How to determine your career path

Many people I interact with during my public appearances ask me if they are in the right job. I tell them that the answer is in them.

There are two key aspects here; what can I best do and am I in that career.

This feeling being based more on job satisfaction, raises the question, does it give the right returns? After all we all want a satisfying job with the right pay in the right area of work to have the best of competitive advantage.

You have invested in studies in a given area and acquired experience - that's the technical match you should look for. The other match is your heart - what you like to do as your career. One of the biggest career challenges is your ability to read your inner feelings when direction is needed.

Career dreams

Making time for you does not have to be hours at a time. Just enough time to give you clarity about your career. You can spend five minutes in the morning before you get out of bed. You can spend five minutes while you are in the shower, or ten minutes while you are driving or riding to work.

The goal is not how long, but what you do with the time you have. If you clear your mind for a few minutes each day, over time, the answers you seek will come to you.

Unless, you find the time to listen to your inner voice and when you don't spend time on your goals, your goals get lost.

Your career dreams start to vanish. What you want in your career becomes a blur. You know what you are doing in your career is not the right thing for you anymore, but you don't know how to go about finding something different.

You blame yourself. If only you were smart, creative and talented enough, then you would have a great career. A great career is possible, but not without your conscious participation and consideration.

Until you decide to take a better step, this cannot happen. There are always reasons to stay where you are. The money is good. The job market is tough. What you know is better than what you don't know. Or, is it?

It's actually harder to stay in a bad situation than to work towards happiness. Listen to your inner voice. If it says it's time to act, then listen. Decide that today is the day your career begins to change for the better.

Courage

It takes courage to move forward in your career. What happens if you are wrong? What about the people in your life who will tell you, "I told you so". But, what happens if you are right? Maybe the answer you have been hearing is there for a reason. Maybe you are meant to do something different.

Maybe you have done all you can where you are, and you are supposed to go somewhere else so you can make the difference you are always talking about. How will you know if you do not try? Tell yourself again and again that you can - until you believe it. There is no job in the world that will completely satisfy each and every aspect of a job.

Action

Do you know if your next career move will work out or not? No one knows in the beginning. All you have is what feels right, in you. If you keep moving towards what feels right and move away from what feels wrong, you will be happier. You will have more optimism and energy.

The light at the end of the tunnel will start to appear.

Taking the first step is always the hardest, but the steps get easier over time. One action today, leads to many actions completed tomorrow. The right career moves are in you. They will work out if you take the path you know you are supposed to take.

Where can you be most competitive and what career choices are available to you to explore, with the technical qualifications, experience and skills you hold. Approach your career as a long journey. U turns to make a new start leads to waste of time and effort. You cannot simply afford to do so rather keep building capacity and competence on the path you are on - that's competitive advantage.