Why Alex the Generalist?
Originally published 31 March 2022
Bear with me because this will be a long story as to how I got here…
About six months ago, I submitted my resignation as Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor of Wits University to pursue a consultancy. I had already changed my contract to part-time at the time in order to start this consultancy that I thought was a fantastic idea back then, but I wasn’t finding the time to do any of the work I needed to do to start that consultancy. The job had brought no professional growth that year, I had wrapped up all my strategic projects sooner than anticipated and it was time to move on. Looking back now, I realised that I handed in the official resignation letter on World Mental Health Day which was probably a sign about what that job was also doing to my mental health.
Fast forward a few months to the beginning of the year when I start my consultancy with my first client and my new life where I can control my time and do the things I want to do when I want to do them. I had time to do yoga every day, spend the afternoon gardening just because I wanted to, or go grocery shopping without feeling guilty for leaving my laptop for half an hour. You don’t realise just how unhappy you were until you start to feel happy again.
One evening after spending the entire day staring blankly at a screen trying to revise a concept note for my client, I realised I was done with this type of work (there was definitely a glass of wine or two by the time of this epiphany). I messaged my friend and former colleague saying how I feel like I’ve been doing this work and I’m over it now. I needed something new and challenging. Her response was so apt: It’s almost like looking in the rear-view mirror! And it felt exactly like that. I had moved on with my life and was happy. The consultancy work was a hangover from the past. I was doing it because I happened to be good at it and had the connections, so it was an easy route. I started to question what my purpose was and whether I was once again just going with the flow and doing what was convenient as opposed to following long-forgotten dreams or passions.
Instead of focusing on building the consultancy beyond that one client, I decided that this was going to be a sabbatical to give myself the space for the first time in a decade to figure out my path and allow myself to dream again. This meant back to job hunting and all that goes with it – hours on LinkedIn, updating my CV, writing cover letters, etc. but most importantly, trying to figure out what skills I have now after a whirlwind three years in a Vice-Chancellor’s office.
The idea for Alex the Generalist was sparked by a conversation with a friend in my kitchen one day. We both happen to be on the same journey trying to find our ‘purpose’ professionally. And he turned to me and said he was a ‘generalist’. I had just come upon that term in one of the many job applications that I had started doing, and it struck me because that’s what I felt I was – a generalist. I didn’t have any specialization (and I’m not talking about the professions here). I’m not a communications specialist but I can do comms. I’m not a ‘strategic analyst’ but I have put together strategic plans and I’m good at strategic thinking. I’m not a fundraising specialist but I can fundraise. Before doing this blog, I hadn’t put together a website but I’ll be able to add that to the list thanks to Wix. Throw me something, and I will probably be able to pick it up and do it. So how many more ‘Generalists’ are out there and how do we find our purpose?
So where does this leave me? Well, good question, I don’t know. This is why I started the blog. A way to write out everything that I have learned over the last few years, and I am still learning at 35 as I try to find my purpose and find my way back to the dreams I had when I was 20 or 25 or 30. What I do know, is this time I am not going to let those dreams slip away.
Alex the Generalist
