What taxi drivers in Bogota can teach you about finding the career of your dreams

I am in Bogota, Colombia right now.  It is by far the most foreign city that we have been in on the trip, and more than a little bit intimidating.  So far no one we have met outside the hostel speaks any English, and the Spanish is either different or has a different accent, so our Spanish levels aren’t really helping the situation.  All of that said though, we are finding our way around fine and having a nice time.

Yesterday we decided to take a taxi ride up to the Northern part of the city (the newer area) to check out the shopping scene.  We discovered that in Bogota (and, we have learned, much of the rest of South America), lane markers are mere suggestions and stop signs indicate that the driver should slow a bit and honk before barreling through.  It got me to thinking, should we be driving between the lanes more?

Not on the road of course (I value my life), but in life.  Most of us proceed down a life in a certain lane and never veer from it.  If we do, we believe that we need an entire education, certificate, or job in order to change lanes.  Perhaps we should be more like Colombian taxi drivers and drive between lanes.

The lane markers in our lives are just that, markers.  They seem impenetrable, but in reality they aren’t barriers.  It is just the sight of them that keeps us in line.  We look over, longingly, at the traffic in the next lane and wish that we could be there, not realizing that it only takes a little turn of the wheel.  Want to be a writer?  Start writing!  Sign up for NaNoWriMo and get in some practice.  Start a blog, or volunteer to write the newsletter for a local non-profit.  Want to be a photographer?  Grab a camera, not even a fancy one, and head outside.  Put together compositions and see how they turn out.  Want to change careers?  Look into what you can do in your spare time or on weekends that would give you a taste of it.

Don’t be afraid.  Every once in a while you will crash, but at least in your life, unlike in Bogota, only your pride will be hurt.  And that’s easily fixed by just getting out there into traffic again.