suddenly i see?

We've all, no doubt, heard the kt tunstall song (over and over). Maybe even seen it featured in The Devil Wears Prada in the scene where the determined Anne Hathaway character strides through the streets of NYC suddenly transformed into a fashionably hip woman, and we see the look in her eyes: she gets "it." Suddenly fashion makes sense to her; suddenly she knows *this* is what she wants to be. I mean, suddenly she sees it, that is.

Anyway, lately, whenever I hear that song (tunstall performed it on Ellen last week), I wonder if most academics have this "suddenly seeing" moment. A moment when it just all makes sense, and we become 100% certain that this is what we want to do/be, and we stride through the halls of our institution (well more likely, the halls of numerous institutions while on this very long journey) on a mission...a clear mission...?

I've been wondering this, and then came across this. Lately I've been calling what I do (PhD work and teaching) my "career." I don't know that I was conscious of this word choice or if it even means anything per se, but it was interesting to read this post about the differences between work, career, calling, and vocation. I certainly can't imagine walking around calling this my calling.