Finding my purpose has not been straight-forward. For the longest time, I remember not knowing what I wanted to do in my life, let alone having the confidence to pursue my dreams early on in my career. All I remember thinking was to learn, practice, and gain experience while working in manufacturing, regardless of how I felt about the work itself. Perhaps I was not ready, interested, or focused. The only thing that called my attention at the time was my interest in reengineering systems, processes, and flows to make a business or organization profitable or of the highest quality. In college, I remember liking topics or projects that would expose me to learning about the healthcare industry, but I didn't start out with a goal in mind. It was not until 11 years after college that I managed to take a leap of faith and land a job working for one of the largest hospital systems in Arizona. That leap of faith changed everything for me. I was one of the first engineers to be hired out of manufacturing to lead an innovative team whose vision was to transform clinical programs for patient care across multiple cross-state hospitals. I was so excited to finally pursue my dream of landing a healthcare job that could really make a difference in people's lives. The only challenge was that I was so new that I really needed to learn the skills, build trust and credibility, and work side by side with nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals before I could learn to love it as much as I do now. Still, that was such a defiant leap of faith in my journey, and I am so thankful for everyone who inspired me to pursue my purpose in a meaningful way. Finding my purpose came with difficult decisions. Especially ones that would push me outside of my comfort zone to take big risks in the unknown. The unknowing of a whole new industry but with one common vision: to serve a purpose in the community. That was what I loved so much about the leap—everyone was on a mission. Determined to do great things for people. I am so thankful and grateful for doing so when I did. Although finding our purpose may come with trials, failures, risks, and leaps into the unknown towards a future bright yet untold, the point is that you have to start somewhere. Uncharted territory that requires us to be bold, honest, and truthful about our inspirations and intentions. I am so glad I have not looked back and am excited to continue building my purpose and dream life by collaborating in this wonderful community.
