On September 1st 2016, I stepped away from an incredibly successful and blossoming career in supply chain consulting and sales consulting to pursue a post-graduate degree in Musical Theatre, and on December 9th 2018 - 2 years, 3 months and 8 days later - I received word that I had been cast in an international tour of The King and I.
For many, I was accomplishing what conventional wisdom said could not be done. There are many reasons why I succeeded - a confluence of luck and opportunity, tenacity and clarity, work and generosity … but the guiding force throughout all of this has been the clarity. The why.
Let me be very VERY clear: I wasn’t running away from anything. I loved my job in supply chain management. I was - dare I say it - very good at it. I worked for an amazing company with colleagues I clicked with, I was in a role that maximized my strengths, I knew what value I was bringing to the company as an employee, I had a boss and colleagues who trusted me and was truly on my way towards building a global reputation for myself.
So when I broached the subject of a sabbatical with my company, I was overwhelmed with gratitude when my boss and my CEO agreed to give me one. My CEO sat me down in his office and asked me why, and when he understood the why, I saw his face relax.
I guess at the end of the day, whether it’s creating customer value for the world’s largest companies or singing on stage, the why has always remained the same for me: how do I make a connection with and how do I inspire the human being in all of us to be better?
And when that lightbulb goes off in your head, I promise you everything will change. For me, everything coallesced. The questions I asked myself changed. The way I viewed my past, my present and my future shifted. Suddenly, an entire universe of possibility opened up.
I have no idea what the next year and a half on tour will bring, and even what lies beyond that. But I do know that I will be living with purpose. And that’s enough for me.
So, what’s your why?
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My name is Eu Jin. I embarked on a career as a professional actor after 20 years in the corporate world. I am a big advocate of personal growth in the performing arts. I dedicate time and energy in performing arts education, specifically in the arena of practical approaches to inner health because I believe that this lays the groundwork for a sustainable career as an artiste.
If you would like to engage in a conversation about a healthy inner life practice, please leave me a message on the "Contact" page of my website and a way to contact you. Thanks!