What Should I Do For A Living?
This post originally appeared on Arrest Your Debt
1. Identify What Interests You Intellectually
When deciding what field would suit you best, it's essential to start by identifying what interests you intellectually. After all, you will not be excited to wake up in the morning if your work does not play to your strengths somehow.
One way to identify your interests is by thinking about things you have a passion for outside of work or school. For example, if you find that animals are particularly interesting, perhaps a career working with animals would be a good fit for you.
On the other hand, if social media is more your thing, maybe you should consider a career where this would be an asset, such as a photoshop illustrator or video editing.
Once you've thought about areas that interest you and what courses you enjoyed in college, it should be much easier to determine what types of careers might suit these interests.
2. Link Your Values With Your Interests
Once you've identified what areas of interest might suit your skillset, you can then more easily try to link these interests with some type of career options.
For example, if you are passionate about the environment, perhaps you could consider a job that would allow you to help protect natural resources or conserve wildlife.
On the other hand, maybe art is your passion. If this is the case, you might want to consider a career that would allow you to share your creations with others or possibly start a small business selling your art.
Regardless of your interests, it's important to consider how they would fit into potential careers before choosing one. At this point, it should be easier for you to link your unique passions with certain occupations or fields of work.
3. Try Out A Few Different Areas Before Selecting Your Career Trajectory
Try out a few different occupations. It's important not to rush yourself when trying to determine what you will do for the rest of your life. For this reason, it can be helpful to try out different careers before settling on one in particular. This way, once you've tried something new and found that perhaps accounting isn't as interesting as you thought, you can easily make a change.
Moreover, if you find that something doesn't suit you as well as you thought it would, at least now you know for sure and can make a different choice next time around. This way, when trying to determine what career path will be best for you, try out several before deciding on just one.
This will not only help you discover what types of jobs might suit your personality better, but it will also enable you to make the most informed decision possible.
4. Test Out The Waters By Taking Online Courses
Another great way to figure out what career path you should follow is to take online courses for various occupations. By taking online courses, you can learn more about what each field entails and if it might be the right fit for you.
This will help you determine which occupations are best suited for your skillset and help you decide what types of work you might most enjoy doing. Moreover, by taking online courses, it will be possible to try out different career paths without having to quit your job or invest a significant amount of time in something that may not be the right fit.
By simply signing up for an online course, you can obtain more information about potential careers and continue to figure out what type of profession may be the right choice for you, and you can do it from the comfort of your living room.
5. Take A Skills Inventory Test
Another great way to determine what type of career might be best is to take a skills inventory test. Different tests can help you evaluate your own skillset and figure out exactly where your strengths lie. Moreover, the results of these tests will give you some insight into how your personality may influence future careers that you might pursue based on the traits you show in the inventory.
Finally, it will be easier to determine which types of careers or jobs might suit you by figuring out your personality traits. This is because certain personality traits tend to fit better with some occupations over others.
6. Start Journaling
Write down what you think are your strengths. At first glance, many people find that figuring out which career they would like to pursue is a difficult task. However, it's also important to remember that you can't choose a path if you don't know where to start.
Additionally, the more information you gather about potential careers and work environments, the easier it will be to make a decision. To begin, try writing down what you think are your strengths. Once you have done this, take some time to think about how these skills might fit into specific types of work.
From there, visit online resources that will help you find jobs based on different sets of criteria such as salaries and work environments.
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7. Think About What You Truly Love Doing And Then Assess How You Can Make A Living Doing It
Another great way to determine what career path you should take is to think about what you truly love doing and then assess how that can translate into a job.
For instance, if you're passionate about animals and love taking care of them, research different careers in the veterinary field and look up entry-level positions. This will help you find out what types of tasks you will have to complete and what your day-to-day life may look like as a veterinarian. This type of research might also help determine whether or not a particular career path is a good fit for you.
In addition, by doing this, you will be able to figure out if the starting salary suits your financial needs, among other things. That being said, it's important to do a lot of research since this can help you discover what types of work might align with your skillset and interests the best.
8. When Deciding What To Do For A Living, The First And Most Important Thing Is To Look Inward
In addition to taking online courses and journaling, the first and most important thing you should do is look inward. In other words, try to determine what work environments you enjoy being a part of and which ones seem like a good fit for your personality.
By investing time into figuring out which occupations might be a good match for you, it will be possible to narrow down which careers or jobs you might enjoy pursuing. This is because some work environments, tasks, and responsibilities are more enjoyable for some people than others.
While this step doesn't guarantee that finding a job you like will be an easy feat, it's undoubtedly the most important one.
9. Figure Out What Gives You The Most Purpose In Life – And Do It
Figuring out what you should do for a living can be a complex process. However, if you're struggling to develop a career path that suits your skillset and interests, start by identifying what gives you the most purpose in life.
