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What is troubling however is always listening to the stories as to how these individuals ended up in such a situation in the first place. It is in a way a problem that roots down to our upbringing or in a way to our very nature of being human which finally engulfs us and leads us to a path that in all honesty was not ours in the first place. Ask any 4 year old on what he/she would want to be when they grew up and they would tell you in all honesty the answer they find most fitting. Seeing the basic principals of a job – fireman put out fires, doctors help the sick, pilots fly the plane, etc, - the answer without doubt is the truest in the mind of the child. There are no other factors or influences involved. Now ask someone who is about to start higher education or someone who has just graduated on what sort of career they would want and the answer does not come as easy as they would like. It no longer is a simple question to answer as there are possibly various factors or combinations of forces driving this person now. Knowing that there are so many such influences around him/her; pressure of everyday life, pressure from peers, financial problems, social-life, etc, the urge to just find a direction or any direction leads to a decision that truly does not actually come from the heart. Eventually, many individuals happen to choose a particular option merely out of the fear of not succeeding or the fear of not having security. The resort to other’s opinions or follow what others are doing, or start a trainee program which they feel is proven to get them where they ought to be. I recently had a close friend ask me to help find her degree course in pharmacy here in Hong Kong or suggest something else interesting for her. Now I have known this individual for many years since high school and she had an immaculate academic record. After which she has now dropped out of two previous degree courses, and at the age of 25 she now is looking at her third attempt at a degree. This left me very concerned, and I really did not want her to be repeating the process of dropping out the course again. I asked her why pharmacy and she said she had taken some previous courses that were marginally related and she enjoyed them however she was open to others’ opinions. That sounded reasonable at first to me. I also asked her what is driving her to complete a degree course to which she told me that it was a precautionary thing in case she would ever have to work one day after marriage. I got into a conversation with John Bower the other day, who clarified it plain and simple to show me how my friend has been driven by this fear factor that she may in case one day need to work. She then resorts to looking around options and asking “others” for advice on what she should do without honestly asking herself what she wants to do. She resorts to finding answers outside when in fact she should be seeking an answer deep within her own heart. One of the methods John suggested was to ask this person to let go of this circumstance in which she is being pressured to find a work and tell her to imagine a perfect future in which she chooses to do whatever she wants. What would she want to do then, what role she can see herself playing, and what exactly finds her being content. To find out more helpful hints and possible course of action to help attain the best advice for your career moves, sign up for my newsletter and we'll keep you updated. You may also choose to include your workphone number if you wish for our staff to contact you in the near future and discuss career problems you may be facing.
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