035 What Am I Going to Do When I grow up? Career Choices

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Don’t miss these Topics:

  • Consideration in making career choices to seek something better
  • Giving you permission to pursue your passion
  • Defining what your passion looks like especially for college graduates
  • Strategies to picking your options
  • Ideas around getting out in front of your post-graduation plans
  • Heightening your awareness of what makes you happy
  • Career experimentation and leaning into collecting experiences
  • Why making mistakes shouldn’t get you down or stop you
  • Move past the opinion of ONE person while looking for exceptions to the rule
  • How to relate with or combine hobby, money and work
  • Choosing between doing something and doing nothing
  • Listening to your gut (in a good way)
  • Change perspective change your world

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Raw and Unedited Transcript

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00:00:00 – 00:05:01

Hey world. It’s Andrew Scott had a great conversation today about how to find out what you wanna be. When you grow. Welcome to job seekers radio. I’m Andrew, and I’m Scott this is a production meant to provide meaningful support to you to find great careers faster. And that’s whether you’re working or not today on job seekers radio. We’re really trying to answer. What am I going to do when I grow up? That’s right. Where we’re starting with this is the idea that what if the things that I enjoy doing don’t have any relevance or obvious applicability to the job that I man or maybe I just don’t know what I wanna do. When I grow up. What do I want to do as a career? Maybe I’m in a job that really isn’t lending itself to a career. But I don’t know how to do something different. We’re starting with the premise that you have a choice that everything in life to a certain extent is choice and your career is no different. Even if you might feel like you’re trapped or stuck, especially if you’re stuck right, especially if you’re stuck. I’ve I’ve said to people over time, I don’t have to do anything, but die. I don’t have to pay taxes losing my home and everything else is choice. I could make it. It’s not a good choice. But we always have choices to make. We may not have a wide variety of choices. And that’s really what we want to address here. Well, where do you start? You know, this this whole process starts with permission. And we talk about this ad nauseam throughout our podcast is that we have to allow ourselves the opportunity to give ourselves permission that it’s okay, right? We can actually look at this idea of passion or career choice or any of these decisions. We’re gonna make for ourselves professionally that it’s okay to do these things. What started this conversation for us was a blurb that I read recently about people coming out of college and not really wanting a knowing what to do in terms of their career. They were hoping to find their passion. Because so often. We hear the phrase find your passion because that’s going to make work fun. And it’s not gonna feel like work, but that works for only some of us some of us have an idea of what that looks like our feels like while others have gone through college. They’ve gone through a general education program, and they never found that passion. And so they end up getting a general decree not knowing what to do. So that the first thing that I thought of was first of all when you’re young and you’re starting out, and you’ve got a support network that whether that’s money that you acquire during college for those few who actually had college jobs that paid well, whatever that looks like randomly pick things that you feel good about that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t have to look like a career right now. The idea is you’re going to be mindful of how to turn that into a job later. But the idea really is just get out there and do things that are fun. When you have that kind of flexibility, you’re better off. Now, the other side of it is what about those people who don’t really like the work they’re doing, and they may have responsibilities to fulfil. There are ways that we can sort of slowly quietly dig into our own feelings about what we’re doing and pay attention to what makes us feel good because then you have a series of questions. You can ask yourself. The good news is if you’re coming out of college, this is the time to learn this skill because it’s likely you’re gonna get into building a family or get on later in your career and find that you’re dissatisfied with the career you’ve chosen and most of the data. We see says we’re going to have seven eight ten careers in our lives. So being really good at that transition from hey, what I have isn’t suiting me. Now, how do I get to something better? This is kind of a life skill. I also recognize that in in school as you’re being taught throughout elementary. Junior high school whatever that might be. They sell you on the fact that college is a solution all those problems of life that once you get your college degree, you’re gonna find gainful employment easily that life is going to make sense. And what I found most people that buy into that narrative come out not knowing what to do because the world really doesn’t care right? Is that we now have a decision to make s an adult with a college degree. What am I gonna do now? Yeah. I’m I would never try to talk. Anybody out of getting a college degree so often people use college degrees in terms of employment as an easy way to screen people? Oh, a you need a college degree for this job. When in fact, you probably don’t have you have enough experience. But it makes it easier for them to make the decisions and not feel responsible for effecting other people’s lives. Remember that universities? These days are all about making money as well.


