Someone recently asked me that question all people feel they should ask other humans when they haven't seen them for a while, or know them well...
"So, ah, what's next for you?" This was in a 'professional/career' sense. Let's just come out and say what we mean - "Where's your career going?"
I don't understand why the 'wrong' answer to that question would be: "Nowhere."
Look where you currently live. Sure, it's not the Greek Islands, but they're a good time not a long time anyway.
Auckland? Pass. Wellington? If it had a summer, maybe. Christchurch? Ummm... Would you? Australia? The Mount is cheaper and less crowded than Surfers Paradise and if you think Tauranga has a high cost of living, try Sydney or Melbourne.
Perth's bloody miles away and the rest of Australia is crawling with things that will kill you! So, that's the physical location argument sorted.
Pay? Sure, it's not as great as Auckland, but still actually cheaper to live here, still less traffic that sucks the gas from your car.
I also still believe that Tauranga is one of the best places in the country to start your own business/work for yourself and stop relying on a boss to decide your future.
I do the day show for The Hits Bay of Plenty 95FM. I'm also a celebrant.
Both of those things are actually passions of mine. I'm doing things I love every day and calling it 'work'. Don't people search all their lives to find something that's their thing? I
found two things. And I do them in the best part of the country.
I'm rubbing it in a little. Not sorry about that either. My point is, why does there have to be a 'next'? What wrong with here, now? Contentment?
Maybe the problem is other people, not me. Maybe I found my thing and my place early and I'm happy with that and not sorry. Does that mean I have a lack of drive or ambition?
If a 40-70 hour work week, trying to get better at what I do and connecting with lots of different people from all over the Bay and the world is something that represents a lack of ambition... then, yes, I have the ambition of a table leg.
Stand still for a bit, roll around in the fun and good vibes in the Bay over summer. The problem isn't what's next. The problem is how do we keep it the same?
*Will Johnston is host of The Hits 95FM Day Show. Live and local from 9am till 3pm, every weekday in the Bay of Plenty.