by Courtenay O'Donnell

Created on: March 13, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Asking the question HOW can't help you when it comes to finding your career path. I have stood up and screamed at the top of my lungs HOW? There are all sorts of theories and career help material out there but there simply is not a map or how to manual on finding your career path. For those of us who are different and refuse to succumb to what we see around us as successful, our roads will not be paved for us.

I look around me and see wonderful people having their souls sucked out of them on a daily basis because they believe in being happy and being happy is not surrounded by money entirely. There are two people in my life right now - outside from my children, who are feeling the intense pressure right now to become something. To them I write the following, to everyone else who may be reading this I think you might feel its for you as well:

Stop the insanity! You don't have to have a degree to become something. If you are not feeling it in your self to go to college - then wait until you feel it. You have your entire life ahead of you and you don't have to be sucked into America's definition of successful. What is your passion? What do you believe in? What does that little voice inside your head push you to do? We all get so bogged down in the day to day details that we can't seem to change the things that bother us the most. We listen to those outside forces that say we have to do certain things to become successful. But if you don't feel right about what those outside forces are saying - then stop listening to their definition of successful! Their definition.. IS THEIRS NOT YOURS. They will tell you that going to college will open the door to opportunities you won't have if you don't go. OPEN THE DOOR for what? Never seeing your kids, dredging to work everyday - unhappy and stuck, a mailbox full of student loan payments that you can't really pay, ALL of it for WHAT? To appear successful to everyone else because of your SUV in the driveway and your 2.5 kids and trophy, stay at home wife.

I listen to my oldest daughter's father tell her she has to go to a certain college, she has to make certain grades and take certain classes - he literally is asking a fourteen year old girl. What she wants to do with the rest of her life. She can't even figure out what jeans she wants to wear to school the next day - much less have a life plan. He thinks he is pushing her towards what HE wants her to become in reality, he is pushing her away from anything to do with deciding

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>