Description – What made it a watershed event? Management Essay

Watershed Event
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Watershed Event
Description – What made it a watershed event?
The phrase “change is the only constant in life” has consistently been proven to be true in my life with each stage I find myself in. However, even though the above is true, there was never a time that I found myself prepared to accommodate the change. But, as it has become the norm, I strive to fit in the change while adjusting, at times unknowingly, to the change. For some reason, I always find myself trying to fight the change and having a moment where I resist. Well, every time I arrive at this stage, I find myself either unsettled or uncomfortable no matter how prepared I may think I was. Schneiderman (2012) writes that human beings believe in change only when everything is in their favor. She continues to say that whenever change leads to the unexpected, people resort to questioning life and their “preconceived expectations about life.” The above is quite true. However, often, even when things go according to our expectations, we still find ourselves surprised and unprepared for the changes that ensue. Below is a description of an event in my life that I had been working hard for but that led me through a path of uncertainty.
Anyone who is in the Navy will tell you that they want to make Chief someday. This is everyone’s dream. Well, it was for me as well. However, I am not sure I was as prepared as I thought I would be for the changes that came with me pursuing this goal. Few things in this life offer the opportunity to derive meaning from them. Additionally, only a few things leave you with the burden of purpose and family in this life. However, I am fortunate enough to say that joining the Navy not only offered me the opportunity to derive meaning from it but also left me with the burden of purpose and family. Well, making Chief is but routine and as long as one is in the Navy, they can eventually make it Chief.
Becoming a chief in the navy is a big deal because we are considered the backbone of the Navy. For me, I had to go through eight weeks of gruesome training before I could be accepted as a chief. The process was routine and I almost knew I will make chief. However, it is what came with the tag that made this moment quite meaningful and one that I consider a turning point in my life. Aside from it being a huge milestone for me, I am inclined to say that it introduced me to a brother and sisterhood I never knew existed. The genuine love and friendship people have for one another in the Navy ought to be used as a blueprint in the world. I found myself genuinely caring about people I didn’t know and with whom we share no familial relationship. In caring for other people, I started to see life differently. Life was no longer about me and what I could achieve. For me, life became more about other people and making sure they are okay. This change helped me develop compassion for other people and I can comfortably say that making chief is a watershed event for me.
How did you experience each of the five stages of Endings: disengagement, dismantling, dis-identification, disenchantment, and disorientation?
Whenever something ends, our roles and patterns of b...