By John Hoover
Reprinted: 2003-10-25

Let's face it, most career choices are not choices at all, but people held hostage by paychecks. Most of us fall into a job; followed by a paycheck, and then become immobilized into taking any pro-active moves toward something we really love doing. How much sense does this make? We don't marry on these terms. We don't select friends on these terms. But we do spend eight, ten, twelve hours a day in work we have no passion for and a future we aren't particularly interested in cultivating. Perhaps now is the time to change all that.

It doesn't matter whether you are looking for employment or self-employment the guidelines for locating your career purpose are the same. It takes a bit of courage and self-evaluation, all of which can be difficult but will also free you to find your true career of choice.

Passion and Practicality To be an adult you must be practical. That is what we are taught. To be practical we must do what makes sense to those around us, rather than what feels right within us. Trouble is, that might make some of those around us happy, but it makes us miserable. And that is not practical. Passion is that burst of internal thrill that propels you effortlessly toward the work of realization. Passion coupled with belief, hope, and faith and can do more than move mountains; it can give your life purpose.

So set aside the practicality of those around you and begin looking at what really makes your own clock tick. Make a list of those things that you do in your off hours that make you smile. Look into your heart at the yearnings that have gone unmet. For all those activities is a means for creating a career.

Consider this, if all of us in the wrong jobs played musical chairs, we might all find ourselves in the right jobs. The accountant who hates numbers but loves helping people with their problems switches careers with the therapist who falls asleep during his sessions but loves to balance his checkbook. What if we were all doing what we were passionate about? Would our courageous move toward passion make a better world? That seems pretty practical.

Talent And Experience

Our talents are most often coupled with our passion simply because we rarely improve on areas that we have no interest. Experience does not have to be quantified in the number of paid hours. That is the hostage paycheck mentality. Life is more balanced than your checkbook, so depend on it to understand your real experience in the areas you want to pursue as a career. In other words align your talents with your life experience.

Do you volunteer at a homeless shelter? Do you belong to the society of Antique Collecting? Have you achieved weight loss and now want to teach others? These are life experiences that may not be quantified by pay, but are worth their weight in gold.

People Power

The primary power for moving toward your career of choice lies in locating others who will support you in making this goal a reality. Networking is absolutely vital to progress. Join professional organizations within your interest. Locate headhunters and recruiters that can put you in the right place at the right time. Surround yourself with powerful individuals that will pave the way and before you know it, you will be working in your career of choice.

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