The short story is when asked “And what do you want to be when you grow up?," I always had an answer ready as a kid: Architect. 

Somehow I finished college with an Accounting degree and a job offer at a large public accounting firm. Everyone (including myself) asks how that trajectory happened, but the best reason I can give is that in accounting everything had a clear cause and effect. The balance sheet added up to zero, and the answer was right or it was wrong. In that moment, the black-and-whiteness was what I craved.

In 2007 after preparing tax returns for four years, I was burnt out. I saved up my vacation time to attend a summer program for people who were considering architecture school. I loved it from the first day and never looked back. I turned in my 10-key calculator and bid farewell to many confused accounting colleagues. I completed my Master of Architecture in 2010 and have been working as an architectural designer ever since.

But the Real Secret is that becoming an architect is not the happy ending or moral of any story. 

Instead switching careers is a wake-up call and a forceful beginning. Now that there is proof that taking action can lead to. Getting to the other side of the fear isn’t the point, because there will be something new to fear. The point is to keep going and push through hopefully sooner.

And now what I want to do is learn more about the songs unsung.

Whenever I tell people about switching careers, many reactions are some version of “I can’t believe you did that!” But often there’s a quiet moment afterwards where people confess something they’ve always wanted to do or be. A painter, a writer, a traveller. These confessions have been my favorite part of changing careers. The moment of “Me too!” makes the world seem smaller by being less lonely, yet at the same time, bigger by holding all of this untapped potential.