Working as a career coach and running my business Empowered Achievers, I’ve helped countless millennial women build more fulfilling careers.
Whether that be helping them to start their own side-hustle or helping them to grow their existing roles, there is one universal thing I’ve found to be important… The key to finding the right career for you begins with self-understanding.
You see, so often I meet people who are unhappy in their roles and they can’t quite figure out why. Their job seems great on paper, but deep down, there’s a part of them that’s having doubts. They’ve been scratching their head and wondering “is this really where I want to be forever?”.
They feel guilty, because by most people’s standards, they’re killing it! But…the little whisper in the back of their head isn’t getting any quieter, so they know it’s time to do something about it.
Now, if this experience has you screaming, “That’s ME!”, I see you. I get it, and I’ve been there too, my friend.
But it doesn’t have to feel scary or paralyzing. You too can have a fulfilling career you love and that’s right for you, but in order to do that, you need to get clear on you.
TRUTH: the biggest thing blocking people from fulfillment in their careers is that they’re building a career for someone else instead of for themselves.
Read that again.
It’s true. Most people who feel dissatisfied in their roles are feeling that way because they’ve been doing the things they think they “should” be doing, instead of the things they actually want to be doing. They’ve been pursuing a path that’s considered “successful” to others, without doing the inner work to ask about their own needs and fulfillment… When you do that, you get into murky territory.
Each person has their own set of needs and priorities.
For me, I’ve always loved teaching. Not only did I always play “teacher” as a kid, but I also used to gravitate towards this work in the corporate world. When there was an opportunity to run a training, I’d raise my hand to get involved. When we needed to have a team meeting and share learnings, I’d volunteer to run it. I always gravitated towards this work, so it’s no wonder that when I had my own transition where I started to build the career I wanted (and I now happily enjoy), teaching was a core component of that. I transitioned into Learning & Development at the same company I was working for, and immediately fell in love with the work. So, I immediately knew that this was the right career path for me.
That is how it happens, people. Once you take the time to get clear on the things that are important and motivating to you, then you can take conscious action to build a career in alignment with that. I guarantee, this will make you feel significantly more fulfilled.
That is the best way to do it.
So, if you’re feeling stuck and unsure about where to go next in your career, but you’re realizing that your current job might not be “it”, I encourage you to go inwards. I encourage you to ask yourself the big questions about who you are and what you’re about. I encourage you to look at your motivations, so that you can build a career around doing more of the stuff you like, and less of the stuff you don’t.
It’s as simple as that.
Start there. And of course, if you need additional support when it comes to finding the right career for you and the career you actually love, just reach out. I’m happy to help.