Whilst I'm not always thrilled about work or confident in where I'll be over the next few years, I am very happy with my lot in life right now.
In Japan we equivocate wealth and status with success. We all start in a hole and our job is the ladder to freedom. Previously shuttered opportunities and promotions open up to you as you age, earned through loyalty and commitment to an organisation, usually measured in decades. Improving the quality of your life can be a slog. For many it's a slavedom. In my industry it's a myth. I don't foresee myself getting a cushy managerial position in my early fifties, and I likely won't be able to afford that holiday home in the countryside. But whilst the youthful years of many are spent dragging boulders for old-timers, I get to take the scenic route lugging just a rucksack full of books. There is no castle on the mountain I'm climbing but when I get there I'll have everything mapped out.
That's the misnomer about success. Freedom doesn't have to come from finances. I want to liberate myself by fostering a culture of appreciation for the moments I am afforded. Dad once told me "I work to live, not live to work" and it's something I never forgot. Growing up we didn't enjoy the extravagances of great wealth but we had everything we needed. I get to enjoy my mornings with my family. Overtime doesn't exist. I have no looming deadlines or bosses breathing down my neck. Work stays in the classroom. My happiness comes without an asterisk.
I'm confident in where my future is headed even if I can't see the path clearly. There are exciting changes to be made, challenges to overcome and things to learn. Most importantly our expectations are managed and satisfied. There is no ladder to success for me; it's a stairlift that I'm already riding.
2087
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