponsors who would be willing to sponsor the documentary, so if you or anyone you know would be interested, please contact us.
If you would like to receive email updates about One Week Job, what I am up to, and progress on the book/documentary, there is a sign up on the homepage.
I am often asked if I would recommend that others in the same situation as myself try 52 jobs in 52 weeks?
I believe the more we know and understand about ourselves, the better idea of what type of career situation we need to have in order to be happy. How you go about doing that is your choice.
The important thing is that it be a situation in which you are challenged to learn something new and forced to step outside of your comfort zone. When you do, I promise you will be amazed what can happen and what you are capable of.
In the past whenever I heard people say things like, “You can do anything you set your mind to,” or “Believe in yourself and anything is possible,” I was always quick to dismiss them. Over time, they tend to lose meaning; they become cliché.
One thing I have come to realize is that cliches become cliché for a reason – it’s because they’re true. Everyday people realize their dreams. And their journey then shared with others.
I hope you enjoyed my journey and in the process found inspiration to set out on your own!
-Sean