I started my career at the Wall Street Journal, before moving on

The journalist Martha MacCallum, reflecting on her long journey through the world of news and storytelling, once said: “I started my career at the Wall Street Journal, before moving on to CNBC and NBC.” At first, these words may sound like a simple record of steps along a career, but if we listen with the ears of wisdom, we find in them a teaching about growth, progress, and the sacred rhythm of moving on in life. For each stage of her path was not an end in itself, but a stepping stone to something greater, built upon the foundation of what came before.

To start at the Wall Street Journal is to begin at the heart of business and finance, where discipline of thought, precision of language, and clarity of fact are demanded. Here MacCallum learned the rigors of truth-telling in the marketplace of ideas. It was the training ground, the proving fire. But she did not remain there. As all seekers must, she gathered the wisdom of that place and then turned her gaze forward, choosing not stagnation, but the courage of moving on.

Her path then took her to CNBC and NBC, expanding her vision, broadening her voice, and deepening her influence. Each move represented not abandonment, but evolution. In the life of every man and woman, there are thresholds such as these: moments when the past has taught us all it can, and the future calls us to new arenas. Those who fear change remain where they are, clinging to safety. But those who heed the call of growth, like MacCallum, step forward, carrying with them the strength of their past into the unknown of their future.

History gives us countless reflections of this truth. Consider the journey of Abraham Lincoln, who began humbly as a rail-splitter and a small-town lawyer. He could have remained there, respected and comfortable. But each stage of his life was but preparation for the next — the statehouse, the debates, the presidency, and ultimately the leadership of a nation at war. His greatness was not born from standing still, but from continually moving on, transforming each beginning into a greater destiny.

The heart of MacCallum’s words lies in the reminder that life is a journey of phases, each with its purpose. One must not cling to the first chapter as if it were the whole book. To move on is not betrayal; it is fulfillment. The early steps are not wasted when left behind — they are carried within, woven into the fabric of one’s strength. Thus, what looks like leaving is in truth ascending.

The lesson is clear: embrace each stage of your path, but do not remain bound to it forever. Learn what you must, grow as you can, and when the time comes, take the bold step forward into the unknown. For destiny does not unfold in one place alone — it is a road with many milestones, and each one must be reached by the courage to continue.

Practical wisdom follows: ask yourself often, “Am I clinging to the past out of fear, or am I moving on toward growth?” Honor the place where you are, but keep your heart open to the next call. Carry with you the skills, lessons, and wisdom of your beginnings, and trust that they will serve you in greater ways as you ascend.

So remember, O listener, the words of Martha MacCallum: “I started… before moving on.” Let them remind you that no beginning is final, no stage is ultimate. Life is motion, and growth demands change. Walk boldly from one chapter to the next, and in doing so, you will discover the fullness of the path laid before you.