Today’s interview with Jon Lemberg is part of my ongoing blog-to-book project: Life After High School: Secrets To A Successful Life By Those Who Have Had Twenty Years To Think About It (or) What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. If you missed the last post, click here, otherwise, you can start at the beginning here.
Jon Lemberg
Spokane, WA
My Life In High School
Who were you in High School and how did you feel about it?
I arrived as a shy kid at the beginning of Junior year. It obviously wasn’t great to move in the middle of high school, but definitely forced me out of my comfort zone which is always a good thing. By the time I graduated I was glad we had moved to Anacortes.
What did you think your life would become when you graduated?
I knew I was going to college, but didn’t have a clear plan about what I wanted to study or do for a career. I knew I would have a family at some point, but that was going to be really far in the future… like late 20’s.
My Life After High School
What happened in your life to you, for you, and by you in the last twenty years (how have you used your time and who have you become)?
I’ll keep it simple. I’ve been very fortunate—the only negative event to speak of has been my mom’s long and ongoing fight against cancer.
In 2000 I graduated from UW, received my CPA license and started working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the area of auditing. In 2002 I left PwC to work for a client, Plum Creek Timber, in their real estate finance group. In 2003 my wife, Bridget, and I got married (we met and started dating while at UW).
Our first son, Luke, was born in 2006. We moved to Spokane in 2007 when I took my current job at the Inland Group. My son, Nolan, was born in 2008 followed by my first daughter, Maggie, in 2010. We thought three kids was enough for about three years, but then decided we’d like one more.
Kate was born in 2014 (and we’re done). During the school year we spend a lot of time watching kids sports. We spend most of the summer at Loon Lake, North of Spokane. I’m a pretty driven person when it comes to work—and I enjoy what I do… but am most thankful for my family. It’s exciting to watch the kids grow, but most of the time I wish it was happening more slowly (one exception—I am looking forward to Kate being out of diapers).
My Life Lessons
What were the major life lessons and wisdom that you gained during your journey over the last 20 years?
Getting out of your comfort zone and/or taking some risks is a good thing (learned moving to Anacortes in high school and taking my current job). Look forward to the future, but enjoy the present (my goal as a dad, but sometimes a challenge).
Letter To My High School Self
If you could write your 18-year-old self (or however old you were when you graduated) a letter, and send it back in time, what would you say? What lessons, wisdom, encouragement, or warnings would you give yourself?
Stop and enjoy every phase – you’ll always be busy.
In the next post, I will begin chapter 10, entitled: Hershey.
Are you from Generation X? I want to hear what you think! Please comment below and participate in the conversation about What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. What do you wish someone told you when you were eighteen?
