7 Tips For Discovering What You Want From Your New Career

Here are some tips to help you in the career discovery
process. You can do them in any order that you’d like, and
feel free to skip any that you’re not comfortable with.
Achieving your dream career is a journey of self-discovery,
and finding out who you really are and what you really want
out of life can be a fulfilling exercise in itself.

Tip #1 - Discover (or re-discover) what you’re really
passionate about. If your new career isn’t something you
could feel passionate about, then it’s probably not the
right choice for you. Think about what you enjoy doing in
your spare time: your hobbies, what you like to watch on TV,
what you like to read and study, and what you like to
discuss with family and friends.

Tip #2 - Get feedback from family and friends. Talk to the
people you trust, and ask them to give you an honest
assessment of where they see you going in life (but be
prepared; you might not like the answers you get). Also ask
them what they think you’d be good at, what you’d be happy
doing, and why. But be careful when asking people you work
with these questions, especially if you plan on staying at
your current job for awhile.

Tip #3 - Do some soul searching. Think back through your
career and identify times when you felt really excited and
happy with what you were doing. Times when you were
energized by your work, and could hardly wait to get back to
the office the next day. What was it about those times that
made your work fulfilling? What would it take to recapture
that feeling in your new career?

Tip #4 - Visualize your perfect day. This is a technique
used by self-help gurus like Tony Robbins to help people
focus on what they really want in life. Find a quiet place
where you can be alone for 30 minutes or so, and then close
your eyes and picture what your perfect day would look like,
from the time you wake up to the time you went to bed. Who
would you be with? What work would you be doing? What
activities would you find stimulating and fulfilling? Be as
detailed and specific as you can. Then write it all down in
a notebook or journal.

Tip #5 - What do people ask you on a continual basis?
This is another clue as to what you’re good at, and what you
might find fulfilling in a new career (as long as it’s
something you enjoy doing). What things do you consider
yourself an expert in, either at work or at home? If you
could become a teacher in one topic, what would that topic
be? Many people have turned their hobbies and part-time
pursuits into successful careers.

Tip #6 - Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.
Too many people get caught up in what they don’t like about
their current job or career–it’s boring, they hate their
boss, there’s no room for growth, etc–instead of focusing
on what they do want out of a new career. It’s been said
more than once that positive thoughts lead to positive
change.

Tip #7 - Don’t forget to take a break. If you’re upset or
frustrated by your inability to pinpoint your ideal career,
give yourself a break. Spend some quality time with your
family or friends, take a long weekend trip, take a walk on
the beach. You’ll probably find your frustrations melting
away, and often the answers to your questions will come to
you at the most unexpected times.

Kent Johnson - author, publisher, career coach.
“Helping people realize their dreams one career at a time.”
Your Dream Career.com - your source for career tips and info
==> http://your-dream-career.com

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