Are you living a full life? Do you get daily fulfillment out of life? Of all the people I a have known in my life, it was my father that lived the fullest life. This is how he did it:
Know What You Want
My dad was an only child. When he was in High School, his parents had to move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Dad was miserable. He left all his lifetime friends behind and had to try and make new friends at a new school. His grades plummeted and he quickly endangered his future. He looked at the situation and knew it was not the best situation. My dad thought about his options and came up with a novel plan. He would leave his parents in San Francisco and move back to Minnesota for his final year of High School. Dad talked this over with his parents and made it happen. My dad lived his Senior year with another family and salvaged his future.
Set Your Goals High
After High School, Dad went to college. He initially wanted to study “to be a better farmer.” However, he met a dedicated scientist who became a mentor and friend. They discussed my dad’s desire to be a better farmer. His mentor convinced him that he could offer more to the world by becoming a research scientist. After deciding on that path, my dad declared that he was going to be the youngest person at the college to ever receive a Ph.D. He entered accelerated programs and did indeed receive his Ph.D.at the same age that many others receive their Bachelor’s degree.
Take Risks
Upon receiving his Ph.D., Dad was offered a position at the University of Georgia to continue research on artificial insemination of rabbits. He saw this as a wonderful opportunity to learn from another brilliant mentor. Accepting the offer led to three years of learning the finer details of research science. It also planted the travel bug in my dad as he spent one of those years in Oregon working on artificial insemination of monkeys. He understood that leaving Minnesota for Georgia was a step forward in his career. He accepted that the best way to move forward was to leave everything he knew behind.
Do What You Love
It was a hot, muggy summer afternoon in Michigan. I was 20 years old and sitting on the back porch with my dad. I asked him if he liked his job. He paused and a large smile appeared. “Do I like my job? Every day I wake up and I do not know what the day holds for me. What new thing will happen? What will we discover? What’s not to like about that? I don’t just like my job, I love it!” Who amongst us wishes we could say “I love my job!”?