Philosophical Disclaimer:  This post is full of deep thoughts and less of a practical career how-to-guide. Following along on this journey will require an open heart and mind.  

I am a self-proclaimed word aficionado, curious about a word’s origin, meaning, and history. When I came across the word coddiwomple, I was intrigued and inspired to share my thoughts. Coddiwomple (v.) means “to travel purposefully to an unknown destination.”

Several years ago, my mom sent me a postcard that read, “at the end of a journey, may there always be a destination”. The quote was emphasizing the destination over the actual journey. I thought it would be interesting to look at the journey and how it relates to our careers and lives; from two opposing perspectives.  This led me to wonder, would you rather travel with purpose not knowing where you’ll end up or know the destination without knowing the purpose of the journey?

There is no right or wrong answer. Your preference most likely depends on what you value most, as well as what you fear most. Here is another word that comes up when thinking about this. “Xenophobia”, a.k.a. the fear of the unknown. Interestingly enough, the meaning of xenophobia has evolved over the years and expanded to “the fear of strangers or foreigners”, which could be another reason someone might avoid traveling to or interacting with unknown cultures.   

As far as my current professional journey is concerned, I am still pursuing my career as a commercial executive in the business world while establishing myself as a career coach; working with women who aspire to climb the corporate ladder faster. This may appear confusing or contradictory to some and lacking a sense of destination.  What I can share with you is that I value the purpose of the journey over the fear of the unknown destination. I now feel as if my purpose has never been clearer.  

I seek to enable and empower others to reach their full potential in their careers and their lives. I want to share my journey of how as a female leader, I climbed the corporate ladder to the executive level so that other women can feel empowered on their journey. Additionally, I want to contribute to the success of an organization and make meaningful contributions as a leader.  

I am comfortable not knowing where my journey is taking me as long as I know its purpose. Who wants to coddiwomple along with me?