When I was a child and adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never had an answer. I knew adults would scoff at what I wanted to be, because I wanted to be perfect. Regardless, I worked hard to reach my goal. As an adult, I am well aware that I will never be perfect, but that doesn't erase the years of effort that I invested and strong foundation that I built before I learned that important lesson (which happened at an older age than you might expect). As a perfectionist, I have developed and learned to leverage these important skills. You could say that they are my guiding principles in life…1. Maximize efficiency. I prefer to kill at least 3 birds with each stone (Do not kill birds).2. Stay organized. Looking for things is so inefficient (See #1). 3. Never tell a lie. With adequate confidence, empathy, and knowledge, lies are never needed. Also, they are hard to keep track of (See #2).4. Never stop learning. If you do, you may find yourself lying (See #3).5. Never brag. Prove yourself with action. Bragging is inefficient, and leads to embellishment (See #1 and 3).Naturally, my passion for efficiency and organization led me to accounting. I find that I am truly happy working with spreadsheets, cross-referencing, and recalculating. For my chosen field, #1 and 2 are important skills. However, some people may be surprised to learn how important #3, 4 and 5 are. As an accountant, you are often considered an expert. We are trusted, based on that expertise. In our industry, it isn't “buyer beware”. We have a responsibility to fulfill those expectations and live up to that trust. When I chose accounting, I didn't realize how important that aspect would become to me, or how much I would enjoy helping people. Many people don’t believe me, but I truly love my field.I may not be perfect, but I am still trying because happiness doesn't only come from reaching a lofty goal. It can also come from the journey.