As we grow, one of the most important questions we’ll face is, “What do you want to do with your life?” For some, the answer is clear from a young age. For others, the answer comes after many twists, turns, and moments of self-doubt.
Though you may not figure it out right away or even in your early or mid adulthood, that is also ok. You may only get to have your passion be a hobby in your bathroom while you work a job you may not love. Understanding that struggle is an essential part of personal growth and the journey of life—and so is the patience required to change everything you’ve learned along the way.
The Joy of Serving: Finding Fulfillment in a Job You Love
The best job I’ve ever had was working as a server at a Mom and Pop shop. The important aspect was I had caring family like leadership that were paramount to my growth. It wasn’t just about taking orders and serving food.
It was about building relationships, providing an experience, and continuously improving my skills. I loved the sense of freedom that came with doing a job I was good at because I never had to worry about getting fired. As I honed my skills, I incorporated small, reusable techniques into my workflow that made everything easier and more efficient.
I was fortunate enough to get positive feedback from customers, including mentions in 5-star Yelp reviews. Those moments validated that I was good at what I did, and I didn’t just enjoy my job—I genuinely looked forward to it every day.
Even when things didn’t go perfectly, I was still learning and improving. Because I was so invested in the job, learning and improving was easy and natural.
But, as with any job, there are days when things aren’t as great. And when you don’t easily feel that same sense of fulfillment, when these days stack up over time it’s hard to keep the motivation going. This is what drives you to be at work every day is what you use to drive yourself through those tough days. Is this your career goal in life? Do you need money? Does it offer you valuable experience?
When you have a reason to show up, making your life there easier seems natural, and when things go wrong, you get over it quickly because you know the good days are right around the corner again.
Leaving the Comfort Zone: The Struggle of Transitioning
After leaving my server job, I felt a sense of loss. That position had been like home to me. I spent more time there than anywhere else. It taught me most of my communication skills, and I had the privilege of working under caring leadership.
But once I moved on to other roles, I realized how hard it was to find a place that had so many aspects of what I apparently wanted. I found myself in jobs I didn’t connect with, unsure of why I was there or if I’d grow in these new positions.
A few jobs after my server job, I found myself in a new part of the state, and everything was vastly different. But I tried to keep a consistent mindset. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I did know how I wanted to work.
The freedom to work remotely, from anywhere—whether from home, from the office, a coffee shop, or even abroad—was something I knew I needed in my life. I wanted a career that didn’t tie me down, one that would pay the bills while allowing me to have the flexibility to enjoy life.
Some jobs, I couldn’t keep up with. Others, I realized I wouldn’t go back to if you paid me. The anxiety that comes from switching jobs and trying to find your place can feel overwhelming, especially when you have bills to pay! When you don’t have the freedom to do what you want because of bills, debts, and responsibilities, it can be draining. But through it all, I’ve learned that it’s okay not to have everything figured out.
Not everyone has a clear vision of their future career, and that’s completely normal. Some jobs you’ll work because you have to, and hopefully, through those, you’ll figure out how to do what you want to do.
When you start in a new industry or shift careers, you have to be prepared to figure things out as you go. If a new career path doesn’t align with your previous experience or college degree, that can be discouraging, Imposter’s Syndrome is a thing for a reason, though I didn’t learn about it until recently (If you don’t know go look it up, yourself, and read about it, so you learn about it and know it from now on, because that’s what learning is). But just because the bar is higher doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. You just have to be extra patient with yourself. You’ll make mistakes along the way, but that’s okay—we’re all just learning as we go.
Breaking the Cycle: Just Do It Now
There are days when I feel like I’m making progress, and other days where I make more progress cleaning my apartment. On those days, everything seems to fall apart, and I lose motivation. But I’ve learned that the only way to break this cycle is to act—just do it now. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect answer to come. The journey may not be linear, but that doesn’t mean you’re not moving forward. I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite because I need to take my own advice as I write this, but that’s how life is—figuring out how to live well.
The Takeaway: Embrace the Journey, Not the Destination
The journey to find your career path is rarely clear, and sometimes, it’s elusive for a lifetime. But that’s part of the journey in today’s age-how to produce enough value to support your lifestyle until you di. You don’t have to have it all figured out right away, life is pretty long. There’s no shame in not knowing exactly what you want to do. The important thing is to keep trying, keep growing through each experience, and most importantly, keep moving forward. As long as you’re focused on learning and improving, the path will reveal itself over time.