00:05:01 – 00:10:04

So there are lots of variables involved. I still recommend getting a college degree. Because learning how to learn is probably the most important life skill. You’ll ever have also the idea of getting out beyond your current skill set, the university systems, generally give you challenges that you can do that you will grow by all means go for that start paying attention early on about how to make decisions that work for you. Because to your point Andrew the easy way out is to choose what somebody else tells you is going to make you happy, and you are the only person in the entire universe who can say what is going to make you happy. If you know what that is go for that and fear might be ruling your life right now. Because you’re afraid of what is good or who you’re trying to please. Or gosh. What if I make the wrong decision? Will you’re young enough. You have enough runway. Go ahead and make a wrong decision. Right. Take a chance. Go try something. That’s fun. Exciting energizing different than what? People expect you to do right because making a mistake when you’re fresh out of college, and you don’t have a mortgage or a family or other obligations that constrain some of your decisions. That’s the time that I would suggest you do this. If you’re not in that situation. We’re gonna talk about this in a minute. But if you’re not in that situation, if you do have responsibilities the only thing, that’s truly different is that there are certain individuals now that you should be consulting with to make these decisions with you. But we’ll come to that in a minute. Absolutely. And so creating this exciting future really has to do with maybe even currently or in the rear view mirror. Taking a look at those activities that you participated in that give you joy excitement. I mean time evaporates just recognizing all these things that you’ve participated in. And what does that mean to you? And what skills did you use during that time? I was reading something this morning that the comment was. Is to find something that you are so passionate about that. You look up four hours after you started and think, oh where did the time go that’s the kind of work if that’s the right word, we all look for and not very many people really land there when you have the opportunity to stop for a moment and look towards the future about what you would want to keep doing those activities that energize you that bring you that joy. That’s basically where you want to go exploring. Now, there are going to be different kinds of activities that bring that kind of energy a lot of it is going to be based on your own personal style. So if you’re the type that you really love to read and do research there, something that you can start looking at what topics could you research that you would really enjoy doing the chances are pretty good that somebody else is researching that, and you may want to reach out somehow doing now networking defined those people there are others who are going to get really passionate about doing. Physical things physical activities where they can exert their own personal power. These are all things that are relative to our style. Preferences, honor those preferences. This is what we call a vocation. And if you look at the root word vocation that means calling these are things that you might be drawn to to experiment part of this is hey, let’s recognize what we’re called to. But then there’s the other part saying am I really called to that? Ryan. So part of this wrestling match that happens in this process is identifying it and then trying it. Yes. Like an experimental process. How many times have we read the quote that the only things that you regretted the things you didn’t try whenever you have a chance to try something different go for it. And if it doesn’t work what have you lost except a little bit of time. Now people say, oh, well, you’ll never get that time back. Yes. But you’ve had an experience you would never have otherwise. And you can adjust course apps. Right. So if it doesn’t work out you adjust your course, and you find the one that works for you. And. And so the next word that I thought of when we are talking here is this idea of vocation, you can take that to the next level. And think about something that’s an avocation something I call to that. I love and so that that combination is dynamite. It’s like when you get there. You’re like. Wow. Okay. This is it now there are some things that well say, for example, maybe the thing that really brings you joy is really expensive to do. So you don’t have the ability to do it very often right now don’t let that temporary roadblock. Stop you from going further. I think one of the things that I learned in my life is when I was young I allowed other people to tell me if I was good at something. Or if I was not as well suited for a specific thing as I thought it was so for example, I was doing a lot of seeing. In fact, I was a professional singer per several years, and I wanted to get into jazz, and I had a record producer tell me that.


