Don’t Pick A Career — Create One

This is a tough one. On one side, I believe that we should pursue a career we are passionate about. But on the other side, I think we should NOT do something we’re bad at.

So what should you do if you love something but suck at it? My opinion is to not pursue a career in that field. Treat it like a hobby instead. A lot of people love to make music, but they are not good enough to earn a living. But does that mean you should stop making music? Hell no! Go and jam with your friends — in your spare time.

• The bottom line is this: Only pursue a career that fits your strengths.

I know this is somewhat of a limited view. Some people even call it pessimistic. But I see it as realism.

Skills like writing, leadership, personal effectiveness, and persuasion are helpful to all professionals. Whether you are a coder or carpenter, you want to provide value to others. To keep doing that, you need those universal skills.

The earlier you start improving your universal skills, the more likely it is that you will be ready when you get an opportunity.

You might not see any benefits during the first few years. It’s a hard concept to grasp. Because you also don’t want to waste your time.

• No, you still have to be smart. If you don’t see any results, be hard on yourself. But always be willing to start at the bottom.
• Forget about your ego.
• No one is good enough to do certain things. And at some level, we’re all students.

Just look at all the kids with rich parents who give them everything. Those kids often don’t understand the value of hard work and how hard it is to make a living. There’s no honor in getting a free pass.

There’s nothing more exciting than the rush you get when you get new ideas or when you daydream about the future.

At the same time, when you have no outlook on the future at all, you feel stuck and depressed. Am I right?

• Every day, we must learn and develop ourselves.

and before you go out and say it, I will: “That’s hard!”

You and I both know that a fulfilling career doesn’t come for free. The price is hard work and effort.