The speaker discusses their journey after high school where they struggled to decide on a path. They took an internship in graphic design but found it boring. They then decided to become a ski instructor after realizing it was the opposite of an office job. With recommendation letters and advice from others, they were able to get their first job in skiing. However, they now feel directionless and want to brainstorm their next steps to find fulfilling work.

2. Say
• “In my last year of high school I had a hard time deciding what to do.”
• “My dad said I couldn’t go to art school, so I said I’m not going to school.”
• “I did a graphic design internship, but I was deathly bored.”
• “I asked myself, what’s the opposite of an office job? Skiing!”
• “People wrote me recommendations.”
• “I taught some kids how to ski, and their mom wrote me a letter. She’s a really good writer.”
• “I never realized people thought so highly of me.”
• “I asked older people who were big skiers where to apply.”
• “Some employers wanted resumes, some wanted cover letters and resumes, and some wanted to
skype too.”
• “Doing my resume was lame. It didn’t have much on it.”
• “Cover letters carried a lot more weight.”
• “I sold myself pretty hard.”
• “I showed it (cover letter) to my mom. She said, ‘You are way better than this.’”
• “I really tried to listen to older people.”
• “I wasn't 18 when I did this. Every job says you must be 18.”
• “I took a big risk flying myself out there.”
• "I said, ‘You're gonna hire me right?’"
• “I had to sign a lease before I knew I had a ski school job.”

3. More to say
• “I had an easy time.”
• “My success was a combination of using my own resources, being a digital native and not
being afraid to ask for help.”
• “I lived there for 2 years. Now I'm sick of it.”
• “My thoughts aren't formulated, but I know it has to happen.”
• “I need to decide what I'm going to do next.”
• “I don't want to be a tag-along girlfriend.”
• “I just need to brainstorm.”
• “I don't do it in a concentrated way.”
• “It takes me like a week.”
• “I do a lot of my own thinking.”
• “I am a notorious procrastinator.”
• “I change my mind too many times.”
• “I don't want to be directionless. It's not fulfilling.”
• “I feel slightly useless.” And then the tears came. My interviewee’s mother walked in at that
moment. The three of us then had an intense discussion about her feelings of inadequacy for
another half an hour! Incredibly intense.

4. Think
• She thinks she had an easy time getting her first job out of high school.
• She thinks that older people guided her through the process.
• She thinks she needs to brainstorm about what to do next job-wise.
• She thinks that cover letters are more important than resumes.
• She thinks she got the job because she was a good listener and there were
no surprises on her end.
• She thinks technology played an important part in her process.
• She thinks her unconscious mind is better than her conscious mind when
it comes to making important life decisions.
• She thinks she takes a long time to make decisions.
• She thinks brainstorming will help her reach a decision about what to do
next in her life.

5. Feel
• She feels she’s not doing important enough things in
her life.
• She feels she isn’t mature enough.
• She feels she doesn’t have enough goals.
• She feels confused.
• She feels sad.
• She feels she’s at an important crossroads in her life.
• She feels she is indecisive.
• She feels inadequate.
• She feels overwhelmed.
• She feels directionless and unfulfilled.

6. Problem statement:
• Passionate, dedicated, patient, enthusiastic,
energetic 19-year-old girl needs to understand
what is important to her in life because she
wants to find work that is meaningful and
purposeful.