How I Figured Out I Wanted to Work In The Beauty Industry

It was a hard decision to follow MY dream, not my parents’.

 

As children, we grow up having big career dreams.  Some of my friends wanted to become a singer, a ballet dancer, an actress or a professional athlete, and as for me?  I wanted to become a dentist.

After Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother came out, it is no secret many Asian American children grow up with strict parents. For many Asian immigrant parents (not all!), they grew up in a country with limited opportunities.  They experienced the frustration of not finding a job, not having enough money, or even having the bare necessities. So to them, success is defined my money — this means going to a good school, majoring in something stable, so eventually getting a stable job with a high salary.  Their mindset is to work hard now and get rewarded later with a high-paying job based on academic credentials.

Because of my unconventional job, I come across a lot of people who admit to me that they hate their job and are interested in my career path.  Sure they make a lot of money, but they feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled with their job. So here’s my story on how I figured out I wanted to work in the beauty industry and hopefully this will inspire you if you’re craving a career change!

Growing Up: Learning about “success”

I’d like to say I grew up with typical Asian parents – they were strict and emphasized the importance of success and accomplishment.  In my house, straight A’s were expected and not an option. I remember I got a B+ on a test once and my parents were so upset they had to set up a meeting with my teacher to talk to her about changing my grade.  

When I wasn’t studying, I was busy practicing the piano.  I didn’t play any sports, so my parents put me in piano competitions and my entire summers were spent practicing sometimes up to 8 hours daily.   

For every A or piano award I got, the better my application looked on my college resume.  They envisioned me having a stable career with a good salary — they only wanted me to be the best I could be in a way they only knew.  To them, being successful meant becoming a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer and in my case, a dentist. My parents proudly told everyone they knew I was going to be a dentist and because I didn’t want to disappoint them, I thought it was the right career choice for me, too.  

 

College: Ignoring the signs

I spent the next 5-6 years feeling pressured to become a dentist.  I co-founded and was the vice president of a dental club, I interned at a successful dental office and did all the right steps to become the perfect dental school applicant.  

Then right before applying to dental school, I realized everything dental related was making me sad.  I initially ignored all the signs I didn’t want to be a dentist: I turned down going to a university with a high dental school admittance rating (which I should have gone to if I really wanted to become a dentist, right?), I hated all my science classes, and I delayed my dental school application process.  If I really listened to how I was feeling, I should have realized that becoming a dentist was not for me.

I felt lost, worthless, and so behind because everyone around me seemed to be on this path to their dream job, but I was tired of lying to myself and tired of wasting time on this dream my parents and I had at 13-years-old.  

Post College: Finding My Passion

Makeup and beauty was something I enjoyed since I was a child.  I loved watching my mom do her makeup, I had fun giving my friends makeovers, and in college, I had spent my free time watching YouTube videos and learning about the latest beauty trends.   It didn’t mean anything to me then, but it was something I just enjoyed doing.  If there is something that interests you, makes you feel fulfilled or more alive, pay attention to it and see where it takes you!

After my big realization, I didn’t know what to do, all I knew was that I didn’t want to become a dentist and that beauty really interested me.  So I took a chance on a beauty startup and never looked back since. With that job, I learned so much about the beauty industry and that path lead me to get a master’s degree in business and now, a full-time beauty blogger.  Sure, I could say I could wish I realized my passion sooner, but all my failures and achievements are learning lessons. In the words of Steve Jobs, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

If you’re struggling to figure out what you want to do with your life, I hope my story helps you in some way!  Instead of listening to others on what I should do, I finally decided to follow my gut, which eventually took me to my dream career.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Olay. The opinions and text are all mine.