By Gavin Mercier

Committing to a career path is a big deal, and one of the bigger choices that you will make in your life. “The rest of your life” is a long time, and finding a career that you will enjoy for it is a big decision. For some people, this decision might be an easy one – maybe you’ve known what you want to do since you were young. For others, however, it might be a little harder. Maybe you don’t know what you want to do, or maybe you feel like you can’t. In either case, it’s important to take a step back and take a look at what you like to do.

Take a step back

Sometimes you just need a break. Take a little bit of time to yourself and think about what you really want to do. Relax a little bit and let your mind settle before making decisions like this. When you feel ready, then you can begin to look. Start by looking at the jobs that really appeal to you, no matter how unrealistic they may be. If for some reason, you can’t do what you would like to, look at things that are similar to it. For example, if you want to be a chef but can’t get in, try starting small. Look for opportunities in the same field, because chances are you can cross over and become what you really want to be.

Take a look at your hobbies

Your hobbies best reflect what you like. Anything that you willingly do in your free must be appealing to you at least a little. So, look at the things that you enjoy doing, then look at jobs related to that activity. You’d be surprised what kind of jobs are out there, all you have to do is look. Say, for example, that you like to paint miniatures. Someone has to design those miniatures, so why can’t that someone be you? The same applies for all sorts of things, all you need to do is look.

Look at what you like to do

This might sound a lot like your hobbies, but it isn’t. Just look at the things that you enjoy doing. Things like driving, writing, painting, taking pictures, and etcetera. There are so many things that you can do with an interest. Just think a little bit outside the box. If you love to paint, you don’t have to be an artist. You can be anything from a house painter to an air brusher doing custom paint jobs on cars. The possibilities are endless, you just have to be a little creative.

Picking a career path is a tough choice, and it’s even tougher when you don’t know what you want that path to be. However, by taking a step back and looking at what you like doing, what interests you, and what you can really see yourself doing, hopefully that path will become a little clearer.