I love animals. I grew up with cats and we currently have two rescue dogs.
I worked at a veterinary clinic one summer in high school and enjoyed working with dogs and cats. I was the low man on totem pole and had to pick up crap all day long and clean kennels, but it was fine and I could see myself in a job working with animals.
That’s why when I got to college I enrolled in a major that would put me on the fastest track to veterinary school. That major was Animal and Poultry Science.
Before I knew it I was in over my head. I wasn’t working with dogs and cats. I was working with farm animals and it was not what I expected.
I didn’t enjoy what I was learning, I couldn’t see myself doing anything related to what I was studying and I hated going to my classes. I lost all interest in my classes.
I stuck it out for the first year and half in college and barely made an effort. My grades tanked and I just didn’t care. I thought I could just skate by.
Well, I received a letter from the registration office saying that I was being placed on academic probation. Talk about reality smacking you in the face.
Looking back, that was the best thing that could have happened to me. It forced me to change majors and actually study something I found interesting. I changed my major to Human Nutrition Foods and Exercise. Studying people was better than studying farm animals.
My grades improved and I was able to apply what I was learning to myself.
As a result of changing my major, my classes were in different buildings. In one of the buildings that I was now in there was one particular hallway that had a job board for students looking for work over the summer.
I took down the information and sent an email out when I had the chance.
Ultimately, I got a summer internship at a popular gym chain and that launched my personal training career as they hired me once I graduated college.
It took a massive failure in college for me to change my major and change my trajectory.
What failures have you experienced that have forced you to change for the better? I would love to know.