AboutJeroen R. van Olst Expertise “What do I want to do?” This, along with: “How am I going to do this?” and “Am I on the right track?” is the most frequently asked question I have received in my career as a vocational counselor to students and career advisor and coach to all-level professionals.
Experience With a vast professional and human experience in the international business community, now, for the past 15 years, I work as an independent counselor to those who want to find their talents and live a full and happy professional and personal life.
Education/Credentials BA Hotel Administration, BA Advertising. For the rest, I received my professional and personal education by working hard and with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
Question Hello. I feel that I am in the cross roads of my life. I have an MBA, and have been an accountant for 9 years. I recently got laid off, and feel this would be a good time to rethink my career choice. I want to get out of the office and use my creativity! How can I research and find such jobs that will get me out of a depressing cubicle?!?! Teresa"
Answer Dear Teresa,
Cubicles, indeed, numb the mind. All busy little bees in a hive. What a great opportunity you’re giving yourself here, to rethink your career! That’s Creative Thinking for you. Now it’s a matter of embarking on that journey to make your dreams come true. In order to do that, the first logical step would be, to know what kind of creativity you would like to get involved in. You may want to ask yourself a lot of questions, such as, What is/are my passion(s)? What do I enjoy doing? What gives me that thrill? What makes me smile? Don’t look at the obstacles you may encounter. That’s the mind playing tricks on you, playing it safe. Creativity is not safe. Creativity is having the courage to put yourself out there and surprising yourself into literally creating something you are proud of. No matter what ‘others’ have to say about it. Because this is about YOU, no one else. The funny, and good thing is, that when you do something that makes you happy, your surroundings will be happy too. If they are not, you may want to ask yourself what you are doing in that surrounding, and find a new one.
So, no bars held, let your imagination rip. Write down the things you enjoy and love to do, see, hear, smell, touch, whatever. Don’t look at ‘the money question’ just yet. Give yourself the chance to go all out. In other words, be creative. Because it is exactly that creativity that will bring you to a decision that will make you happy. Have fun with it. It’s an adventure. And we all LOVE a good adventure.
The idea that we should stick to doing just one profession in our life, is a myth. Besides, it’s not very contemporary, when we look at the world around us, which changes within blink of an eye every day.
Personally, I believe that, when something doesn’t complete or fulfill you anymore, you should stop doing it. What’s the use of doing something, just because ‘that’s the way it is, or should be’? I always ask myself, ‘Says who?’ and ‘Is that true, or am I stalling, because I know what I’ve got, but don’t know what I’ll get?’ Only one way to find out. Experience it.
So, research begins with(in) yourself, as in, “What do I enjoy?” and “What do I want?” Make your own job-descriptions. How would you like to give content to what you enjoy? Set yourself up for business. Then you may want to see what kind of a job fits that description. Turn the tables. After all, why depend on someone else to make you happy? Who knows, maybe it will even be your own business! Don’t think big bucks, think happiness and fulfillment.
What’s your aim? Make a lot of money, or doing something that gives satisfaction? In my personal and professional experience, satisfaction is better. Because, the funny thing about it is, the money comes automatically when you truly enjoy what you’re doing. Live your passion. So few people do. It’s why there are so many unhappy people around, all doing something for the wrong reason. So, listen to yourself. And always, always, do what your heart tells you, and combine that with what your (realistic) possibilities are. Be honest with yourself.
When you’ve made your list, look at the ‘hows’ of what you’ve written down. How can you make it work? Again, be creative about it. What does it take, in terms of economics, time, education? Is it realistic, at this moment, or maybe later? Don’t look into the future too much, though. Let go of the idea that you ‘have to’ do it. Pave yourself a path to get where you would like to be, and what you would like to be. Because you can do and be whatever you want. It’s all a matter of choice. Are you willing to go the length to make your dream come true? And, at the same time, be true to yourself. Not an easy thing to do, but very possible.
So what is it that you would like to do (be)? An architect? Designer? Landscaper? Painter? Writer? Reporter? All of these? And why not? You see, Teresa, it’s not so much what you will get out of it in the end, but what you’ll get out it while doing it. We love to look at our future life, while life is happening right now. Nothing wrong with that. It just doesn’t sound quite right.
Now that you’ve written down what you DO want, you can also write down what you DON’T want. Again, be honest with yourself and about the true reasons why. But those DON’T WANTS are great to be discarded immediately. You don’t have to think about them anymore, and can concentrate entirely on the DO WANTS.
Is there a second, third, best thing on your Creativity List of what you enjoy doing? If the first doesn’t work out, and you truly gave it all you have, you will have an alternative to fall back on. And when that passion hits, hold on to it, and never forget what you went through to get it.
Lacking experience in certain area? Go get it. It’s there for the taking. Maybe not tomorrow, but who says you have to have it all next week? What’s the fun of that? Enjoy the process. Build up the suspense, and smile as your work of art takes shape.
And always remember:
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain
