I Have Learned - A Letter To My Future Employer

When writing my most recent cover letter for a job I found myself trying express exactly why I was qualified for the role. Sure on paper I didn't have the most impressive credentials, but it was what I couldn't fit onto the page that was truly important. 

Jobs go beyond qualifications, beyond achievements and awards, and beyond what can be put on a resume. The most important qualifier for a job comes down to who are you as a fundamental human being. Over the last 3 years I have been in pursuit of these quintessential human characteristics. Learning how to understand some of the strongest questions about life, making sense of what was important… figuring out how to live.

It was within these profound life experiences that I have truly lived and learned the most. It is an education that extends beyond the tangible understanding of the shared classroom experience.

This list is not a random generation of buzz words, each and every point was drawn from a very specific moment or experience during my adventures, always there to be called upon and learned from again. As I began to articulate my thoughts I found myself repeating the same 3 words over and over... I have learned.

I have learned to enrich life through the wealth of relationships

I have learned how to define succes

I have learned the value of humanity 

I have learned cultural understanding 

I have learned how to recognize beauty and opportunity

I have learned how to live in the moment

I have learned the power of caring and noticing

I have learned conviction

I have learned caution and blind adventure 

I have learned holding on for dear life and letting go 

I have learned to treasure simplicity

I have learned to value authenticity

I have learned to practice humility

I have learned to lead others at the risk of myself 

I have learned mental fortitude and physical perseverance 

I have learned to friend hard

I have learned how to put 2 and 2 together and get 5

I have learned to look, listen, think, and act with awareness

I have learned to confront my own shortcomings, to be pragmatic about my capabilities and limitations, and to let others lead when I do not know the way

I have learned the astounding possibilities of human ingenuity and creativity

I have learned how to listen and understand even when hangry 

I have learned the power of being prepared 

I have learned how to organize and prioritize

I have learned what it's like to be way in over your f****ing head 

I have learned the difference between what’s important and what’s necessary

I have learned the importance of sharing

I have learned the importance of silence

I have learned the value of shared experiences

I have learned the importance of solitude

I have learned introspection

I have learned how to recognize honesty and authenticity

I have learned the wonderful utility of spontaneity

I have learned how to confront my own mortality

I have learned it feels better to poop in a hole in the woods than in the comfort of your own home

I have learned to find the new in the repetitive

I have learned the terrifying power of mother nature

I have learned confidence in adversity

I have learned to be accountable

I have learned how to put others before me

I have learned the power of the right question and the right answer

I have learned to put myself in other peoples shoes

I have learned to think of nothing, and everything 

I have learned to take responsibility 

I have learned when to act and when to respond

I have learned the difference between acting and responding

I have learned comfort in being uncomfortable 

I have learned the dangers of complacency

I have learned how to face paralyzing fear 

I have learned to learn