With the help of countless mentors and friends a blueprint for the next phase of my life was purposefully crafted upon retiring from the Navy. Well, maybe not the next phase, but the next chapter. After spending over three decades in uniform and cherishing my role in public service, I wanted to get as far away from the familiar as responsible. For chapter one, I was committed to three things:
- Developing new skills
- Contributing in new ways
- Being valued for who I was becoming, not for the jobs I once had and the influence I once held
Consequently, I made a deliberate effort to distance myself from the large organizations I knew so well and the national security problems that had come to define my days. Instead, I steered toward a small startup, where I set out to tackle various unfamiliar challenges and find different ways to grow. Looking back, I feel good stating “Mission Accomplished,” at least for that chapter.
Although I relished and learned so much during my 2.5-year tenure at that startup, I knew it was time for the next adventure. Each time I felt the itch for an occupational change, I remained focused on the three priorities that defined Chapter One. The only difference was the constraint of staying away from the world I knew so well became less important. Three chapters later, I recently attended a conference that brought together cyber professionals from across the private sector and government. Immersed in a crowd of familiar faces, it dawned on me. I had come nearly full circle. I found myself back in the very world I was so committed to growing beyond, or was it growing back into? That realization filled me with a surprising amount of joy.
After several years in the private sector, I had returned to the familiar. I was among individuals I love and respect. We were conversing fluently in the mission-centric language we knew so well and passionately tackling challenges of profound significance. This isn’t to say that I didn’t hold my previous (civilian) colleagues in high regard. Nor do I have any regrets about the time it took me to reconnect with my tribe. After all, the distance I traveled was by design. I distanced myself from the world I cherished intending to amplify my value should I return.
“You can’t go home again” (Thomas Wolfe), yet there are moments when it feels like we have. Reflecting on my post-military job history, each successive role drew me one step closer to home. By home, I mean a familiar cohort engaged in missions of genuine import where personal fulfillment and the joy accompanying it define the day. I acknowledge that I haven’t completed the circle, as that would mean a return to civil service. And likely, I never will. But I’m open to the prospect of doing so should I ever receive such a call to serve.
It feels wonderful to be back home: armed with greater occupational empathy, a more comprehensive skill set, and a reignited passion for serving those who more directly serve.
- What attributes define home for you?
- How close are you to being home?
- How does it feel?