Why Not Me?

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had recently when, in the course of talking about Capitol B, someone says, “It must be nice to do what you love.” Almost equally as ubiquitous is the phrase “We can’t all have our dream job.” Well, to that I say, “Why not?”

The path to my current life hasn’t always been easy, or clear. I was a chronic major-changer in college, an only child Daddy’s girl who didn’t get a job until age 21, and a restless spirit who never quite got the hang of a structured environment. But, I did recognize the importance of knowing myself – my possibilities and limits, my strengths, my talents, and my wish list for career satisfaction: autonomy, variety, challenge, the ability to be creative and social, and the capacity to make a positive difference through my work. I didn’t have the ultimate goal of being an online magazine editor/freelance writer/PR consultant in mind, but with every career step I took, I kept those guiding principles at the forefront, and I ended up here – with a checkmark next to each. It didn’t happen over night. But. It. Happened.

Some people have it easier. They know what they want to be when they grow up. At like age 10. Or 25. A veterinarian. A lawyer. A figure skater. An actor. An author. A fashion designer. They have the goal, but they trip over the accomplishment. They talk themselves out of their own dream with a lack of belief and a focus on the obstacles. And later in life, they become those reflective ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’ types who yearn for something else.

I was reminded recently of the simple, yet infinitely wise, philosophy of a dear friend – when in doubt, tell yourself that someone has to do this job, and ask, “Why not me?” That friend is the actor Wilmer Valderrama, and he is a living example of the power of those three words. Wil moved with his family from Venezuela to LA at age 13. Not speaking a word of English, he enrolled in high school drama classes to more quickly learn the language and integrate into American culture. There, he found his passion and never looked back. Any time he questioned his ability to achieve his dream, he would tell himself that somewhere in the world at that moment, someone would grow up to become a professional actor, and he would ask, “Why not me?” An accomplished actor, producer, and businessman, Wil now has the platform to share his philosophy with thousands of young people every year and to inspire future generations of teachers, engineers, musicians, physicians, and politicians. And he does – through his work with numerous organizations, including the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Voto Latino, and the USO.

And now I have the platform to share it with you. Pass it on.

Livin’ the dream,