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How to Know You’ve Chosen the Correct Career

Struggling in committing to a choice? Here are the signs that you chose the right career.

By Leila ParkerPublished 7 years ago 5 min read
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The question of finding the right career is intimidating for even the most prepared and well rounded of us. Often, our expectations of our future careers can be widely exaggerated and unfounded. Facing the reality that your dream career may not be a dream at all is a difficult to do. Committing to a job or career path for the majority of your life isn’t a task to be taken lightly. It is difficult to find a balance between a job that is both personally fulfilling and work that is purposeful but it is extremely important to find work that you enjoy. Settling for a job or career path that you do not necessarily enjoy sets you up to become restless and yearn for more. If you are struggling with the decision to either move on or buckle down, the following tips will help you decide if you have found the right career.

You Are Good At what You Do

It takes a great deal of effort and time to develop a skill. If you find that you far exceed your counterparts in your position or that you have a talent, it shows that you are both willing and able to learn everything you can about your career field. Becoming somewhat of an expert in your field requires determination and consistency, something that would hardly be enjoyable if you didn’t find your field satisfying. Finding the industry of genuine interest to yourself is a key to finding value and enjoyment in your work.

Maybe you aren’t a master at your job yet but if you already find yourself putting the extra hours in to exceed expectations, then you are well on your way to becoming a top performer. You enjoy learning and perfecting your trade. Practicing your skills and applying them to your job is not a chore to you. The right career should not easily bore or frustrate you. Instead it is ideal to be eager and excited about the unknown. If putting in the time and effort is enjoyable to you, then you are on the right track.

You Enjoy what You Are Doing

If you wake up in the morning excited and curious about what you will learn and accomplish at work, then this is a clear sign you have chosen the right career. There are several telltale clues that you sincerely enjoy your job and haven’t simply tricked yourself to get through the day. The work you are doing could be something that, if you had never gotten the job, you would still be doing. For instance, if you work in the photography industry and you enjoy taking pictures, you would still be doing your job regardless of whether you had a career in the industry.

When explaining what you do to people, you may find yourself rambling and continuing on far longer than your listener had expected. People may ask what you have done lately and you proudly recite what you have learned or accomplished at work. You will undoubtedly find your job more fascinating than others do. If you don't enjoy telling others what you do at work, it might be a sign that you are not indeed in the right career.

Your Life Is In Alignment

Things may feel like they are falling into place and many worries of your day to day life may become less pressing. You find yourself working in the hours you feel most inspired, creative, and productive. You have the feeling that you are on top of your game and taking life by the horns. You feel in control of your life and you create and like you can mold it into whatever you want it to be. Your career path suits your personality and the environment allows you to thrive.

You find that your schedule doesn’t rule you, but rather it serves you and allows you to flourish in your career. Your job does not take hours away from your life, but rather adds another facet to your world. The right career will not just fund your desired life, but be a part of what you want in your future.

You Find Value In the Impact of Your Work

To stay persistent and driven in your career, you need more than the benefits and a paycheck. You should, for the most part, admire your company’s mission and direction, enjoy the industry, and feel that what you do makes an impact or personally fulfills you. You have recognized a need within the world and find that you contribute to resolving this need with your work. Being a part of something much bigger than yourself and centering your success around this feeling of accomplishment brings pride to your work. Instead of focusing on how others view your career or success, you are instead connected to how you feel about your work.

While the search for the right career can be a long and treacherous one, the importance cannot be denied. Serving in a career that does not satisfy or challenge you will leave you constantly questioning your place in the world and considering alternatives. Many people feel like they are stuck in a job because they are unsure whether or not they have made the right decision. It takes serious thought and consideration to switch careers. You cannot make an emotional decision or you could find yourself in a similar place six months down the road. Without an excitement and genuine interest in what you do, you will find your job unsatisfying. The right career will not only provide you the means for success, but also personal fulfillment.

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About the Creator

Leila Parker

Newly graduated Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. I'm a cyclist who works, thinks and writes about workplace culture, behavior and self-motivation.

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