For the average person, approximately ⅓ of their life will be spent at work. That’s over 90,000 hours over the course of a lifetime! Why spend your days dreaming of a career that fulfills you when you can take active steps to define your career path and start taking the next steps?
Step 1: Find Your Passion
What are you passionate about? According to the author of Designing Your Life, Bill Burnett, 80% of people can’t answer that question. So the first step to finding your fulfilling career is to discover what drives you and what work will be meaningful to you. If you are like most people, you will need to explore new things and master new skills to ignite your passion. It might be helpful to keep a list of your activities for a week or so and then reflect on which activities energized you and which drained you. This simple exercise can help you identify what you love to do.
Step 2: Make the Connection
Once you have a good idea of what motivates you, the next step is to connect that with what you believe, what you do, and who you are. The more closely you can connect your passion with your values and those values with the work you do, the more satisfaction you will derive from your career. Start thinking about job options that incorporate activities that energize you.
Step 3: Make a Wish List
Next, you should think about the characteristics you want in a job. Visualize your ideal environment. Do you want to be in a busy office? Or do you prefer to work independently at home? Do you thrive when keeping a regular 9-5 schedule, or do you want something more flexible? Do you enjoy helping people one-to-one, or is being behind the scenes more your style? Create a clear picture of what your dream job would look and feel like so you can begin to understand what kind of career might be right for you.
Step 4: Create an Action Plan
Now that you have identified your passions, connected them with who you are and what you believe in, and determined your ideal work environment, it is time to make a plan to move into action. Think about what next steps you will need to complete to accomplish your goals. Do you need additional education or a professional certification? Seek out people who are doing what you want to do and ask for their advice about getting started. Make an intentional plan with details and timelines. Things may change along the way, but it is helpful to focus on clear steps to reach your goal.
Step 5: Go For It!
Renowned author and career coach Barbara Sher wrote that “Endless self-analysis will only keep you stuck; action will give you new information and build new confidence.” As the saying goes, the longest journeys start with a single step. You have identified your passions, connecting them to your values, visualized what you want, and made a plan; now is the time to move into action and pursue your new dream!
If you are looking for an exciting career opportunity in your area, we invite you to learn more about owning a Crestcom Franchise. At Crestcom, we are proud to have a diverse community of franchisees who share a passion for helping people grow into better leaders.
Would you enjoy the freedom of working for yourself while also being part of a supportive network of like-minded professionals? Are you looking for a career change that improves work-life balance while providing an opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Crestcom could help you start a new path. Contact us today to find out more!
About Crestcom
Crestcom International is a trusted leadership training partner for small and medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises. Over the last 30+ years, we’ve worked with more than 1 million executives in 60 countries, helping them develop new leadership skills, make more thoughtful decisions and hone their managerial acumen. Our leadership development training programs are both accredited and award-winning.
