CHOOSING A CAREER PATH

Looking at the title, we have three words to define; Choice, Career and Path. Choice consists of the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them for action. Some simple examples include deciding whether to read this article or not.

Career, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is an individual’s course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life). It is usually considered as the remunerative work (and sometimes also formal education). A career is mostly seen as a course of successive situations that make up a person’s occupation. Path is the way, the route through which you reach a destination.

In my own estimation, to choose a career path, you’ll need to consider the following factors;

PERSONAL VALUES

What’s really important to you as a person? Your values are the emotional anchor of everything you do. Satisfying careers are built on the high correlation between your personal values and the work itself. Values include money, being your own boss, travel, freedom, service to humanity, progress, power, hard work, friendliness, personal growth, status, creativity, adventure. For example, adventure could be all you want in a career. It is advisable to have positive values that can lead on to positive changes in the society. Your values should add value, in the long run.

TALENT

We all have a talent; a natural ability or disposition. You need to look for that thing you enjoy doing and you do so well without much rehearsals or tutelage. Imagine a student that likes music but was forced to study medicine. The course you read in the university alone should not dictate your career path. When you keep using your talents, you become a genius of a sort. Along the line, you can acquire information and related skills. A skill is something you have learned to do. Add skills to your talents and you already have a lucrative and fulfilling career!

DREAMS / VISIONS

Your career can also take its shape from your dreams. Do you always see yourself flying a plane or leading a social change? If you see yourself becoming a medical doctor, then you have a path to follow.

PASSION

What do you like to do so much that you almost feel guilty getting paid to do it? What excites you? What’s your hobby? Your hobby, at times, can provide a clue. What are your areas of interest? What are things you strongly like and dislike?

THE GOD FACTOR

We cannot run away from the fact that God has a plan for our lives. If you never got an opportunity to choose your parents, complexion, height, day of birth, then there is wisdom in acknowledging your Creator. He knows you inside out and knows where your potentials can be unleashed.

Whatever your career choice, personal growth is very critical. Read books, listen to talks, messages and presentations that can improve your productivity. Even if you are currently doing one job or the other to keep body and soul together, you can still make plans to convert your real passion into a career.

Cheers!