"What is the right career for me?"How often have you asked yourself that question? Or heard someone else ask it? I know that if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard it, I’d be rich.
In fact, I’ve asked myself that question many times over the course of my life. When I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut. Then a marine biologist. Then a business lady (because I absolutely loved the idea of wearing high heels to work, which still makes me laugh to this day). Around the time college selection was underway, my desire was to be an art teacher. Bycollege graduation, I had earned a degree in both Fine Art and Business, with a goal to pursue an advertising career. Finally,fast-forward another eighteen yearsand here I am, departed from advertising to a career of leadership coaching andempowering my clients.
My guess is that many of you reading this article havefelt the same way, with a shift here and a try-that there.So, how do you know what the right career choice is for you?
Beyond taking a career aptitude test or quiz from Buzzfeed – which I’d wager won’t actually answer the question for you – it’s important to know what your purpose is in life, what your passions are, what your gifts are, and what keeps you motivated.
1) Purpose
Most people confuse purpose and passion, but purpose is the philosophical idea of why you are on this earth, what you are here for, and what you are intended to do.
A less-overwhelming way to look at this is to ask yourself what your “who” is. Your “who” is essentially what drives you, defines you as a person, and makes you tick.
My “who” is being a supporter. Nothing makes me happier or gives me more fulfillment than supporting someone else, however they need it.
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2) Passion
Passion takes the idea of purpose one step further. Essentially, it'swhat gets your juices flowing.What excites you? What gets your heart beating fast? What are you willing to sacrifice for?
On my end,I love seeing women be successful in their careers, as well as watching them continue to rise up in the ranks around the globe.
3) Gifts
Whatskills, experiences, and unique offerings do you haveor want to have? What can you physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually offer to the world around you?
I am gifted in being able to see themes and break down information in a way that it can be used to tell a compelling story. I see people’s gifts, strengths, and offerings (sometimes before they do) through my abilities of being a great listener, having strong empathy and intuition, and being able totranslate ideas and themes into simple, sticky messages that resonate.
4) Motivation
What keeps you going, even when times are tough? What keeps your internal “lights on?" People tend to bepromotion- or prevention-focused when it comes to motivation – meaning you are eithergoal-oriented and motivated to reach new heights (promotion) or interested in security and protecting the things you’ve worked hard to get (prevention).
Promotion people are typically fast-paced, and theylike a challenging or changing environment and trying new things to grow and evolve. Prevention people are more analytical and like to know the details before taking action, in order to avoidpotential risk. They also take great pride in the quality of their work and recognition of their expertise. No one is completely one way or the other, but knowing what your main motivation is canbe extremely helpful when considering careers.
My motivation isthe idea of taking on new challenges andsolving new problems. Learning and trying new things is highly motivating to me, making me primarily a “promotion-motivated” person.
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Once you know the answers to these four questions for yourself,you can really start to define (or redefine) what your career path looks like. The combination of these questions pointed me down the path of being a leadership and career coach. My heart sings when I support women by helping themto become successful and building their confidence to get that next job, get promoted, become a stronger leader, or run a business. And because every human in the world is unique and different, my promotion motivation goes on and on to support every client’s needs.
Choosing a career, changing careers, or even contemplating trying new things can be equal parts scary and exciting. The fact that we work or are focused on careers for the vast majority of our lives only compounds our fear and enthusiasm. Give yourself time to really reflect on these questions. Make lists,ask your friends, family, and peers for their thoughts, and research opportunities to open your mind to your potential.
[Related:What People Think My Work Looks Like vs. What It Really Looks Like]
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Tami Chapek is a professional coach and highly-skilled marketer with a passion for building strong female leaders and brands, with a focus on career and leadership development support. She has nearly eighteen years of leadership, team coaching and development, branding, advertising and marketing strategy, tactical execution, and account management experience.
