There are generally two different attitudes when visualizing the future. The first one is to “know” what explicitly the future holds, such as one’s academic pathway, the city one plans to live in, or their career.
The other attitude is to simply know nothing, as one may think of the future as a completely undiscovered territory.
As a junior in high school, I often wonder about the future, worrying about college, my job search, and the future beyond, wondering what I will do and who I will become.
The big question I always ask myself is: What does the future hold?
Recently, I was able to attain the opportunity to have a conversation that opened my eyes to new possibilities when I was allowed to meet and have an informational interview with Ms. Sul Lee.
Ms. Lee is an attorney who is practicing Business Law at her firm, Sul Lee Law, after earning her Juris Doctor from Yeshiva University School of Law.
During our conversation, we discussed her academic journey, inspiration, and interests. Ms. Lee’s journey from a Biochemistry undergraduate major at UC San Diego to an attorney resonated with me due to its relatable narrative. We discussed how it is often stereotyped that the main way to success is to become a doctor and make one’s family proud by doing so.
Ms. Lee shared that her time at UC San Diego was extremely valuable, but her passion for entrepreneurship and business encouraged her to pursue law. Ms. Lee’s academic journey showed me your choices and interests will eventually lead you to your passions and that having diverse experiences will help build character.
However, one piece of advice that truly changed my perspective was when Ms. Lee discussed that once getting to the position you have worked for, whether it be a doctor, a director, a teacher, or an attorney, it is crucial to acknowledge your profession and become a trusted advisor within your industry.
Everyone, regardless of their background, experiences success, adversity, and everything in between. We all carry valuable experience, and the ability to share these experiences allows us to become advisors.
When reaching the position in your career that you have worked for years for, you are made up of different experiences. I learned that the ability to share these experiences can change perspectives and allow for the exchange of different personal philosophies.
Ms. Lee truly embodied the role of a trusted advisor when conversing with me. By sharing her experiences, I was able to relate to and consider my future in a different light, motivating me to keep learning and exploring.
Ms. Sul Lee is not only dedicated to her career but dedicated to helping those around her. The intent of our meeting was for me to learn about Ms. Lee’s career. However, I was able to not only learn about her professional journey but also about her philosophies, motivations, inspirations, and valuable advice.
My conversation with Ms. Lee has inspired me, and hopefully, other job hunters, to further discover my passions and interests!