For many, at the ripe age of 17-18 years old, newly accepted into college, you chose a major that you would stick with the rest of your lives. Or at least that’s what you thought. Once getting to college, there’s pressure to stick with the major you chose, or you end up undecided trying to find your passion. The reality of it is, you can have dozens of different passions, and not all of them are right for us to take on as a career. How do you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life when you still have so much more to learn and explorer?
Whether you had a set ten-year plan on where you will be with your career, or if you are on the opposite end with no idea what job is right for you, that is all okay. Whether you are soon-to-be graduating college or have been in the workforce for 15+ years, you may inevitably fall off course. Feeling that you are not on the right path is daunting, but the astonishing thing is you can always pick up right where you left off or start entirely over again.
Reframe your mindset
Being torn about your career is not ideal, especially in a society where you feel you have to create a façade that your entire life is perfectly arranged. When you tell yourself that you aren’t making progress towards your career goals, you will be less determined and motivated to pick up and move forward. Frame your mindset as having a minor setback or a block in the road instead of worry and doubt. This will help you find inner motivation and confidence to make decisions that will lead you towards your goals.
What have you gained?
One of the most impactful ways to accept your bump in the road is to evaluate what you have gained from this experience. Every situation you have in life is valuable, and there is always a piece of knowledge and wisdom you can take away from it. Whether that’s showing gratitude for the time you have had to think about where you want to go moving forward or grateful for past opportunities and experiences that you have had, it will make moving forward a lot easier.
Use your time wisely
Once you have started to identify where you want to go and what career path you want to take, use your time valuably. Make small steps towards your goal, whether you take online courses, earn certificates, or take up a new skill. It will not always be an easy journey to get from point A to point B, but if you use your time wisely, it will make the journey a little smoother.
Overall, it’s more than okay not to be on track or have a set plan for your career. Our likes, interests, and opinions change over time, and our career is one of them. Do what makes you the happiest at the end of the day, and work towards goals that are achievable to you. We wish you the best of luck on your journey to finding the right career.
Clutch is a creative staffing partner. We connect digital, creative, and marketing professionals with companies looking for freelance, temp-to-hire or direct hire resources.
