It seems as though we are questioned about what it is that we want to be as soon as we are able to communicate with and comprehend basic language skills.

And although I don't necessarily believe that this is a meaningless or wasted question... I do imagine that we would be much more in tune with what the answer to this question is or was if we had been asked who we were at that point in time and who we one day wanted to be.

Having said that, I am not denying the fact there can be a deep connection between the individual and the job. In fact, in some way, shape, or form, there must be a connection between the who and the what, the one and the work, and the uniform and the you. Because, after all, the 'what's' seem to be a lot less or a lot more important (depending on our outlook) when we are comfortable with and understand the 'who' that is in front of and behind it... when we are comfortable with ourselves and our ability to express ourselves  through our work, or through the way that we live our lives outside of  work.

In either situation, whether we are in love with or detest our job, it give us something to strive for. It gives us a drive that allows us to be us.

And although there are countless resources available to those who are interested in finding a career... there is no set standard, no set precedent, and no possible amount of research that can lead you to yourself... there is only experience. The who will always find a way to express itself once we can look past the surface of the whats. Whats will quit, be let go, be laid off, and get fired. Whats can be created one day and destroyed the next. However, the who, once embraced, can never be completely broken... it can only survive, it can only evolve.

And even though the struggle to be who and what is expected of us can be overwhelming at times, the most difficult and fulfilling part of this life should be finding out and allowing ourselves to be ourselves. Life is short, days are long, and second chances are hard to find... and as hard as it has been for me to admit this truth, I thoroughly believe that each step I take along this path is bringing me one step closer to that chance... whether that chance manifests itself in the way I imagined it to or not.