How to decide what you want to do with your career over the following five years.

I’m dying from all these options, guys! Over the past ten years, commitment has been a problem that I’ve noticed with the people I talk to and with myself. We live in a world where things can disappear overnight. A universe of unrivalled choice and variety. A society that values “escape,” ease, and the avoidance of suffering, boredom, and difficulty. We switch between interests without giving one subject the time and attention it needs to gain traction. Who can we blame? We could engage in a wide range of activities. Aren’t we meant to experiment, try new things, and take in all the colour and variety the world has to offer? Yes. I advise everyone to do it, especially in the beginning of their careers or after they’ve dedicated a lot of time to one thing and are trying to decide what to do next. Do we not all have a “calling”? We all have a specific purpose for being on this planet, but won’t discovering it need us to attempt many different things until we find it?

Maybe… However, let’s try to think clearly for a second. Does it make sense that the more career nodes we have on our plate, the less time we spend on each one, the less effort we put into each one, and the less likely we are to see results in each node? Will it be more effective for us to spread ourselves thinly across a variety of tasks, specialties, fields of study, and careers, or will it be more effective for us to specialise more deeply in one or two areas? By the way, this is not to mean that we can’t still have hobbies or side projects. These can frequently add new knowledge that can support our main objective. But that’s the point; for optimum impact, we have a main focus on which we focus most of our time and effort. Does it make sense that there are countless things we could accomplish with our lives given that we are all complicated, multifaceted creatures with a wide range of life experiences?

This would imply that there isn’t a single calling that is perfect for us and that, as a result of its complexity, we must take charge of the situation by making a commitment to anything. Even if doing so requires saying no to a great deal of other things and doing so again for a considerable amount of time. Even if the endeavour we devote a significant portion of our lives to isn’t always joyful. Commitment. Sustaining a project. Dig deep. There are no other factors that influence career outcomes. Today, such a strategy is lacking. Let’s not overlook Ralph Waldo Emerson’s sage advice: The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”

Let’s ask some additional questions based on this logical way of thinking to determine a realistic and desirable career trajectory for you over the next decade or more.

1. What are ten to thirty things that I would (and have) enjoyed to do all day? – Create a list of 10 to 30 “nodes.”
2. Which of these has the most potential to provide me lasting fulfilment? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
3. Which item on the entire list most closely reflects my values? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
4. Which on the entire list has the greatest chance of earning the most money after three years? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
5. Which on the entire list best reflects my natural talents and strengths? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
6. Which on the entire list would make me feel more proud than the others? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
7. Which on the entire list has the potential to give me the most freedom and flexibility? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
8. Which on the entire list do I already have the best foundation, experience, or training in? – Mark the options that apply to this category with a checkmark.
9. Make a new list of five items from the results mentioned above that have the most promise, mean the most to you, and have the potential to be the most profitable. – Making a decision may require some sacrifices.
10. What one item from this list of five will I focus at least 70% of my working hours on each day for the next five years – Keep in mind that this might be independent of or integrated into current employment.

Great. Now you know what your 70% thing is. The great thing about this is that you can still do other things with the other 70% of your working hours, so you never have to worry about missing out. In my instance, I’ve agreed to devote 60–70% of my working day on non-fiction writing, and the other 30% will be split between coaching, research, and fiction writing. The other good news is that even hobbies that take up less of your time, especially if you utilise that time effectively, have the potential to produce fantastic benefits. Using that time, for instance, to write blog pieces on the side.

You will need to cut back if your extracurricular activities take up more than 30% of your time in order to devote the essential attention to your primary activity. Perhaps you decided to devote 70% of your ‘working’ day to writing novels (and all the administration and marketing that goes along with it) while spending the other 30% painting and day trading. Great. Beyond this, you can decide to delve even further more specifically. I wholeheartedly advise doing this because it will only make you stand out and increase your value in this field.

You may always alter your ratios around after a while so that you spend 70%+ of your time on something else if you need to rearrange the structure after a while and you’ve allowed for the reality that your interest and enthusiasm in anything specific often require time to be maintained. Now all you have to do is make sure you follow through on your pledge, plan your day properly, and devote the time and energy necessary to make a huge success of it. What will be your next primary area of focus?

Hi, I’m Garima and I write about life experiences. I have several books available on Amazon. Check them out today! Any purchases or KDP reads will be greatly appreciated. If you like my books, do leave a review. Here’s my author page on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0BQDZXYNV