by Amy P Storms

Created on: October 29, 2007   Last Updated: December 30, 2011

I remember as a child, I wanted to be a police officer; then a vet; then a nurse. Wanting to be a pilot was a recurring theme throughout my childhood as well. My mind was constantly changing, and it was incredibly hard for a teenager to actually choose a career. The pressure of picking something to do "when I grew up" was encroaching faster and faster towards the end of high school. In the haste of panic and pressure, I finally picked something. This pleased my parents, my teachers and my friends, but did not necessarily please me. I spent the next six years of my life doing a law degree, before finally deciding I did not want to be a lawyer.

I do not think that I was alone in not knowing what I wanted to do with the rest of my life when I was 17. The rest of my life always just seemed so far away, and I guess I hated the idea of being trapped in one job for the remainder of it, especially if I later discovered that I did not like the job. The pressure that was put on me to figure out what I wanted to do for a living was enormous, and was not helpful in the least. I am not doing what I trained to do, and I am much happier because of it. I have however been left with significant debt for something that I am not using.

It took me many years to realize that the path I choose at the tender age of 17 is not the only path I have to follow. Yes, I may have started out there, but I am not stuck in it as people seemed to be in the past. In this day and age, career change is not only common, it is often encouraged.

I am not stating that our career and what we do for a living is not an important part of our lives. What I am saying is that it is not the only thing that is important to us, nor should it be. Whatever career you end up choosing does not define you or limit you. Often, our education and experience allow us to branch out into other areas that may be more suitable to us and our talents.

I know that most people will say that you need to figure out what you love to do, and do something in that area. This is great advice, but it is not the only advice you need. People change, lives change, new opportunities arise. If you set yourself on one path only, you may find yourself stuck. Being prepared to change paths may bring challenges, but they are not necessarily bad challenges. If I had stayed on the path I was headed, I can guarantee that I would be unhappy in my work life. This would have then made my personal life just as unhappy. Changing paths can sometimes be scary, but it can also be rewarding.

My advice for everyone is to choose your future career carefully. Choose something that interests you and that you enjoy. Don't think for one second that this choice you are making is one that you have to live with if it is not working out though. Changing careers may be scary, it may even be difficult, but it is not impossible. Working in a field that makes you unhappy is only going to corrupt other aspects of your life as well, so don't let it.

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