In other words, look for work environments or careers that make you feel excited inside. In many cases, these are the work environments where people thrive and end up being genuinely passionate about their jobs.
10. Following Your Life Purpose Will Take You To Exactly Where You Want To Go
If you can identify a work environment that makes you feel a sense of aliveness, you will likely be happy in this field. That being said, if your goal is to find a career or job that aligns with your interests and allows you to express yourself on a daily basis, following your aliveness will take you to exactly where you want to go.
As such, it's important to keep this in mind as you look for the right work environment.
11. Making Big Career Moves Should Only Be Made When You Can't Hold Back Anymore
In other words, this major life decision should come from a place of authenticity and urgency. If you're able to follow your inner wisdom and go with your gut feeling about a specific work environment or job offer, then this indicates that it might be the perfect one for you.
However, if you're hesitant and unsure of your next actions, it's best to wait before making a life-changing decision like this one.
12. Ask Yourself Who Are The People That You Enjoy Spending Time With The Most
Another great thing you can do to figure out what your life purpose is to ask yourself who are the people that you enjoy spending time with the most. If the people around you tend to be overworked and stressed all of the time or if they complain about their jobs on a regular basis, this doesn't necessarily mean that it's not the right work environment for you.
Instead, it might simply indicate that the people around you aren't passionate about what they do and that their energy is draining. If this seems like a good description of your current or past work environments, then the chances are that you will be happier somewhere else.
13. You Probably Don't Know About The Job You Will Love Yet
Remember, you don't have to know your life purpose or which work environment suits you best. All of this might take time, and it's important not to rush the process. You probably don't know about the right job title you will love yet.
Instead, follow a path that makes sense at the moment and allows you to grow while exploring different opportunities and work environments.
14. Trial And Error Is Your Friend
Trial and error is your friend. Figuring out what you should do for a living can be a long and complicated process that often involves many false starts and mistakes.
However, suppose you can avoid making important life decisions based on fear or outside pressure, such as parents or friends. In that case, you will certainly be better positioned to find the right work environment for yourself.
15. Try Everything When You're Young To Figure Out What You Should Do For A Living
This means that if you're still in school, the best thing you can do is explore different subjects and career paths. If you don't like one subject or job, it's not a big deal. Instead, move on to the next one, and eventually, you will find your life passion.
This means that if you're young, the easiest way to figure out what direction to take is to try everything when you're young. If not, it might be more difficult since other people's expectations and pressure might start affecting your decision-making process.
16. Sit down, Close Your Eyes And Think About Products You Genuinely Love
Sit down, close your eyes and think about products you genuinely love. This can be anything from a computer, video games, or a piece of furniture to a car or a shirt. Once you have thought of one product, try to visualize how it was made, who made it, and what materials were used to make it.
If this sounds like an enjoyable process for you, then the chances are that you have a passion for creating products.
17. How To Discover What To Do With Your Life?
In the end, it doesn't matter if you're a doctor or a project manager since both work environments involve responsibility, stress, and long hours. However, if your current job is not providing you with a life balance, it might indicate that it's time to move on to something that does.
In other words, this means that if you want a better work-life balance, then one of the most important things for you to do is find a job that provides such a life balance.
18. Examine Your Core Values And Determine Which Work Environments Will Allow You To Live By Them
Suppose you're not sure what your life purpose is or how to find a job that provides a good balance between responsibility, stress, and free time. In that case, it might be beneficial for you to explore different occupations based on the core values that are important to you.
For instance, if a good work-life balance is one of your top priorities in life, then make sure that the next job you get allows you to spend more time with family members and friends outside work hours.
In this case, an assistant professor can be an ideal career path for someone who wants a better work-life balance since assistant professors usually have more free time outside work than most other professionals in traditional professions such as medicine or law.
So, again, examine your core values and determine which work environments will allow you to live by them. In the end, this might be what you should be doing all along.
19. Connect The Dots And Make A List Of Your Skills
If you want to modify your current work environment to gain more life balance, it might be beneficial for you to sit down and look at the big picture. In other words, try to see how different job roles, responsibilities, and occupations are connected to each other.
Next, list all of your skills and see which ones might benefit you in various work environments. Finally, don't be afraid to explore your options and use your imagination.
20. Experiment And Find Something That You Genuinely Love
If you want to figure out what to do with your life, then there's no need for you to rush the process. In fact, instead of looking at things analytically and making a list of what should be done in order, try breaking down the problem into smaller parts such as skills and interests.
In addition, if you truly want to find something that you genuinely love, then you should experiment with different things. Try changing your environment and see what happens.
For instance, try your hand at real estate, web design, or medical assistant jobs to see which one provides a better work-life balance.
