As often happens in this town, I found myself enjoying some delicious food with a friend the other day. Also not uncommon, we got to discussing our respective careers, shifting landscapes at our offices, and our plans for the future.

The conversation made me wonder: where am I going? Does it matter? A successful career can be defined as continually working to find the best “fit.” I see a problem immediately: I don't necessarily know what that best fit is. Last night I hosted an event for our VISTA team called “Life After VISTA,” where some of our VISTA alumni returned to talk about how they prepared for the end of their year and transitioned into a professional career. One woman said “don't feel bad if you still don't know what you want to do.”

During my meal with my friend I hinted at something I haven't considered for a few years: working for myself, doing freelance jobs, and pursuing my art as a (but not the only) primary career. I talked about applying for a few grants for my own work (imagine that) so I could spend more time on my photography.

One of the college professors I learned the most from tried to give us realistic expectations: it's very difficult and very lucky to be able to forgo a “day job.” With that in mind, though...where do I fit? It's a question I've been asking for years now.

Most likely I'll choose to pursue a career somehow connected to national service. However, it's a good exercise for everyone to give some serious thought to their career from time to time. Answering the questions “where do I fit?” “what am I truly passionate about?” and “am I really happy when I wake up in the morning?” is helps us to define where we are, where we're going, and how we can direct our efforts to get the most out of our precious hours, days, and years.

Luckily for me, I have a contract that lasts until August 2009, so my career reflections aren't too rushed at this point. But come May, I can imagine I'll be thinking a lot more about how I want to proceed with my career as it relates to grant-writing, visual arts, and national service.