Pursuing a career that makes you happier can be a daunting, but rewarding process. If your job is causing you stress or anxiety, making you unhappy, or preventing you from achieving your full potential, it's time to consider finding something else. However, it's not as simple as just picking up and leaving; there are many steps to take before getting there. Take a few minutes to read through these eight steps below so that you can have the best chance at making this transition successful for yourself.
Step 1: Identify what you want to do
The first step is to identify what you want to do. This can be difficult because it requires you to be honest with yourself about what makes you happy and what doesn't. Here are some questions that will help:
- What activities do I enjoy?
- What activities am I good at?
- What activities am I not good at?
If there are any gaps between your strengths and weaknesses, consider how those might impact your decision-making process as well as how they may impact the type of work environment that would be best for you. For example, if someone has strong analytical skills but poor interpersonal skills, they may struggle in an organization where teamwork is important; however if this person chooses a career path where working alone won't hinder success (e.g., computer programming), then this could become an advantage since he/she wouldn't need anyone else's help finishing projects faster than other people who were better equipped socially speaking.
Step 2: Break down the steps
It can be overwhelming to think about all the things you need to do to pursue a career that makes you happier, so it's important to break down the steps into manageable chunks. If you try to do everything at once and make it a priority in your life, then there's no way it will work out--and even if it did work out, who wants that much stress? You're better off focusing on one or two steps at a time until they become routine and second nature before moving on to something else.
- Focus on what you can control.
- Have a plan and stick to it.
- Procrastination is a real problem for some people, but if you have good reasons for not doing something then there's no reason to feel guilty about it.
Step 3: Find mentors who can help you along the way
Mentors are people who have achieved what you want to achieve. Mentors can help you with their experience and knowledge, as well as their network of contacts. They can also give you time and support if needed.
You might be thinking "I don't know any mentors!" or "I don't have time for this." But consider this – a mentor could provide you with invaluable advice regarding the effective use of modern tools. For instance, guidance on practice management software could help make your work more efficient, leading to advancement and ultimately, more happiness in your career.
Everyone knows at least one person who has achieved something great in their career (and many more than one). Even if it's not exactly what you want for yourself, there are plenty of ways that someone's past experiences could be useful for your present situation--and even more, ways that they could be important later down the road when things change again.
Step 4: Look at your personality type, strengths, and weaknesses
In order to find a career that fits you, it's important to know your personality type. This can be done by taking a self-assessment test like DISC or Enneagram. These tools will help you understand your dominant traits and how they impact your behavior in various situations.
Once you have an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, the next step is finding a job that allows for them to shine through without putting too much stress on those areas where improvement is needed. If a job requires skills that aren't part of your natural skill set (say, if someone who excels at writing needs to learn how to manage finances), it might not be worth pursuing unless there are other factors that make up for these shortcomings (like getting paid well).
Step 5: Create a plan B, in case things don't work out as you'd hoped
If your plan A doesn't work out, you need a plan B.
While it's important to be optimistic and hopeful about your career choice, it's also good to be prepared for the worst-case scenario: that your chosen career path might not pan out as planned. If this happens and you find yourself unhappy in an industry that isn't right for you or struggling financially because of low pay (or both), then having another option in mind will help keep things from getting too stressful and overwhelming.
If you're a student, it's important to think about your future career and what options are available to you. Keep an open mind when choosing courses and jobs during school, but don't be afraid to explore new avenues if the ones you've chosen aren't working out.
Step 6: Jump in with both feet!
Once you've found a career that makes you happy and is aligned with your values, it's time to take the leap. You may be nervous about making such a big decision--and understandably so! But remember: taking action will allow you to learn more about yourself and your interests, which can help guide future decisions down the line.
If this sounds like something worth trying out, start by doing some research into the field of work that interests you most. Read articles or books written by people who work in this field; speak with friends who have experience in similar fields; talk with an expert if possible (such as an advisor at school). This will give you some insight into what exactly being employed as an artist would mean on a day-to-day basis--and whether or not it looks like something worth pursuing yourself.
We hope that by reading this, you've found some inspiration to pursue your passions and find a career that makes you happier. It can be scary to think about leaving behind what's familiar and starting over, but it's worth it if it leads you toward a more fulfilling life. Good luck!