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City Slickers

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Robert McDaris
  • 315 AMXS/CC
CHARLESTON S.C. --  Commentary by Lt. Col. Robert McDaris, 315th Airlift Wing, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, Charleston Air Force Base S.C.

In the 1991 hit movie City Slickers, three middle-age buddies (Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby) facing personal crises and cross-roads in their careers, decide to sign up for a two-week cattle run for a change of pace. The trail proves a tougher place than anyone thought, and the trail boss (Jack Palance) is a grizzled taskmaster who doesn't concede to tenderfoot urbanites.

Curly (Palance): You know what the secret of life is? [holds up one finger]
Mitch (Crystal): No, what?
Curly: This.
Mitch: Your finger? [puzzled at Curly's jesture]
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean [expletive].
Mitch: That's great, but what's the one thing?
Curly: That's what you've got to figure out.

It's a poignant story of a common question faced by people in all careers - is this what I set out to do for the rest of my life? This issue is further complicated by our human nature to acquire more "stuff" and our efforts toward "keeping up with the Joneses". We all start our careers either after high school or college with an idea of what we want to attain (usually money and success) but not necessarily a clear vision of the path we need to take to get there. Also, the ill-chosen path we take may be down a road we don't enjoy, causing a bitter struggle in a job we aren't suited for. The job is then just a J-O-B, and you've missed your "calling" toward the secret of life.

In Dan Miller's book "48 Days to the Work You Love", the author outlines a new process of looking at what you are going to be when you grow up. It leads you to consider your unique (1) skills and abilities, (2) personality traits, and your (3) values, dreams, and passions. Finding the work you love not only serves you best, it better serves those around you - family, friends, and colleagues. In the classic book "The Peter Principle", Dr. Laurence J. Peter clarifies how people in today's culture are often promoted out of where they function best to a position of incompetence. Miller's guidance by no means tries to quell or discourage ambition, but rather emphasizes that ambition for the sake of attaining material wealth or short-term recognition leads to failure and disappointment in the end.

The city slicker's crossroads are very familiar to most of us who have reached a point in our careers and ask ourselves, "what is that one thing I'm best at?" Many experts today encourage you to set your goals and career targets, but only after taking an objective introspective assessment. This assessment should evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses (which we all have), education or training needs, and personality or character traits. It also calls you to rediscover your value system - your core beliefs. In taking this assessment, you'll then develop your own personal mission statement.

You by now see that planning and developing a career is not unlike planning and developing a successful military organization or a civilian company. Mission statements, core values, and aim points are all keys for success individually or in large-scale organizations. Author Jim Collins parallels this in his book "Good to Great" by challenging companies to find out what they are best at and capitalize this strength in the marketplace. Collins also illustrates that greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline. Companies that beat the odds, endured shifting markets and met countless challenges through the decades all new what they were best at, and stuck to their mission when other companies shifted focus to earn a quick dollar in the short term.

So if you're at a career crossroads, take thought of Curly's cowboy advice and find that one thing that makes you tick. Once you find that one thing - stick to it. There will be deserts, rattlesnakes and cactus on the trail ahead. But don't worry, that's just the challenge of the journey. When you're the best at the mission you're "called" to do, you'll be the trail boss that brings the herd to it's destination.