PICKING A CAREER IS HARD

Some children already know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. As teenagers they choose the right schools and then love their career paths as adults. For most people unfortunately that’s not the case. Picking and sticking to one career can be hard.

What did you want to be as a child?

There are many things a child is interested in. For me, it was being an austronaut, a lawyer, an interior designer, a writer, an architect, a teacher and many more. Every few months I’d have a new idea on what I want to be when I grow up.

Still, there were a few things I loved doing throughout my entire childhood. For example I enjoyed drawing, story telling and delegating other children to accomplish some kind of project I planned.

EXERCISE:
Create a list with all the things you loved doing as a child. Ask your family for help as they might remember something you forgot long ago.

Money pressure

Later on it became very unclear for me what I really want to do with my life. I realized that money was very important in our world so I started to focus on it.

After a job that paid pretty well I figured that I’d only get depressed over time in a standard office job as I felt like it had no real impact.
So, I thought about how I could make money online. I really wanted flexibility and a career that allowed me to scale my income myself, without having to beg someone else for more money.

EXERCISE:
Create a list with all the things you would do if money didn’t exist. Completely forget about the concept of money for a second and really feel what sparks your excitement. It can be anything.

Follow your strengths

When picking a career it’s easy to lose sight of what really excites you in life. You go after money but does the work fulfill you? Find your strengths and follow your interests.

EXERCISE:
Create a list with all the topics and careers that interest you. What can you see yourself doing right now?

Why focus on one role when you can do many?

One thing that always bothered me about picking a career is that you can only choose one role at a time. With so many interests, how would I ever be able to pick one?
Right now, I do many things at once and I actually love it: I am a freelance copywriter, an author and a waitress.

Of course that is not my ideal version of my life but right now it’s the best option for me. Eventually I will adjust this path and substitute my position of a freelance copywriter and waitress with something more long-term.

How do you find your purpose?

You might have already heard of the Japanese concept of IKIGAI.

This concept is a great way to help you find your purpose. You think about what you’re good at, what you love, what the worlds needs (in your eyes) and what you can be paid for. Then, you look for intersections and a central theme that keeps repeating throughout all 4 lists. It certainly helped me figure out what’s realistic for me.

Overall it can be said that picking a career is a choice you should take seriously. Think about where you want to be in 2, 15 or 40 years. What do you want to achieve in your lifetime? Don’t just chase money, create a meaningful life for yourself. Bring a positive impact to this world. I believe in you.

And never forget, life is an adventure!