What do I want to be when I grow up

I have been going through all my past (and my present) jobs, listing the pros and cons of each.  The idea is that a pattern will emerge that could lead me to working out what I want to do for work in the future. 

 

Looking at my rather extensive list, I do see a pattern.  The aspects of my work that I have enjoyed have all revolved around helping people by providing them with information.  From giving directions to lost tourists to doing lectures for a nonprofit health organization to doing Tarot readings (didn't expect that one, did you?), the things that have given me the most job satisfaction have all pivoted around being an expert of some type and providing that expertise to others.  It did not even really matter to me whether people listened to what I had to say, the important thing to me was in getting the information out there. 

 

I also found that another of the things that I excelled at and that I enjoyed in my work was finding things and information for people.  When I worked for the nonprofit health organization, I spent a lot of time researching information on a variety of health issues and then providing that information to people in easily digestible form (translating "doctor speak" to English).  My short time working in a bookstore provided me with an opportunity to help people locate the books (information) they were looking for and then to make recommendations if I had familiarity with the subject. 

 

Adding to the patterns above, I am a stone bibliophile.  One of the toughest things for me in my simplicity campaign is letting go of books, even when I know that I am not going to read them again.  If I add all these things together, then it seems to me that I need to look at work where I do research and then provide that information to others.  Not sure what that looks like yet but I am sure I will be writing on it in the future.