We were able to finish early because of four words I uttered, words that don't come easily but are always sincere: "I'm ready to commit."
My last several tasks have been about narrowing down this immense list of careers that I think I would enjoy. It's plainly impossible to pursue everything, or even a good slice of everything. For this fifth session my assignment was to do a fair amount of research on some of my top options, which had the practical by-product of forcing me to allocate my time among them. So I made out what I called my "visceral" top six:
- College career counselor
- Market researcher
- Professor of org. behavior
- I/O Psychologist
- Non-profit manager
- HS career counselor
As we worked our way down to the bottom few, it became clear that I was really just going through the motions. I'd emotionally attached to the jobs at the top of the list, actually the one at the very top of the list, so it seemed fruitless to invest a lot of time in pressing forward on all of them. So I said it: "I think I'm ready to commit to the top career on my list, college career counseling." And apparently that was a good answer, because we talked a bit more about how to move forward, then wrapped up the call after 20 minutes.
Even now as I type this entry, my MBTI "perceiving" trait is flaring up in full force. I feel almost guilty for ruling out the ones at the bottom of the list. What's wrong with being a non-profit manager?, I'm asking myself. Nothing, of course. The whole purpose of this exercise is that nothing's wrong with the 2nd or 5th or 100th choice. I just can't pursue everything at once.
The next step is to figure out what degree is most helpful for pursuing these jobs. Since there's no obvious right answer, or at least I can't find it on the Web if there is, I'm going to need to contact people in this field to talk about how to break in. In essence I want to keep two steps ahead, thinking both about school and about how to build relationships to help in my job search after school.
But at least I made a decision. I think I should feel proud.
4 comments:
I think you should be proud, too. That can be the hardest point to get to. A decision. Good on you, Philip. Now for the next step...and you are already engaged in finding out how to pursue that.
Thanks, Michaela! I appreciate the encouragement.
I'm so eager to see this process through to its conclusion that sometimes I forget to give myself credit for the incremental accomplishments.
Our preternatural intuitive ability makes many of us drawn toward counseling.
For some reason, I've always been able to see people as they truly are, which is probably why I worked as a counselor for six years.
If only it were that easy, when applied to the self.
@fairlane:
So true! I joke with everyone that I can't find a career for myself, so I'd like to learn to find careers for other people. Some people find that irony pretty cool....
So I'm guessing it must have been the 6 years counseling that drove you to the meth business. Well, it's better than Amway.
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