00:10:04 – 00:15:06

I don’t have the right voice for jazz. And I was so. Supported by that I stopped. That was my biggest mistake, even if I never hit it big as a jazz singer. It was what I really wanted to do that was my mistake. So as I talked to young people now, I tell them if you’re really passionate about something tried to do what Madonna did in my estimation. And maybe an opinion of one her greatest talent is not singing it isn’t. It’s not even dancing. It’s marketing and self promotion, and look what that talented. She is a master at it. How many times does she reinvented herself? Right. This is all about marketing, don’t let somebody else’s idea. Stop you from what you’re doing get that. Dr tell yourself. No one is going to stop you only. You can stop. You. Don’t let one person’s opinion or criticism. Stop you from moving forward because you’re not looking for the rule. You’re looking for the exception to the rule. Yeah. Right. You’re not looking for the all the people the majority of people that never have tried it and have an opinion about it. Right. You on. The people that have actually tried it and been successful. Trust me is going to be a minority of people. Absolutely. But once you find that person, you’re going to know. Okay. They’re not telling me the same story. These other eighty people just told me the they’re telling me a different story this morning. Another piece that I read was on E entertainment. I think in us about Julia Louis Dreyfuss, one of the things that that she picked up on was the idea that she had the ability to do what she wanted when she started with some individuals doing theater troupe in Chicago. She had this feeling like, I don’t know about this. But it feels like it could be big. And then when she auditioned after years of of other issues and lack of success when she was called in to audition for Seinfeld how she had that same. I don’t know about this. But it feels really good and she followed her gut instinct and look at what what a great great story. You may be in a position where you’re thinking. Okay. Andrews got this. All sounds great. You know, how do I implement something like this? How do I actually go out and do it? I’m balancing all these responsibilities. I need money money as part of this process. And you know, my hobby is a hobby. I don’t know how it could generate money. So all these doubts or resistance mechanisms start coming into my mind. I I mean, how do I how do I do that? How do I do this thing? Well, there are couple of approaches that I view and it really comes back to that idea. What’s your style? What’s going to work for you personally, because it has to work for you just because it’s worked for somebody else is not a guaranteed that it will be successful in your experience. But there are two approaches that I am aware of the first one was one that my grandmother my grandmother Davis. We called her, mama. What she would tell my mom when my mom was young. And that is when in doubt do nothing it’s a proverb that comes from before her time. And I have no idea where the sources the idea was when in doubt do nothing if you don’t know what to do stop. Pit tension to what’s going on around you and the answer will come in its own time. There’s great wisdom in this. But it means that you have to practice patients something that not everyone has now the other side of it was a quote that I heard many years ago by general Patton, and that is when in doubt, do something, and this is going to be more properly for those who are more assertive or wanted faster pace getting out and doing something gives them an idea of whether or not it’s going to work. We’ll get to the bottom of your actually solve a problem. Right. I haven’t problem. Let’s solve this problem. Now, what’s brilliant about knowing both approaches is if you can straddle the line between them you’re probably going to find some success here. Because if you move too fast, you might miss something. If you don’t move fast enough, you might miss something. Right. So here we have two completely opposite approaches and both will work. So how do you think you should choose just do it? I mean, honestly, I think. About nike. Well, let’s just do it. Right. So I’m a more action oriented task oriented person. And although I like to analyze things I know at the end of the day. Some somebody’s gotta make decision. And that’s gotta be on me. So this brings him back to that idea of get back to your gut feeling stop ignoring what your what your emotions with your passions are telling you for those who are coming out of college. And they have no idea what they wanna do with their life. That gut feeling is going to be giving them a lot of information that they don’t have any practice with. So get out there and practice with it. See what happens, and if research is your thing think you’re out of way to get some research done and find the details that will put you can put that big picture together on the other hand if you are action-oriented who wanted to go out and do it do it. What have you got to lose nothing produce something? I heard this actually on a talk premise was if you change yourself because your energy if you change yourself you change the world because if the world’s energy, and you’re part of that energy as soon as you change the day.


