Finding The Right Niche

Discovering your niche

I was having a burger at a counter and a young man with mud all over his boots sat down next to me and we had a great conversation. He seemed friendly enough and we started to talk. He seemed to be exceedingly happy and I asked him if he liked his job. With great enthusiasm he said, “I love my job.  I work for a Power Company and right now we are installing pipe lines.  I’m just eighteen and I feel like I have discovered the right niche for life.” 

Now I know some folks might call that young man a ditch digger. I also know a lot of people young and old who might go out of their way to avoid such a job but that young man truly feels as if he has hit the jackpot for life and to think, he found it right out of high school.The pay is great. The security sound. 

From my observation of many thousands of people in my lifetime I’ve observed so many who are searching for the right niche in their lives and never found it.  To find the right niche is a blessing indeed.  To match up your special interest and your talent with an occupation can provide years of enjoyment during your working hours.

It rather surprised me how that young man used the word “niche” in describing his job. I was thirty one years old when I made a personal commitment to become a writer. I was forty one when I escaped from a full time job I really disliked a lot.  Then I worked at a creative job using the special talents, having found work in my niche.  I began writing and speaking professionally and at fifty three, having worked for the railroad some thirty five years, I managed an early retirement and I am still following my passion for writing and speaking.  

My English teacher in high school, Father Skiffington, once read some of my early poetry and said to me, “Art, I believe that every person is given a talent and if they can discover that talent and hone it and put their talent to work for the good of all humankind then this could became a world full of love and peace and happiness.  And then he looked me straight in the eye and he said, “I believe that the good Lord put you on earth to serve as a bad example.”  He was being funny. I think.  It was true that I spent more time after school in detention because I was the class clown but nevertheless, I believe that Father Skiffington was talking to me privately about one’s niche.  Just maybe he saw a spark of creativity in my conduct and my writing and I do believe that he had a positive influence on me.

Have you discovered your niche?  Are you using your special talent?

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