Thought provoking reading

I've been reading a very interesting book about the various stages of life we pass through: The Human Odyssey, Navigating the Twelve Stages of Life by Thomas Armstrong. He examines the important physical, intellectual and psychological stages we pass through. This comes at a good time for me as I'm at a crossroads offering me new opportunities.

In each stage of life, we encounter opportunities for growth. We can either learn from them and progress, learn to avoid them and stagnate, or not learn and continue to repeat our experiences. In the past few years, I've had opportunities for growth in many different areas. Now, I'm facing some difficult or exciting choices, depending on how you look at them.

I invested quite some time getting a Master's Degree so I could make more serious contributions in the workplace. Do I continue down that same path? I am competitive enough that this is very enticing. I am passionate about learning, about learning that is practical. I home-schooled so that I could put what my daughter was learning in context and it would be practical. Should I switch career paths and become an assistant for home schoolers? I've been asked to start tutoring again-that was my first job during high school. I have an aptitude for figuring out the best way to convey the teachings in math for different types of learners. If I go into assisting home schoolers, it is a risky business. I can tutor parents on how to help teach their kids, do the teaching with them, do it for them, or tutor their kids in specific areas. I know there is a market for this, and I know how technology can assist that. Another option is to resurrect the technology business I used to have. I used to provide technical assistance, like the Geek Squad, but targeted to small businesses. I would teach them how best to use the software and hardware they had for their businesses.

Which dream do I follow-the more practical or the more passionate? How much risk do I dare take? This book has helped me examine the choices I've made in the past, usually the lower risk, although deciding to drop out of corporate life to home school was higher risk financially. As I am applying for jobs that look interesting, I'm pondering these questions. It's challenging having all these choices.

How would you choose?