Do I like my career?

The day after Columbus Day marks twelve years at my job doing communication coordination and running political campaigns for democratic candidates, mostly in upstate. I work hard at my job, put in long hours, try to build good relationships and plans for my clients. Over the years for my loyalty and hard work I’ve been promoted, earned more money and given more challenging opportunities. I like the work, creating good quality products and implementing plans often with successful results. I don’t think I would have stayed as long as I have if I didn’t think I was able to make a difference and advance my agency’s mission.

But anybody who reads this blog knows I’m pretty conservative, even if I’m a Democrat and do also believe in many progressive policies that can have a real life impact on people’s lives. I certainly don’t always agree with the political positions of my clients but I’m not there to advance my own opinions – I’m there to look at the polling and the evidence and give them the best possible advice based on concrete evidence. Politics these days often seems to be all encompassing. You can’t believe something with it impacting all parts of your life. But that’s not why I’m a professional – I’m there to advance the mission of the agency – not whatever personal beliefs I may have on a subject. Sometimes it’s tough to be objective, I’ll concede so I’ll rely on the collective wisdom of my colleagues and always go back to what the polling is saying and what other people in similar positions say.

I work for money not for changing the world. I work to advance the mission of my agency and put my clients interest first. Money is more than an appropriation to my bank account every two weeks, it’s a means and a way to live the life I want. It’s a way to pay for my experiences in the wilderness and for a better life in the future. Whether it’s fuel for my truck, food on the table, supplies or money to buy stocks, bonds and certificates of deposit that will eventually pay for land and my off grid property work pays for all of it. Saving takes time but each paycheck I get closer to a better future. And what’s best for my agency is ultimately best for my career advancement.