Revisiting an old post….
” September 2012
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
This is the question of all questions. One that everyone at some point in their young life would have been asked and one that, even though the words may have changed, you are still faced with as you get older. When you are small, your answer is so defined and concrete – “I want to be a Fireman.” No ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ or ‘maybes’. Your career is sorted at the tender age of 6 and you’re focused….back to the Lego man you were building.
Fast forward 10 years.
A more adult take on the question flies at you: “What career path would you like to follow?” or more to the point “What do you want to do with your life?”
For some of us, the answer is still the same but for others (and this is me) the definite answer is gone, replaced by a stuttering, bumbling “Ah..um…I’m not quite sure at the moment…I wanted to be a Fireman when I was 6….” *nervous giggle* but in your head you’re saying “LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON’T KNOOOOOWWW! STOP ASKING ME!!!!!”
Why does it get so complicated? We seem to lose our focus and definite knowledge of exactly what we want. There are so many options yet there seems to be so little choice and as you grow up you’re influenced by so much- the media saying “this is where the money is”, school reports telling you “that is not your strength” and other people’s thoughts, opinions and guidance based on what they think you should be, want you to be or what they see as best for you. External input is useful but are recommendations what you want? Little children cry and throw a tantrum until they get exactly what they want – not a substitute – exactly what they want. This is only possible because they know exactly what they want.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT???
What is worth getting out of bed in the morning for, come rain or shine, wind or snow, big money or little money?
What drives you? What sets you on fire? What is important TO YOU?
Not anyone else. YOU.
I was asked those questions in an interview recently and it really struck me because I didn’t have an answer.
After having an epiphany in one of my lectures and finally admitting to myself and my family that Medicine wasn’t for me, I decided that I would take a GAP year after University, to explore my options. I figured that I’d rather spend one year searching now for the perfect career than 5 years searching after 10 years of being in the wrong profession no matter how rewarding. Even if I’ve made a mistake and later turn around and do medicine, I won’t regret having not done it earlier (I don’t think) because there was no passion for it at the time – I mean, who wants a doctor that isn’t passionate about their job? (plus have you seen Junior Doctors??..I’m ok thanks). The only problem was, it had been two years and I still hadn’t figured it out.
The only thing I did know is that I wanted to have a job I love doing. Think about it – your job is the place that you spend most of your day and hence most of your life. It’s the most productive part of your day, of your time, of your life, so why should all your energy be wasted hating what you do or be given to a company that you don’t really care for?
So I went home after the interview and considered it. I thought about school and how it was hard and kind of unfair that at the tender age of 16 we’re expected to choose specific subjects and make a definite decision on a career path that would determine what we’d do for the next 20 years! I thought about Uni and how making that decision seemed impossible after I decided against medicine. I just didn’t know what to do and every job option I had looked at either exuded zero appeal or was one that I’d have to retrain for. I wasn’t like some of my friends who had that one thing they had always wanted to do and were doing it or on their way to doing it.
But two years and nothing? I couldn’t be here next year.
I considered what I would have done differently in terms of my degree and school subjects. I reflected on where it was I got lost over the years and reflected on where my passions used to lie (in school and outside) and where they lie now. It’s really useful to look at the things you used to love doing and consider whether going back to that might be an option for you. Could those things to play a part in your future?
I considered all the industries I had previously snubbed. I went on Prospects and Milkround and my careers service and spent about two or three days reading about every single industry that was listed on those sites (very useful to do if you have the time) I looked at all the jobs in each one – even the ones in the industries that I hadn’t ever thought were for me like construction – and I wrote down all the jobs that I could possibly do regardless of my skills and qualifications. Going through them one by one helped me explore more options and completely with confidence eliminate the ones I didn’t like never to be focused on again.
I categorised them into ‘Very interested‘, ‘Somewhat interested‘, ‘Can do‘ and ‘Not at all interested‘. Those that were in the last category we never to be looked at again. Those in the ‘Can do’ category were careers that I could get into easily or without retraining because of the skills and qualifications I already possessed but was not necessarily interested in. The second category of jobs were ones I would be ok with and the first were the ones that excited me the most. I took this group of jobs and whittled them down to my top 5. They all fell into the Media and Publishing industries and I decided that this was where I should focus my time.
It might take a while but will pick one and start to explore it and see where it leads me. I aim to get work experience, look at short courses and talk to people about it and if it happens to not work out I’ll move onto the next one on my list. These jobs are in a completely different industry to what I am trained in but if I want to do something I love I guess I have to suck it up and retrain.
As much as I’ve been talking about doing what you love and want to do there are times that you might have to do what you don’t want to do in order to get what you want. For example I’m exploring these options but is still need to live day-to-day so at the moment I’ve got a part-time job . It’s not something I love but I can do it. Jobs like this one (usually from the ‘can do’ category) are called Enablers. You just have to keep in mind your reason for doing an enabler when it becomes tough to keep going.
So I’m exploring the area of Media and Publishing. On my journey I might find out that maybe it isn’t really about the job after all but the people I’d work with, or the difference the job would make and the skills I would use. I now know. Business, Media and the Arts are my areas of interest and I’m slowly finding my way.“
Have you ever thought about those questions? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you
As I’m getting older my attention to detail is becoming more fine tuned and my tolerance of somethings is being questioned. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts I love to shop but being in between jobs, with limited funds, has forced me to rethink my buying habits and consider whether what I buy is really worth the money I’m paying for it.
Fifty Two : 365 