00:15:07 – 00:20:03

Dissonance or the energy? You’re putting into the world you actually change the world. You know? It’s really interesting. You bring that up because I was having a conversation recently about somebody who thinks that is just total baloney because there’s no way that, you know, the butterfly effect that I if I’m beating my wings that that suddenly the forest fires in Guatemala going to change it, probably right? But there are also those who believe that reality is only how we individually interpret the stimuli that come to us, and that everyone is having a complete separate experience, regardless of any of those details, if you change your perspective, you change your world. And isn’t that what this is about when you get to share that with the world? Sure. And so we knew change and do what you’re called to do. And you love it. You’re actually making the world a better place. I would agree. And if you get paid to do it even better, I find myself in that situation where I get the opportunity to help people like this podcast is one method, but helping people in career transition of some. Kind whether that’s a promotion or you get laid off and he needs something else or or your burned-out put us out different. Sure, you’ve been a stay at home mom for twenty years. And you know, how do I get back into the workplace, you know, all these different things I really feel called to do because I don’t like seeing people suffer and I like to be the the aspirin the pain reliever. The person who who helps send medicate that pain all in the right way, of course, positive way. Right. Well, and this brings us back to the idea of networking, which of course, we talk about every nearly every episode here. But the idea is to ask other people what they think it doesn’t matter. I would never ask the question. What do you think I should do because no one else can answer that question? I wouldn’t even ask. What would you do if I were in my if you were in my position because they’re not? But if you start asking questions about whatever, it is that you think might interest, you find people who know something about it. Those are the people that you’re asking. Well, isn’t that the definition? Of networking, if you’re putting it out there that this is something you wanna know more about and you’re talking to someone who doesn’t know anything about it. But they know somebody else who might that’s the definition of networking. This is what we wanna do start asking questions talk to people who may know, something different. Or may have a different perspective. Maybe somebody who has a lot of experience, but don’t neglect. Those who have no experience just ideas because you might be on to something that is truly revolutionary don’t let that stop you either. And just use as a resource to meet the right people. Alright. So not everybody is going to be a home run. But they might be a base hit or lead to something better. I I was just thinking, you know, in the cycle of life. What you’re going to be when you grow up is entirely up to you. And whether you’re just out of school, or you know, somebody that’s our age. Well, I don’t have any Gregor yet. You’re you’re having me neither. They call. It Klatten platinum is the new gray. I’m going. Yeah. I guess whatever. It is be the change that you want to see in the world, you know. And I think that’s something that we can all use in our daily walk in our careers to to know that we’re actually making a difference and something else that occurs to me as for those who say, for instance, continue on the family business, and they are they may be criticized in some fashion by those who see that as being unimagined tive. If that’s really what you wanna do do it. Because again, we’re looking for the things that that we can get really deeply involved in and look up for hours later and think wow. Where did the time go without feeling Bruton having having spent those four hours doing it? We want people to be encouraged to do that. Now, obviously there are times when we’d have responsibilities whether that be a family, whether it’s you know, to your point of mortgage that you have to pay for other kinds of responsibilities that involve other people those that you have committed. Yourself to should be a part of the conversation when you’re looking to change whether it’s changing careers or whether it’s establishing a a real career. Maybe you’ve been trying something that hasn’t been paying enough. Maybe it’s something that you’ve been really successful in and made a lot of money, but you just don’t wanna do it anymore. Talk to people about some new ideas have them involved. So that you’re getting a bigger perspective. Because then it’s not as if you’re leaving them behind as you start to shift. They will be shifting with you, and it will be a much more rewarding experiences a result. Well, and you’ll have markers you’ll have people along the way that can document your success NBN and be a participant in it with you. Right. And so that’s called community and building a community is super important because those people that help you you can in turn help later. Absolutely. And I would also caution trying not to listen too much to those who tell you can’t do something whatever that looks like.


00:20:03 – 00:21:27

Oh well. Do you really think that’s wise at this point comeback with the response? Yes. It is. And then move towards back towards the ideas. People who want you to stay where you are are not going to be the ones that support you in moving forward. And if it’s somebody like a spouse this now comes into other issues because if they’re not supporting you because they’re relying on you. They are absolutely going to need to be part of the change so deeper conversations are happening there, and we’re not there persona to go there today, and we don’t play one on the radio. Now there we go. Well, I just wanted to thank you so much for joining us today to talk about career choice, and what you’re gonna do. When you grow up. I’d like to call you to our website job seekers radio dot com. You can get the show notes there, and you can also download a free resource in it’s called the anatomy of networking conversation. It’s an e book download that you can grab off of our website absolutely free to you. Just go to job seekers radio dot com forward slash zero three five to get the show notes and the free download send you over to itunes and subscribe to get future podcasts. And while you’re there if you provide us a rating or a review, we really appreciate the feedback that we get well, this is Andrew, and I’m Scott until next time be the change you want to see in the world.

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