The Choice is Yours

I've been thinking a lot lately about choices. So many of us go through life letting others make our choices for us. Granted some of the aspects of our careers are in the hands of others but many aspects are based completely on the choices we make. When thinking about you're next career move, or even the place you are currently at, it is important to have a framework for making career choices. Some questions you should ask yourself in building your framework are:

Number one: What do I value in my life and in my job? Is it balance, achievement, monetary wealth, feeling as though I am making a positive contribution, flexibility, autonomy? Knowing the answer to this key question should inform the choices you make. If you value balance over money and are offered a job that pays more but requires you to work 20 hours more a week than you currently do will you be happy in that position?

Number two: How do I define success for myself? Our society has created a clear idea of success. Make lots of money, have a big house and drive a fancy car is the simple vision of success that is presented on TV. This vision of success often does not align with your personal values or reality. Consciously deciding what success looks like for you in the short and the long term will allow you to focus on achieving what is right for you.

Number three: What am I willing to sacrifice for career success? What am I not? These questions align closely with the first two. If you know what you value and what success looks like for you, you can then decide what sacrifices you are willing to make to achieve success. Perhaps balance is important to you but you are willing to sacrifice balance for now while you establish yourself. Or maybe money is paramount to you but you may be willing to take a step back in pay to have the opportunity to earn more longterm. The key is to make these sacrifices and choices consciously and with a plan in mind.