Did you ever feel like you don’t know what to do with your life, or if you’re older, how you got to where you are in life with your job? I’ve felt that way many times. And each time I felt that way, there was a common thread: my gut was telling me that the job I was doing was not right for me.  But since we have to pay the bills, I kept on going to have a paycheck. It wasn’t until recently when I realized that I have a choice in what type of career I wish to have. So how did I get here? Here’s some tips that helped me figure it out.

1. Make a List

When I am making a recipe, the first thing I do is make a list of ingredients I need.  Then I go to the store and buy the things on the list. When choosing a career, it’s important to list the reasons why you want to do that. No career is worth making X number of dollars if you are not happy. You cannot put a price on happiness, period.  So, your reason for making a list is more about why you want to do something, than how you are going to get there.  Once you figure out the why, it seems everything else falls into place.  Writing your reasons down also allows you to have clarity into your career choice and creates a motivation and dedication to achieving that goal.

2. Quiet the Noise

In order to figure out what the right career path is for you, you need to block out all the other voices telling you what you should or should not be doing. I knew a young woman who elected to go to trade school after high school to learn carpentry skills to get a job as a carpenter. Her family was shocked I think just by the way they had shame in their voice when they talked about it.  I thought it was awesome and that we need more females getting into a traditionally male-dominated field because a woman could do the job.  That young woman didn’t allow her family’s opinions get into her head. She quieted the noise and followed her own voice. I saw her not too long ago and she looks happy.  I think we need to take a lesson from her and listen to our hearts and block out the naysayers and negativity.

3. Do Research

This step may seem like a no brainer that if you want to be a nurse, just Google, “What does a nurse do and earn each year?” But I’m referring to doing the kind of research you wouldn’t find on a webpage. Go to the library and read books on the subject. Or call your local hospital and ask if you could speak to a nurse, or when you’re at the doctor’s office, ask the nurses what a typical day looks like.  Look for documentaries on YouTube or Netflix that show real-life footage of what being a nurse is like.  Don’t just take a college or trade school’s word for anything in the field you wish to get into because their admissions department’s mission is to get you through their doors and sign up to be a student at their school and they will paint the picture like it’s all roses and butterflies and then you get a handsome paycheck. High school guidance counselors should also have access to a library of information on a certain career subject, but be wary of their advice. Not all guidance counselors have your best interest in mind, they might be schooled to promote certain careers.

4. What Do You Like?

Another telltale sign for you to pay attention to when trying to figure out which career path is to figure out what you like to do. What makes you smile? Brings you joy? Do you like helping people? Do you enjoy figuring out problems? Do you like working with your hands and creating something from nothing? Do you like interacting with people? Or do you prefer to work alone? Answering these questions can help you narrow down the path you would be most happy following.

5. Check Help Wanted Ads in the City or Town You’d Like to Work

This seems like it would be counterproductive if you don’t have the skills, experience or education first. No, it’s not. It’s letting you know what jobs are available in the area where you live (or where you want to live) so that you’re not wasting your time and money on training or education that won’t help you find and get a job in that field.

I hope these ideas will help you figure out what makes you want to spring out of bed and love to go to your job each day. That’s what is most important, not the money or the benefits, but whether or not your career or job choice makes you excited and brings you joy.

I wish you a lot of luck and success in whatever you do.  Let me know what types of things you do or have done to help figure out your career choice.