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How Do You Find Your Unique Niche?

"How do you identify your niche?"

By Carolann SherwoodPublished 6 years ago 9 min read
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pixabay.comWhere do you start to look for your unique niche?

  • Where Does Your Niche Lay?
  • What is Your Niche?

I have more to say about your niche in life, and I want to start with the definition of a niche. A niche can mean a couple of things that are entirely different. A niche means much more to the animal species and human beings alike. A niche is much more than a way to make a living or a place to dwell.

A niche, when referring to the human race can be a job, a hobby, a talent, a habit, a comfortable place where you live such as your home.

Of course, when you are talking about the animal species, a niche is the place where the animal makes a temporary or permanent home, a place that represents comfort and safety.

However, when I talk about your niche, it is in the human realm I am referring. I am talking explicitly about your income you need to earn to pay your rent, buy food, and pay any number of things to survive, live, and have enjoyment in your life. When you find your niche, then think about how you want to spend your free time. Is it going golfing, arts and crafts, swimming, running, or weight-lifting? The list of possibilities is endless.

You may not find your niche in life until you are well into your adult years. You may have found your niche early in life and are very comfortable and happy. This business of finding your niche is different for different people because no one is the same. No one has the same talents or interests.

Never Become Disheartened

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Some people think they found their niche,

Only to discover that what they thought would make them happy in life

Does just the opposite.

A Niche Example

Our first son took all his basic classes his first year of college. He did not know what he wanted to pursue in his life. He did not have any idea where his niche laid. At the end of that first year of college our son transferred to another college and felt that a teaching profession was calling him. He took all his classes and was starting the student teaching aspect of his education. At this point, our son was not far from earning his bachelor's degree in elementary education.

You found your niche or maybe not?

My son and his mentor teacher in elementary education let their sixth-grade class out for recess. As our son observed the students playing, he saw two of the boys get into an argument. He said neither boy touched each other, but one of the boys pulled a knife out and pointed it at the other boy. The other boy got very angry, probably justified anger, and ran off the playground before they could get to him.

This boy ran across the street to a house. My son found out after the situation exploded that this sixth grader lived in this house. As my son watched, the boy ran inside, and moments later appeared outside his home with a gun and pointed it to the school playground. Even though this boy never shot the gun, it put a scare into the children and the facility. I do not know who got the gun away from this sixth-grader, but the boy was brought under control, and the other boy who drew a knife was already being held.

My son called us and relayed this story. Our son said,

"I keep thinking about both of those boys and I have to wonder what was in that boy's mind that was so bad he felt he needed to shoot someone? I need to know how the brain works when someone gets so angry they feel like they could kill. I need to have a better understanding of the way in which the human brain works if that is at all possible. I feel like I need to do something if I can. I do not believe that being a school teacher is the right path (niche) for me, I feel that psychology is what I want to pursue."

Sometimes your unique niche can fall into your lap as it did with our son. Our son was not thinking of psychology during his student teaching year. As a matter of fact, he was not thinking of pursuing a career in psychology. This type of career had not even entered his mind until that day with these two sixth graders.

A new path can suddenly and without expectation hit anyone. If you do not have a clue what will make you happy in life, you may have to test out a few things before you know for sure where your niche lays.

Our son changed his course of study. He needed a few extra classes to get his bachelor's degree in psychology which is what he did. Our son found out that he could do nothing in psychology with a bachelor's degree. If he wanted a good paying job in mental health, he needed to earn his Master's degree, which meant a few more years of college. As he got into psychology his interest increased. He never lost interest in this new career path.

He transferred colleges again and worked hard for an additional three more years before receiving his Master's degree in psychology. He entered the mental health arena in another state and is doing well in addition to leading group therapy sessions.

Our son thought about going back to college three more years for his doctor's degree, but he says,

"I found my niche and I am comfortable and happy at this time. I do not know why I need to go any further in college because a higher degree is not going to help me with what I now enjoy doing for the rest of my life."

We agreed with him that maybe a higher degree will bring him unwanted headaches and heartache he does not want. We encouraged him to settle into positions that required his Master's Degree and if he is happy where he is at this point was alright with us.

Our son was about 25-years of age before he discovered that psychology was what made him happy. Our son has worked for two different mental health companies and is currently pleased where he works and in what he does for a living. He finally found his unique niche as an assistant director for the company he works.

Should I go to college?

College is not for everyone. If you are happy doing floor maintenance at some large company, this is alright. You must strive to be the very best employee in floor maintenance for your company. A niche is what makes you feel comfortable and happy. A niche gives you satisfaction and enjoyment. You look forward to every day to fulfill your appointed niche.

Steps to Finding Your Unique Niche

  • The first thing you must do is take a good look at what makes you happy, because there are far too many people who go to work day after day, finding their job a dreaded task.
  • What are your interests in life?
  • What are your passions?

List all the things you do that make you feel satisfied and comfortable. Remember, these things do not have to be within the job market. A niche can be what you enjoy doing in your spare time. This passion does not have to be a business you start up; it can be anything in life, income-based or not.

For example, while I was still nursing, I enjoyed garage sales, resale shopping, and flea markets. Since I retired from nursing, I believe that I have gotten busier. It is difficult for me to understand this but it is true.

I do not get to visit flea markets, garage sales, and resale shops like I used to do. When I do find the time, I cherish this niche. I guess you could say this was my niche I enjoyed in my spare time. When I was still nursing, our city only had two clothing resale shops, and I saw how the community embraced this type of shopping.

I wanted an upper scale clothing resale shop, so a friend of mine with the same passion and I started a business in clothing resale. I request part-time in nursing. My resale shop was a lot of fun, and I did not dread going to my shop, it was fun, fulfilling, and exciting. I had this shop for two years, and because illness hit my family, I had to close the doors and go back into nursing full-time. I did not dread nursing; I loved to go to work every day. Nursing was also my niche, and I felt very blessed.

If you work for the rest of your life at a job that does not bring you happiness, joy, and satisfaction, your job will drag you down and become a real burden. This type of burden brings about depression, dread, hate, and I cannot think of anything more unappealing then working at a job you hate to go to every day.

You can find your niche in life that makes you somewhat satisfied. This niche does not have to be a perfect fit. But, this niche does have to make you comfortable. If you are not happy with your niche, you have a higher risk of quitting your job. Your niche must hold an interest for you. This interest drives your motivation, determination, and success.

Your Niche in Life

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You have to make things happen in

To discover your unique niche.

How do you find your niche?

There are many questions that you must answer for yourself to find your niche in the job market, as a pastime, or hobby. These questions are as follows.

  • Where does your interest lay?
  • What do you look forward to in life?
  • What brings you enjoyment in your free time or your paying job?
  • What organizations drive you?
  • What gives you the motivation and determination to succeed?
  • Are you the perfect problem solver?
  • What do you have to do to stand out from all the rest?
  • Is your niche going to give you continuous profitability, enjoyment, drive, comfort, and satisfaction?

Sometimes your niche may fall right into your lap as it did for our son, although this is rare. Only you can identify what makes you happy and how you like to spend your time, whether it is a paying job, a hobby, or the way in which you enjoy passing the time.

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About the Creator

Carolann Sherwood

Professional nurse for over 40 years

Owned a children's daycare, eight years

Owned an upper scale clothing resale shop

A freelance writer

Editor since 2010 on a writing platform site

A published author, "Return To The Past" available on Amazon

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