This qualitative study analyzes the career path narratives of active principals. Structural narrative analysis was supplemented with sociolinguistic theory and thematic narrative analysis to discern the similarities and differences, as well as the patterns in the language used by participating principals. Thematic analysis found four major themes in the narratives: (1) passion for teaching and education; (2) external motivation to become a principal; (3) importance of the experience as an assistant principal; and (4) recent changes in the principalship. While all of the participants acknowledged difficulties associated with the principalship, the findings revealed differences between male and female leaders' narratives in terms of structure, content, and style as well as certain similarities.