Follow your heart: choose a career because it is who you are or who you really, truly want to be.
Who says you cannot be an astronaut, author, physicist or maybe a dancer?
There is no career, dream or aspiration that is unreachable or unthinkable. Someone has to do it. Follow your heart!
It saddens me to see people taking safe careers which they don’t love. The number one stream for copping out seems to be Business Administration because people think getting a BA is safe. They do not understand how hard business is and how much passion it requires.
They think it’s just the path to take when they don’t know what to do or when they think their dream is too big and too unattainable, and that is not right.
I almost had to coerce a friend out of an Early Childhood Education program to get into Fashion Arts, which is her real passion. Another person I spoke with was in a Human Resources program, not knowing what it really is. Luckly, now she is studying her passion: law.
If you want it, get it. No matter how silly it may seem to other people. No matter how risky, ‘unstable’ or difficult people may say the job is, you should still go after it with your all. I believe that wisdom and a lot of motivation is the most unstoppable combination known to mankind. That is how we get great people, thinkers and modern-day heroes.
Someone once told me, There is always room for great people, and I believe that. No matter how impossible the odds are or how bad the economy is, great people will still thrive. Follow your heart!
Now I know this is not conventional nor is it a concrete tool you can use and apply in your life right now, but I think we need some inspiration in our lives with all the horrible things going on in the world (e.g., swine flu, Sri Lankan genocide, terrible economy). In times like these we need great people. This world is waiting for you.
Whatever career you choose, you can make a difference. You can be the next Rachael McAdams, Nelly Furtado or David Thompson.
As Seth Godin loves to say, “safe is risky.” Safe careers, safe approaches to business are risky. Everyone is trying to be safe and when everyone is doing that, it’s boring and unremarkable. Standing out and going after your dreams, however big they may be, is remarkable.
Follow your heart. Do not choose a career because of your friends or parents or the economy. Choose a career because it is who you are or who you really, truly want to be.
Photo credit: Piotr Bizior
From the experience I’ve had in the past week I just couldn’t agree more with you. I’ve just handed in my notice to a top asset management firm on Bay St. I’m taking a huge risk to hunt down the position I really want to be in and I’m so excited about the challenge ahead. I’ve played it safe for the past year, the frustration of not being able to unleash my potential has driven me crazy! Bad economy or no bad economy, someone who has confidence and potential at the start of their career should consider the long term ramifications of playing it safe.
This is inspiring. I will follow my heart. <3