What is a good way to find my future career?

[ProjectX]

I am 23 years old and I still don't know what career to pursue. Its been a monkey on my back all the time. I also don't know whether to choose practicality or passion.

[Lauxa]

That is a very vague question. Maybe list some choices you are considering and the pros and cons of each to get the discussion going.

[shocksystems]

Originally Posted by ProjectX

I am 23 years old and I still don't know what career to pursue. Its been a monkey on my back all the time. I also don't know whether to choose practicality to passion.

ProjectX: Passion, Passion, Passion. I wish I had asked and answered this question when I was your age. I just proceeded down the practicality route without considering I had options. There are many many great books on this topic. Here are a few books I highly encourage you to read about this:

Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live
Martha Beck

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
Ph.D., Ken Robinson

Callings Finding and Following the Authentic Life
Gregg Levoy

Best wishes.

Cheers!

Jim

[ellie]

I'm with Jim, find what your passionate about.

[mcarlos]

Know what you really wanted to do and follow. Yeah, That's passion.

[Brenden Cameron]

Hey ProjectX, I can definitely relate. I'm 23 and currently at the career crossroads myself.

The classical question comes to mind:
"What would you do if you could not fail?"

When I answered this question, my answer was completely different than what I'd been studying. The thing I would do if I could not fail was something I had absolutely no training in and very little knowledge about, but something I'd always wanted to try.

I tried the job that I thought was 'practical'. Unfortunately, I found that it drained me of so much energy that it became quite impractical to continue.

So I'm revving up now to head down the passion path, and along the way, I hope to turn it into a practical one as well.

Just be honest with yourself: what do you really want?

And if you're feeling particularly courageous, tell us too!

[Andreas]

Well-stated, Brenden! I love asking that question when I ever feel myself start to get fuzzy about my goals, about what I really want. It's a great clarifier, isn't it?

Interesting that you mention the practical job drained you. In my experience, most of the time when I force myself to do something I don't actually want to do, it drains the heck out of me. I don't even want to imagine what that'd be like after years and years. And I won't have to because I have dynamic willingness, which is basically holding the attitude that success is not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN.

Dynamic Willingness alone is certainly not enough though. You've got to actually be taking action that will actually get you closer and closer to achieving the goal, too. Duh!

Reminds me of a tweet Steve wrote a few months ago:

It's dangerous not to do what you love. ...if you don't love what you're doing, you'll lose to someone who does.
- Success Built to Last

Yep.

[sling15]

You need to take an inventory of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Also what are you passionate about and what draws you. These are some things that can help you.

Personality

Your personality traits can determine which careers are best suited to you. For example:

* Are you shy or outgoing?
* Patient or impulsive?
* Good with children or adults?
* Do you like animals or machines?
* Answers to questions like these can help pinpoint careers you might excel in.

Interests

What makes you happy? If you had a spare moment, what would you do?

* Do you like to paint or draw?
* Take dance classes?
* Like the mental challenge of chess?
* Do you love to read?
* What are your hobbies?

Skills

What are you good at?

* Do you excel in sports?
* Do people call you when they're having computer problems?
* When it comes to literature, do you see beyond the writing and into the meaning intended by the author?
* Can you take a motor apart, put it back together, and have no extra parts left over?


Think about these questions carefully. Dedicate some time to yourself to be alone and answer these questions and then decide on your career. Remember when you are choosing a career that this is something that you will be doing for the rest of your life so choose carefully.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by ProjectX

I am 23 years old and I still don't know what career to pursue. Its been a monkey on my back all the time. I also don't know whether to choose practicality or passion.

Passion would be the trendy, easy and automatic answer. In these forums anyway.

Lots of people don't realise that when they take what they love most and turn it into a job, they will cease to love it.

Some things are best left as hobbies and personal interests.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by sling15

Remember when you are choosing a career that this is something that you will be doing for the rest of your life so choose carefully.

Not really.

People can and do switch careers.

Even if you stay in the "same" job, chances are that if you stay long enough, it will evolve and morph over time into something different.

There will be new products; new services; new competitors; new customer expectations; new technologies; new markets; new equipment ....

Do you remember what happened the first time Bob Dylan used an electric guitar?

[Keena]

I agree with the consensus - follow your passions. Your passions are an expression or indicator of your life purpose. Heed your intuition!
I would also agree with Godot in that some things are better left as hobbies. Sometimes you need to experiment with that though - to know which passions should stay hobbies.
Godot is also right in mentioning about not having to stay in one career. There is no reason that you would have to choose only one career. Heck, you could have several at the same time!

blessings,
Keena

[jpaulk]

"The Pathfinder" by Nicholas Lore is the most amazing career guide I have ever come across.

And if you are like me and too lazy to read the book and do all the exercises, then you can take the career test he offers from The Rockport Institute. Basically, it tests your natural abilities, talents, and personality and then you speak with a career counselor about your results.

THE BEST $500 I have ever spent.

Good luck!

[ProjectX]

Originally Posted by jpaulk

"The Pathfinder" by Nicholas Lore is the most amazing career guide I have ever come across.

And if you are like me and too lazy to read the book and do all the exercises, then you can take the career test he offers from The Rockport Institute. Basically, it tests your natural abilities, talents, and personality and then you speak with a career counselor about your results.

THE BEST $500 I have ever spent.

Good luck!

Sounds interesting. Did you spend 500 for the career counselor?

[Plays With Life]

Find your current career, first! Then you can decide on a future career.

[ProjectX]

Originally Posted by jpaulk

"The Pathfinder" by Nicholas Lore is the most amazing career guide I have ever come across.

And if you are like me and too lazy to read the book and do all the exercises, then you can take the career test he offers from The Rockport Institute. Basically, it tests your natural abilities, talents, and personality and then you speak with a career counselor about your results.

THE BEST $500 I have ever spent.

Good luck!

How about other books like "What color is your parachute?" for career searching?

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Passion would be the trendy, easy and automatic answer. In these forums anyway.

Lots of people don't realise that when they take what they love most and turn it into a job, they will cease to love it.

Some things are best left as hobbies and personal interests.

Passion does not die. What you are passionate about can change forms but you will never cease to love passion itself. You may do something you are passionate about for a while and come to the conclusion that your passion is now leading you elsewhere.

Passion is merely a guidance system. There is no end destination. Change is inevitable in all facets of life including passions.

[pjhaggerty]

I don't know what you should do for your future career, neither does anyone else here.

You can have passion, practicality, both or neither in a career, it's not a dilemna.

also, passion can develop, as can practicality (a marketable skill)

just choose something and decide so you can have the peace of mind and forward momentum.

just decide and accept you might shift course radically later on down the line as you grow.

[jcp411]

What others say about following your passion. Look up Dan Miller's 48 Days podcast. He tells so many stories of people following their passion and getting paid very well to do so. It is so encouraging to hear the stories.