Reflections From Craig, The Careerguyd

People often ask me:   Which jobs will have the greatest opportunity in the future?  What occupations will provide the greatest security in the future?  Or, I will see them make career decisions primarily based on what they hear about the job market. For instance, individuals who admittedly do not like working with people or science and math and are seeking training to become Registered Nurses.

What do I tell these people?  Well, I ask them what they are passionate about and I ask them what they think they have the potential to be the BEST at.  Because regardless of the job market, I earnestly believe that when a person initiates their career development within (intrinsically) and set their goals accordingly, they will ultimately find the opportunity they are looking for and their achievement in personal excellence will become their job security.  No matter how limited the job market is, if a person develops the reputation of being the BEST at what they do, therein lies their security and opportunity.  I see people avoiding occupations because the pay is low or there are not enough jobs.  These initially are valid concerns, but what if a person BOLDLY moves in a direction that allows them to channel their passion and God-given talents?

To effectively apply this strategy requires self-knowledge.  A folly of many is they have a passionate interest in something that is not commensurately matched by talent.  I love to use the example of American Idol in this instance.  There are thousands of auditions each year, each person passionate enough to stand in line for hours and possible sing before an audience of millions.  Yet ultimately, only ONE idol is selected.  Mediocrity is not sufficient to make it to the top, and thousands of aspiring idols remain in obscurity. (Though some benefit from notoriety!)

Passion can open up opportunities, but ultimately talent is what provides security.  The essence of career development is helping others discover their passions and talents, and then to encourage them to move forward in that direction. There you will most likely find security, and more importantly, satisfaction.

Forgive me for potentially alluding to a cheesy ballad from glam rock days, but it did seem like a catchy title for today. After reading this, you could say that I might have gone with a more noteworthy song from the same era, but now to the point: We all have the potential to live lives with passion and purpose so strong that we would rather die than relinquish what we live for.

The inspiration comes from Joan of Arc:

“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”

In an age of cynicism and people compromising themselves, this quote carries a timeless charisma. How are you spending each day? Are you doing the work that allows you to express your unique talents? Are you staying true to yourself and your convictions? Think of the passion and sense of purpose found in all heroic figures and realize that you too can make your life that meaningful. Strive for this and overcome the fears that hold you back. We all have the potential to live exciting and meaningful lives, so do all you can to live up to it.

I like to follow the Careers Section of the Condé Nast Portfolio.com website because, among other things, it has weekly career snapshots of individuals in some unusual occupations. This week they did a write-up on professional poker player, Tom Schneider. While Mr. Schneider was once a successful CEO for a midsized company, he now experiences wide success doing something that he is good at, passionate about, and thoroughly enjoys (although he is not crazy about taking money away from friends). And interestingly enough, a professional poker player can make upwards of 12 million dollars annually.

If you are not doing work that you are passionate about, there are many interesting and inspiring stories like Mr. Schneider’s on this web page where individuals have given up successful careers in order to follow their passions.