Where do you see yourself in five years? Choosing a career path can be entirely overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. When it comes to your future, only you can have the final say, but there are things you can do to make your decision just a little bit easier. Consider the following factors before you make your choice.

What you like.
Considering all the time, money and energy you are going to invest into your career, you will be much better off if you actually enjoy what you’re doing. Think about your interests, your passions and your hobbies, and see if you can imagine yourself working in those fields in the future. Be honest with yourself. If you don’t thoroughly like something, then it might be difficult to put yourself through it on a daily basis. Chances are, if you are happy with the work you are doing, you will be much more motivated to succeed.

What you’re good at.
Are you a proficient public speaker? You might make a good politician. Are you great at hands-on work? You might flourish in the trades. Everyone’s good at something; you just have to figure it out. Think about your strongest subjects in school, things you’ve accomplished and so on—put these together to find the things you’re truly the best at. It is much easier to start your career off with a foundation of skills you already have, instead of starting from scratch. If you keep refining your talents, the things you’re good at now could turn out to be real assets in the future.

What’s “practical”.
Don’t think that you have to strive to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Every job is unique in its own way—and there are always ways to be successful, no matter the field. However, it might be a good idea to look at your options before settling on something. For example, there are multiple ways to pursue a music career: if performing doesn’t suit you, you can be a professional music teacher, a composer, an arranger, and much more. Make sure you have a lifeline: it’s always good to keep those options open. That being said, practicality is entirely dependent on the individual—and if you truly love what you’re doing, and you’re willing to work hard, there is absolutely nothing holding you back from reaching the top.

Now, the trick is, what’s the overlap? If you can think of a career that fits into all three of those categories, chances are that it might just be the one for you. Finding the common ground between your passions, your skills, and your common sense will ensure that you’re on the path to a balanced, meaningful, and enjoyable future. Making a career decision is going to be one of the toughest things you ever do. But if you lay out the facts and keep an open mind, there is no doubt you will find the perfect job for you.