Oh gosh, I feel you. The pressure of choosing the right career and even more to crack the exam, especially in India, is one of the toughest decisions a teen makes in their life. I know you must be going through the anxiety of what to do and what to choose, whether or not it’ll be a safe and financially independent choice.
I can’t directly tell you what to do because that’s a personal decision, but I can surely share my experience, which might help you make a sensible choice. I’ll be completely honest throughout.
At the end of class 12th, I decided what I actually wanted to do in life and what would be a good enough career for me. I did a lot of research and frankly, none of it helps until you hear out your own self. So I’ll list below some simple things you need to keep in mind while choosing the right career for yourself.
1. Vision
One of the most important things that people nowadays forget to pay attention to while choosing a career is a collective vision. Choosing the right career requires patience and ultimately one big vision such as ” I want to be rich” or “I want to be a well-known identity in my career”.
The best way to figure this out is by closing your eyes and imagining your ideal life. Do you see yourself doing social work or a corporate job? Do you see yourself helping the needy or receiving a grammy? Have a big vision. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
Having a big vision is probably the best thing you can do for yourself. Do yourself a favour and think of probably the most impossible thing and make it your goal. They say, “Shoot for the moon; if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Make it your ultimate goal and add it to your vision board.
2. Interest
Whenever you come to know of a career and think of following it as your own, sit and imagine yourself 10 years from now, 20 years from now and probably 40 years from now. Will that job give you the ultimate satisfaction and happiness and will it be something you’ll enjoy doing on a day to day basis?
Maybe if you’re looking for a corporate job, can you do the same paperwork for a whole lifetime? If you’re looking for banking as your career, can you do the calculations forever? Find a profession that you can enjoy for the coming years of your life.
3. Shortlist
After you’re done with the above-mentioned steps, it’s really important to note down all the careers you may have the slightest interest in. Now, for each career that you’ve entered in your diary, find out the scope, probable salary and whether or not the job is fulfilling and satisfactory to you.
You may find interest in more than one job, in which case you can combine them in a way that you aren’t exhausted and yet giving your best to each.
You can be a banker and a YouTuber to fulfil your passion for being a singer. You can be an animator as well as a content writer for a blog. There’s always a smart way to work such things out.
In conclusion, the confusion is temporary and as you move through your life you’ll find out new career options and you may even switch, but the vision is permanent.
These are the three points that helped me to choose a career for me and I’m sure it’ll work out for you too. Eventually, through all this research and dedication, you’ll find out what you actually want to do and what is your ikigai. Don’t be scared to explore yourself and all the million possibilities available.
Sometimes it’s important to tread the road less travelled.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.