From the course: Career Advice from Some of the Biggest Names in Business

Dawn Hudson on having a sense of purpose

From the course: Career Advice from Some of the Biggest Names in Business

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Dawn Hudson on having a sense of purpose

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(percussion echo music) - What kind of advise would you give to someone else who says look, you know I want to do what she's doing in twenty years. I am just out of college. This is my dream job, how do I get there? - That's such a, that would be so great if you knew what your dream job was. (laugh) And you went for it. I did not. I did not. I knew I loved the Arts. I had majored in government in college. And thought I wanted to help the world and I wanted to, I mean I still fell that way. I, You know I really wanted to make changes in the world. And I worked, I did and worked in politics and government. And I thought, this is going to be a very long slow tedious process of making change. I admire politicians who can hang in there and get things done. So I turned to the arts as a place where I felt Maybe even more substantial changes are made in our society. That you have more empathy for people who are different from you. You have more understanding of different cultures and countries and you know everything ways of being. And so I began writing, began acting, worked for a non-profit institution and the non-profit institution was for independent film makers, and I realized it combined my love of feeling like you know you are making society better and working with artists and working in the arts. So this is how I found myself. At the now, you know, 25 years later working with artists and working in the institutions that support artists. The first job I had was a part time job and it became a 20 year job. You know, it was a part time job with an arts institution, they were about to go bankrupt. They fired everybody including me, then they hired me back just to help them along for just a few months. And that turned into, you know like I said a 20 year job that I was very, very proud of and worked for independent film, worked with independent film makers. That job is what was, is how the academy found me. Because I had worked at a similar institution. - So your not somebody who set these goals. In five years I am going to be here, Ten years I am going to be here, until I achieve that. - I think I just pursued things I loved. And I've had, I have pursued things I love, and I've had a thought that you know, if I am doing what I think is important. I have to have a sense of purpose. And I have to feel like I am doing something that is contributing. And that is motivating for me. That's just what, I just know that motivates me. Other things don't motivate me. That does. And so if I have that sense of purpose where I am working then I will probably continue working there. (laugh) You know, as long as it is challenging and I can feel like I am contributing. And the, you know, things came to me in sometimes as part time jobs and turned into full time jobs. Sometimes it's, you know, minor passions turned into full passions. So, I guess my advise would be to put your heart into even, you know what seems like a side job or a temporary gig and it could turn into something you really love and you really like and you really find oh, this is what I was meant to do. (quiet music)

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