No Plan B

I was skimming through my twitter feed the other day and came across a link to this post written by Anderson Cooper. I probably never would have bothered to click on the link and read the entire article, expect that someone I really admire had posted it. As I read Anderson’s story, I couldn’t help but think back to when I was young and was trying to figure out my own career path.

I always knew I wanted to be an interior designer. There was never a Plan B. I applied to 5 colleges, all having some kind of interior design program, but Drexel University was my “reach” school. It was really the only one I wanted to attend. They had a first class interior design program (one of the best in the Country at the time - early 80’s) and I loved the course selections they offered. It was a tough major to get into, they only selected a handful of students each year. There were no summer breaks except for the first year… I would have to work “in my field” at two internships before I was allowed to graduate. It was intense, but I wanted it.

I’m not sure how I got into the school, exactly. My grades were meh and although I did well on my SAT’s, I didn’t do that well. Honestly, what I think it all came down to was the fact that I ventured all the way to Philadelphia in the middle of a blizzard to meet with the admissions people and they saw that I had dedication. Had I waited a year before applying, as my parents had urged me to do (take a year off, get some work experience), I would never have been accepted. The year after I got in, the school raised all their entrance requirements. I would have been rejected for sure.

So I went to my first choice college. Yay me. I never had a Plan B. My safety school was a small local Connecticut college. I knew that if that was the only school I got into, I probably would have passed up college altogether.

Drexel was hard. Much harder than I thought it would be. I wasn’t putting pretty colors together like I thought… I was learning to draft by hand (no CAD back in the day), had to study world architecture, and I was immersed in all-nighters a little too often. I had my work critiqued… something I HATE! In one of my first design classes as a freshman, I had a professor who gave me a horrible critique on a project. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Are you SURE this is what you want to do with your life?” I felt deflated… and scared. Of course it was what I wanted to do. I had no Plan B.

I went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design after so many of my classmates dropped out or changed majors. I never wanted to do anything else.

After graduation, I moved to California. Something else that was never a doubt in my mind. After visiting the State when I was 16, I knew this was where I wanted to live. I had no money, no job, no place to live… but I got on a plane and moved anyway. While the parent-me can look back and be terrified for that 21 year old girl, the girl back in 1987 was strong and gutsy and had vision… she also had no Plan B.

I did work as an interior designer for many, many years. I was good at what I did and I still loved it. I’ve been out of the profession for many years and while I don’t ever want to work as a designer again… I’m glad I had that experience. I’m glad I didn’t give up. I’m glad I didn’t have a Plan B.

I think all too often we listen to parents, friends, and even our inner selves, when they tell us to have a fallback plan. We’re supposed to have a safety school, a backup job offer, a way of making it that won’t be so hard or take so much out of us. You know… in case we fail. It’s not like I haven’t failed at anything. In fact, I’ve failed at a lot. But not failing doesn’t teach you anything. It doesn’t steer you in other directions, and it certainly doesn’t make you try harder for what you want. My whole life I never had a Plan B. Neither did Anderson Cooper. Neither should you.

Take your dreams and your goals and your visions and don’t give up on them. Even when people tell you they are dumb, stupid or they take too much money. Even when you have no experience and no prospects. Most people won’t understand. Most people will think you are crazy. So what? Show me someone who is happy with their “Plan B” and I’ll show you someone who has regrets. Lots of them.

I have no regrets. I always did what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. Sure, my plans have changed over the years, but I never let anyone tell me I couldn’t do something… or shouldn’t do something. For me, it’s been Plan A all along.