GO DO THAT VOODOO YOU DO SO WELL

Also, you won’t make money, he said. (Ironically, these days mental health is one of the fastestgrowing markets and there aren’t enough shrinks to go around, thanks dad!) us that must be identified when the school clock strikes Grade 9 or else we’ll fail at life. In fact, even now, I still dabble in my original dream of becoming a shrink, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll ditch the editing and join you in Psych 101.

I was fortunate that my parents were able to help financially with my education, but without the confidence and emotional support in me and my dreams, I floundered somewhat. I wasn’t a renegade, fighting for my choices and making my own way in the world, or a superhero like Siya Kolisi (the mag’s inspirational cover story). I compromised.

Iwanted to become a psychologist. But my dad was dead set against it. He wanted me to study law. Because, hey, it’s always good to have a “legal eagle” in the family, right? In those days, “shrinks” were regarded as taboo – if you went to one, it meant you were crazy; if you were one, it meant you dabbled in some kind of mysterious psychological voodoo.

As things turned out, a er a short stint studying HR at tech – which was, well, meh – and a couple of gap years, and a long career as a professional massage therapist – loved it, but it eventually took its toll on my body – I became an editor. And I’m doing just fine.

Looking around me it seems, for most people, career paths are hardly ever a straight line. There’s no perfect, cookie cutter life for each of