***Want Career Advice? Warning: Careers Are Overrated

At some point in our lives, all of us come to ask ourselves some deep questions, such as: What is the meaning of Life? What is Love? Why do people watch Reality TV? In my book ‘Passion Pays:  How to make a living from your passions… and change the world too’, I pose another important question:
What is work really about?

This is a burning question in our current economic times as job losses, redundancies and job insecurities now force everyone to dig deep. If you are looking in the mirror and asking yourself:  “What should I do with my life?” or “Where should I go next?”, you are not alone. Students, parents, business owners, employers and employees; we are all in the same boat. Thinking about the answers to these questions can cause a lot of fear and stress. Thankfully, you can avoid that (the fear and stress, not the questions) by reviewing two things: one, how you see the world of work and two, how you see yourself in it. Then it’s easier to make choices. Let’s go through them.

How you see the world of work

Work has been considered as merely a way to make money, what is often called “the necessary evil”; but it is much more than that. Work is a source of personal worth, creative expression, family stability, peace in the community, economic growth and opportunities for enterprise develop­ment.

When it comes to jobs and careers, we dream not only of making money but also of being happy.  Yet, these two factors, making money and being happy, fluctuate all the time. The jobs that are lucrative today may lose their appeal tomorrow. What will make us feel good tomorrow may not even exist today. Manual jobs have been on the decline for decades while the service industry has been creating more and more “while collar” job titles, where work is knowledge-intensive, non-routine, and unstructured. Who would have thought of becoming an expert in social media ten years ago? What will be available to you ten years from now?

As in life, careers take twists and turns, whether chosen or accidental. The world constantly changes, opens up, brings downs barriers, invents technologies and creates new ways of life. As a result, opportunities arise that you would never have anticipated or imagined. That’s why it’s important to understand that one linear path in one area may not happen; it’s important to understand that careers are overrated.

How you see yourself in it

When you think about you and the job market, how do you see yourself working? Using your skills or talents, whatever they may be? Doing what other people say you should? Hoping to be lucky to have any job? Working full time means spending most of your (awake) time in relation to your work. This is what I highlight in the short trailer of my book Passion Pays. Your work is first a way for you to be productive, creative, contribute to the world, and yes, to be happy. You have many different sides to you and they can all be explored. However, if you view yourself as someone who can be productive, creative, contribute to the world, and yes, to be happy at work; not only will you not actively seek the opportunities to succeed but you wouldn’t even notice any such opportunities if they were right in front of you, shouting your name and wearing fluorescent colours. Don’t feel bad about this fact, it’s just the way our conscious mind works; we see what’s on our mind and miss what is not. When my sister expected her first child, she started to notice pregnant women. Yes, all of a sudden, they were “everywhere”. It’s all about what you choose to focus on. The selective attention experiments come to mind!

Making choices

Now it becomes easier to make choices about your future without fearing getting stuck or making a mistake. You can decide and commit 100% to the path you choose while staying open to changing tomorrow. This is an interesting paradox that I explain in detail throughout the book. Don't be afraid to explore and change your mind.

If you dream of one career and one career only, then by all means, give it your all. If you have many interests a curious person, this is perfectly okay too. Many people have integrated multiple subjects into their work with a bit of creativity, and so can you.

* Did you learn something here? If so, please rate my articles, ‘click!’ and it’s done! It will make me feel good too.*