The Many Hats We Wear

I know hats are out of fashion except at British royal wedding, when wearing the biggest, weirdest hat seems to be some kind of competition. I still think hat-wearing is a perfect metaphor for the different roles we take in life.

Many of us will wear a huge collection of hats over the course of our lifetime. Indeed, within a single day, many of us will wear multiple hats as we juggle, or try to juggle, the things which are important to us. Many will find creative ways to “double dip” and wear multiple hats at the same time, a practice which in reality, is usually reserved for weirdos and crazy people, but can be a huge help when we’re talking about our metaphorical hats.

I thought it would be a laugh to lay out all of that hats in my metaphorical collection and try to figure out what kind of hat they would be.

My Hat Rack

In no particular order, here’s my collection of hats:

“The Husband”. I said “no particular order” but really, this is my most important hat. My relationship with my wife is the most important thing in the world to me and is the foundation of all my potential and realized success. She’s my best friend and you would do well to marry your best friend too. This hat would probably be something all-weather and rugged, like a hard hat or a mining helmet. Being in a relationship isn’t always easy and there will be ups and downs. But it’s also extremely rewarding. Kind of like mining for diamonds.

“The Family Man”. I’m a son, brother, cousin, grandson and uncle to a whole lot of people with whom I share a common ancestry. I try to make sure they know how important they are to me but I don’t always do the best job of it. This hat’s probably something equally rugged, like a cowboy hat. Actually, it’s definitely a cowboy hat since I have to represent Texas within the family.

“The Blogger”. A hat which I’m still breaking in. This is still a hobby but it’s one which I find pretty rewarding. This hat is something dapper, like a nice top hat. I consider myself a positive person so I try to project that positivity in my writing. Only you can tell me if I’m rockin’ the top hat effectively or not.

“The Employee”. A hat which most of us have in common, or at least we all have worn at one time or another. It’s an upgraded version of the “The Student” which most of us wore for a long time without getting paid. For me, this hat’s not very stylish. Maybe a boater or a pork pie hat.

“The Freelancer.” Now, this is a weird hat if you ever saw one. Not only does it have to be flashy so you can get the jobs, but it also has to be functional since you’re doing the work too. It’s tough juggling this hat and The Employee hat but the extra pay comes in handy. Probably a flashy pirate hat with a feather in it. Looks good and keeps the rain out of your eyes.

“The Real Estate Investor.” Depending upon your flavor of real estate investing, it could be any type of hat but if you’re a landlord, you need something which is “all business.” I’m thinking a pith helmet like the type worn by stereotypical safari hunters. You need to be tough when the bad tenants try to walk all over you.

“The Friend”. In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m kind of the joker in my group of friends. My sense of humor is what wins people over so I’d have to wear an equally silly hat. Like one of those court jester hats with the bells on it.

“The Physical”. As a being with a corporeal form (aka: a body), you need to use it or lose it. And since my job involves sitting at a desk for hours on end, this means I have to go out of my way to make my life a little harder and stress the system so it says fit. Normal people call this “exercise”. This hat is probably a beret: serious looking and less likely to fall off when cranking out those reps or going for a bike ride.

“The Spiritual”. When I say “spiritual”, I don’t necessarily mean belief in a higher power although that definitely falls under this term. I think everyone has a certain yearning to make the most of out their lives. Call it religion, call it self-actualization or your life’s purpose. I’m still not certain what type of hat this is but it’s probably some kind of small skullcap. That way, I could wear it under all the other hats.

There You Have It

I might have missed a few but those are all or most of the roles I play in my life. While it’s entertaining to imagine juggling all those funky hats, it’s important to recognize our roles in life and to try to be the best we can at all of them. It’s too easy to take your hat off at the end of the day and just waste time in front of the TV.

This is another hat which is “all business”.