Dear young professionals, having a fulfilling career I believe is something you really want to achieve. I understand you wish to have a meaningful career in a good company where you can make a remarkable difference, but have you ever sat down to think about how to achieve your dreams?
First, whatever career path you decide to take today will have a huge impact on your future. It will affect your identity and lifestyle. It can also determine your income and retirement.
But, while you have these lofty ambitions about the kind of jobs you want and how much you want to earn, it’s also important you think about how to achieve these dreams.
One way to do that is to have a serious thought about what you can do to actualize your career dreams. So, instead of taking up any job just to make money, you need to ask yourself the following questions if you're genuinely interested in having a career.
1. Am I good at what I love doing?
You love to do something does not necessarily mean you’re good at that thing. One is driven by passion, the other is governed by your mastery of that thing. And having an interest in a subject does not necessarily guarantee a career success in that subject.
For instance, you might love to sing, it doesn’t mean you have what it takes to be a professional singer. You still need a combination talent and mastery of the art to become the Michael Jackson of your time.
You can see that the love you have for doing something is never enough. This is why many career experts believe following one’s passion is not really a good career advice. The reason being that passion is not fixed. It changes over time and it could sometimes prompt you to ignore your natural talent.
2. What do people tell me I’m good at
There’s always something you are good at. You probably don’t know what it is because you yourself has not been paying attention to it.
Do people come to you to teach them something? Do they turn to you for advice? Do they praise you for a special skill? These are natural qualities you can build your career on without stress and you need to reflect on them to discover the career path to take.
Another example. There’s no point dreaming to become a footballer just because you like the game. If you don’t have talent, you will surely find it difficult to get to the top of the ladder. However, if people enjoy listening to your football analysis, you can push yourself to become sport analyst. That's obviously one area you won't struggle to establish yourself as an authority.
3. What’s holding me back?
The way you see and think about yourself can affect your career goals. Procrastination, self-doubt, fear and distraction can hold you back if you give them enough space to dominate your thoughts. Listening to the negative voice in you can bring you down and render your dreams useless.
Though, setting and achieving big goals might not be easy, but you just have to set goals, stay focused and try your best to be productive every time. If your mindset is holding you back, drag it forward with a strong determination. That's the best way to achieve your career goals.