It’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve returned from traveling abroad alone. While the experiences and lessons were amazing, one thing is for sure: reality was waiting for me back home. Although I’m still unsure of a career path, I’m at least filled with immense gratitude that my parents are alive and healthy, I have a roof over my head, clean water, food to eat and a place to call home.
I’ve had time to reflect since being back. The early stages felt humbling and emotional. I’d missed my parents and my family so much. Heck, I missed my dogs! What I didn’t miss was the current career I had chosen. Door-to-door sales. Yes, I’m still in the ‘solar-coaster.’ The money is great but after traveling and experiencing the riches of life that money can’t buy, I can’t help but feel my gut telling me to go for broke.
Not Knowing What To Do Can Feel Scary
With my 30th birthday lingering just around the corner (October 2nd if you want to buy me presents) things have begun to feel a bit scary. I’m no longer that fresh 17-years young kid who just graduated from high school ready to tackle the world. I’ve gone through phases and identity shifts.
And now here we are again, at another point in life. Information overloads my brain daily from the internet. Everyone showing how their lives are or at least what they want us to see. Others telling us how we should live our lives. Social media advertisements telling us what to buy, how to dress and now women telling other women what type of teas to drink to get a flat tummy. Odd days these are.
The unknown is scary even when you have a sense of direction. Suffering through the terrain of life is always going to happen regardless of the trail you blaze. The point is to blaze a trail in the direction you want to go in.
Choose Something or Someone Will Choose It For You
With each person seemingly giving unsolicited guidance, the best idea is to be true to yourself and decide what it is you want to do. And if you’re still unsure of a career path, that’s totally okay. You’ll probably have to temporarily work some job you don’t like to pay bills. I’d totally recommend it. It’s totally cool to not know what to do but it’s not cool to not do anything. Don’t be one of those people who always seem to be “in-between-jobs.”
Learn to take care of yourself for the time being and gain some mental momentum. What has to happen from here is what I’ve found the most difficulty doing myself and that’s choosing an actual career. You will never get good at anything if you’re always bouncing to something else. If you want to get good at something, you’ve got to go all-in and get committed.
Have Multiple Passions?
If you’re like me, you’ve got a few things on your mind that you’d like to do. For me personally, I really enjoy writing online and providing useful content. I also love taking photos and creating really cool videos when I travel. I also love soccer and would love to travel all around the world and VLOG stadium atmospheres and match experiences. Business strategy and operations I’ve recently learned are also a strong suit of mine. You can tell what I’m unsure of what career path to take haha.
There’s a lot that I’m good at that I’m sure you’re also good at or passionate about. You’ve got to provide value for other people if you want to begin a career as a salary based employee or as a business person. When you provide value, it isn’t about you. If you just so happen to enjoy a career where you also get to deliver immense value and you get paid very well for what you do, you have hit the career path lottery.
Reach Out to The People Doing What You Want To Do
I’ve recently started taking this advice and stared to reach out to other internet marketers, content creators and videographer’s. Whenever I watch a YouTube video that catches my eye, I’ll immediately research who the videographer was. Then I’ll find them on Instagram and send them a DM to see how I can add value as well as how I can learn how they edit.
Nine out of ten times you won’t get a response. The response is not the point. What’s most important is that you continue to reach out to build the habits of success. The ‘I’m going to keep going no matter what,’ mentality. It’s the thirst for knowledge and connections that will keep you going.
Whatever your field is, find the person(s) you most want to be like and reach out to them and even reach out to their peer group on social media. Stay in the loop and stay connected. Comment on every post, like the photos, respond to tweets, etc. Serious people take serious people serious and are more willing to help.
You’ve Got The Power
The amazing thing about this all is you’ve got the final say on what job you want to pursue. You can choose a career based on money, passion, impact, joy or growth. Whatever career path you deem fit for you is totally up to you. There’s no guarantee that you’ll land the job or career of your dreams but there is a choice.
Reach out to those you look up to in the field you want to get involved in. Pour into these people by making micro-deposits into their lives by way of comments, tweets, likes and shares. Find them on linked in and then message them on their birthdays with a personal touch. Show that you actually care and are eager to learn.
None of this will work however, if you don’t pick that one thing. It’s going to be painful but you have to choose. Pick what it is you really want to do, find those mentors online and then begin cultivating those connections. Apply for that job or position and go all-in. You’ll more than likely find out that you love it or you’ll find another career path that you never would have thought of through what you initially though you wanted.