Note to Self: Identify a Passion, Help Another

Editor’s Note: Originally published by Nicolle Wilkinson on her LinkedIn page. Minimally edited for the MOXY platform.

On a recent morning drive to work, I was reflecting on my 30-year career as a licensed architect and certified construction manager. I had recently lost the election for Yuma City Council (I celebrated my loss with fermented grapes). So with all the free time I now have, I was thinking about the things I had started and led in the past, and, knowing those things are no longer my passion, I said, "Self, what ARE you passionate about anymore?"

I mean I could very easily just sit on my ass in my jammies bingewatching Netflix, drinking fermented grapes whilst playing with the cats. And I'd be fine with it. I've served on a lot of boards, I've mentored, coached, and taught a lot of people; I've built a lot of really big projects all over the southwestern US. I don't have anything I need to prove.

But what am I passionate about? What do I have to offer that I haven't done yet? How do I want to end my career?

When I graduated from architecture school in 1994 there were no female mentors within my reach. No one to show me the way, teach me the fatal errors to avoid, coach me how to succeed in an industry where women made up fewer than 3% when I entered the workforce after college. No one to say, “Do this, try that, go there, speak up for yourself.”

Currently I lead a monthly National Association of Women in Construction Lean In Circle. We are a mentor support circle of women in various stages of their career. And I really enjoy doing that. Additionally, for the past three years, I have volunteered through Pathful Inc. So I started thinking, “What if I combined those two things?”

I have decided to offer my time free of charge to mentor other women.

So I published the offer: If you are a young woman wanting to enter the world of architecture or construction, or you are the parent of a girl wanting to do so, OR you are a young woman just starting your career in construction...𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎 𝒐𝒇 3 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓, or longer, and spend one hour a month minimum with them online and/or partially in person if possible.

The only catch?

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.

I offered to take the first three women who contact me and commit to doing this for a year. Simple.

What’s your passion?

About the Author: Nicolle Wilkinson is a licensed architect in Arizona and the only Certified Construction Manager in private practice along the US-Mexico border between San Diego and Tucson (400 miles). Her 30-year career has focused on planning and management of complex capital improvement programs in both California and Arizona.