Q: I’m in high school and love learning, but I have no idea what I should do after I graduate. Any advice on where to start?
I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, but reality set in when I looked into the cost of schooling and the logistics of living on my own while attending college. I love school. Truthfully, if I made a living off of my AP classes, I wouldn’t mind staying in school forever. I just want to be financially stable and independent, I really don’t mind a 9-5 office job. No job seems to interest me and when I do research to figure out my plan, I feel completely hopeless. Please help me find some direction.
A: I believe your love of learning will serve you well in life, especially if you expand your understanding of learning outside of the classroom. Our lives are mini-universities and every moment can be an experiment when you try something, analyze the results, then learn!
I encourage you to start paying attention to the specific activities that bring you joy. Is is solving a difficult problem? Soaking up new information? Writing? Those can be the foundation of your future career. Job titles may not reflect what the job actually entails, so what sounds boring to you now may actually feel like soaring among the clouds once you’re actually doing it.
Knowing yourself is simply the most important part of living a meaningful life, so spend your time now doing some strategic self-examination. Using an app like My Career Design Studio can help with that. Plus, it’s fun because it’s based on the psychology behind successful games!
You may feel hopeless now, but you’ve already taken the first step. Now, take another one, and build your new career!
(This was first published on The Muse)
Sheri Mahaney has worked as a therapist, career counselor, supervisor, staff mentor, group facilitator, teacher, and consultant throughout her career in social services and higher education. Now in private practice, she created New Insights Consulting to provide national certification (NCDA FCD) and private practice tools for those getting into the career coaching field.
