When I was a 22-year-old sailor stationed overseas, I thought about becoming a dentist. The dentist I worked for at the time saw potential in me and even pushed me to attend some college course in the evenings. When I transferred back to the States in 1988, I fully intended to pursue this dream.
Unfortunately, math and science are important for pre-dental work. I sucked at both. After failing college algebra twice, I opted to take a program in health care management from Southern Illinois University. My co-workers, including my future wife, were in the program and if you maximized local community colleges for lower division work, you could complete a Bachelor of Science degree in about 3 years.
By this time, I decided to make the Navy a career (or so I thought) and my new wife and I pursued a commission in the Navy’s Medical Service Corp. Going from enlisted to officer was competitive, but we both had good records and thought we had a shot.
When we were not selected, a friend who was on the board told us that all who were selected for the program (and it was a low selection rate) had master’s degrees.
So, we visited the Navy Campus office to find a graduate program. I selected Organizational Leadership from Chapman University, since I was promised there was NO math. My wife took the same program.
Over the next two years we wrote endless papers, did a capstone, a 60-page research paper, and a four-hour comprehensive exam. But I had my MA degree.
And was rejected from the Officer Program for a third time.
At that point I had enough. I made my plans to walk out of the Navy at the 15-year mark. My wife applied once more and was selected. She completed a successful, 30-year Navy career in 2012. She got everything she wanted.
But so did I.
I thought I wanted to be an officer. I wanted it more than anything. After those three annual rejections though, I figured it was not to be. And about that time, I nearly took a swing at my evil boss and realized my mission in life would be to create the next generation of great bosses. I’ve been doing that since 1999. And I couldn’t be happier!
I thought about it and if I was selected as an officer, I might be put in patient administration, pushing paper all day. Most likely I would be encouraged to go into management information since I did some IT work during my last two years. Personally, I can’t think of a job I would hate more.
The thing I wanted more than anything was something that would never have made me happy. I’m grateful my dream then didn’t come true. A much better one was waiting for me!
What is something you wished for that didn’t come true…and you were glad?