21. Connect With A Career Specialist Or Coach
Remember that you're not alone in this process. Connect with a career specialist or coach who can provide you with professional advice, guidance, and insight into what's best for your particular situation.
For instance, some assistant professors might prefer working only 8 hours per day while others might opt to have more free time during weekends.
If you want to find a better work-life balance, you should talk to assistant professors to find out how they usually handle things.
22. Re-think Your Opportunities
If you want to find something that provides an excellent work-life balance, then you should keep in mind that just because something looks great on paper, it doesn't mean that it'll be the best fit for your needs.
Re-thinking your opportunities might provide you with a better perspective into what's truly important to you. After all, don't forget that the key here is about finding a better work-life balance.
23. Try Out A Side Gig
Remember that you don't have to switch or find a new career to gain more free time ultimately. For instance, if you love spending time with family members and friends but hate the idea of working full-time for an average of 40 hours per week, then why not try out a side gig?
There are plenty of opportunities for assistant professors who want more time for themselves.
24. Regroup, Recalibrate, And Reevaluate Your Priorities
Do you want to get on the corporate ladder and work your way up? Or do you want to find something that offers you a more flexible schedule? Sometimes, we feel so overwhelmed with life and its problems that we forget what's truly important.
If this sounds like you, it might be time for you to regroup, recalibrate and reevaluate your priorities. In other words, remember how important it is to take care of yourself in order to make better decisions.
25. Ready To Start Building A Fulfilling Career?
If the time has come for you to start building a fulfilling career, then you should understand that just because something is traditional doesn't mean that it's the right choice for your particular needs and goals.
For example, if you want to find something meaningful and rewarding, it might be better to take some time off and explore the world. Remember that life is full of choices, so figure out which one works best for you.
26. Your Workday Takes Up So Much Of Your Time
You probably don't get to do everything like you want to. But you can make significant changes in your life by learning how to manage your time better.
You probably already know that managing your time isn't easy, even though it's something that many people struggle with regularly. That's why you need to take the time to analyze your daily schedule and see just how much time you're spending on things that don't matter.
You'll be surprised by what you find out. This will help you make better decisions that will give you some free time for family and friends.
27. Know Yourself
We all have different passions and interests. To find something that provides a good work-life balance, you need to know yourself, meaning what you like and don't like. For instance, maybe you love spending time with friends but hate working long hours.
If this sounds like you, it makes sense for you to think about what gives you energy instead of depleting it. Because if this is your situation, then taking some time off is probably one of the best decisions you can make to increase productivity (and maintain a good work-life balance).
There are plenty of ways for assistant professors to enjoy their lives while still building up their careers.
28. Think A Lot
Right now, you might feel like quitting your job and finding something else to do with your life. But is this really the best choice for you? The truth is that only you can make this decision because quitting requires motivation, discipline, and big plans.
Before you make any rash decisions, however, it's important to take the time to think a lot first. Then think just a little bit more. In other words, don't be too hasty when making decisions that require careful consideration and planning-especially if you're talking about leaving behind the tenure track job that provides excellent health insurance and a good work-life balance for assistant professors.
29. Reflect On What Makes People Unhappy
When it comes to achieving a good work-life balance, we should never forget that we all have different reasons for feeling unhappy. For example, maybe you're not taking care of yourself and neglecting your health.
Or perhaps you're not getting enough sleep, and that's making you cranky and irritable. The list goes on and on: debt, relationship problems, financial woes, etc.
The point is this: If something is bothering you, then now is the time to figure out what makes people unhappy, because once you understand why this happens in the first place, then it'll be a whole lot easier for you to make necessary changes. In other words, don't wait until tomorrow or next year or whenever.
30. Be Confident
Be confident that you'll find something fulfilling and rewarding. No matter where you go or what you do, it's always a good idea for assistant professors to possess skills to make them stand out.
This might not be easy at first (or anytime), but once you spend enough time doing the things that make your life worthwhile, then everything else will start to fall into place. In addition, this will give you a chance to think about what makes people unhappy and figure out why this happens in the first place.
31. Setting The Proper Expectations
When it comes to building a career, you should set reasonable expectations. Do not fall into the trap of believing that because something is easy, then you will get what you want right away (or overnight).
This is rarely the case; however, once these reasonable expectations are decided and understood, then everything else will be much easier to achieve. Or at least that's how it works for most people who enjoy a good work-life balance while still trying to build up their careers.
This might sound difficult, but it's not, especially when you understand the importance of setting the proper expectations.
Wrapping It Up
In conclusion, if you are willing to make changes in your life, there's no reason you can't enjoy what life has to offer right now. All it takes is the proper amount of preparation and hard work. Once these two factors have been met, then nothing will be able to stop you from finally achieving those long-awaited goals.