Finding yourself

“I was sure I could do it,” said Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed in the Hudson.

You must be confident in your life. In our weird economy, I’ve been thinking a lot about how people look at their jobs. Several of my more successful friends are facing bankruptcy. A few of them, in midlife, are driving taxis or seeking minimum-wage mall jobs — and not finding them because the competition is stiff! It’s a time to question why we do what we do, and how we really want to use the precious life we have for such a brief time.

I’ve been reading a lot about the hero pilot Captain Sullenberger. As it turns out, he has two masters degrees — in industrial psychology and also public administration. A veteran, he speaks and trains on the subject of airline safety. Here’s a person who followed his interests and might have remained anonymous had he not flown into a flock of geese and then used a lifetime of experience to save 150 lives. But he’s just one very public example of the many people who follow their passions to create a satisfying, yet altruistic life.

No hero pilot, I’ve found my own resonance in many ways. Trained as a musician, I’m a very good oboe player with a hefty music resume. But that was a decision my parents made for me at such an early age; I had no voice. In my late 30s, I took an aptitude test and decided to study journalism at Stanford, a place that astonished me by awarding a full tuition fellowship. That was my first clue that, although you must be responsible to your financial needs, pursuing your true talents and interests is the way to go.

Now, I’m trained not only as a performer but also as a writer. Writing is often romanticized, but what it really means is the ability to process, structure, and express big ideas in an organized way, in order to lure an audience into a foreign place, or one with which they might identify. Because I’ve had a diverse and interesting life, the journalism education fit me well, and in midlife, I’m finding successful and satisfying ways to combine all these skills and interests.

Captain Sullenberger made me re-evaluate how I would continue my education, which is of great interest to me. I’ve often thought “MBA!” as a quick fix. I could use some business knowledge. But life has taken me to a better place, and one that suits me perfectly. When I was little, I wanted more than anything to be an architect. I think it started when my parents took us to Barcelona, Spain, where I saw the fantastic facade of Antoni Gaudi’s “Sagrada Familia,” which he started in 1882. It continues to be built. Unfortunately for me, in the 1960s south, little girls didn’t become architects. I lost that dream.

After I tore through my savings after a disastrous marriage, a friend suggested real estate. He was right. I love communicating with people, and I love architecture, which is a big deal here in LA. Real estate. It seems like a stereotype, but for me, it’s a perfect fit. So much of my life was spent alone, playing the oboe in a lonely practice room. I love connecting with other people. Today, I visited two clients’ open house listings, and realized how happy it made me to not only see these design pinnacles, but also genuinely help people find the place where they will also live out their dreams.

Yes, I do real estate. But not because I have to. Because I love it. I’m also a musician, writer, and performer. I’m still the oboist I always was. Captain Sullenberger, who played the flute in high school, has gotten education in multiple fields, which made him the admirable person he is. I’ll probably never crash a plane, but I’m finding the same kind of great life as Sully and people like my historian Dad. If you want to learn more, I hope you visit my website at www.flairforgenius.com. You can do whatever you like, and although the journey may be ardous, it’s worth the trip.