When you were younger, what did you want to be?

I wanted to be a teacher. I would line up my dolls and teddy bears and take registration. They’d bring money for lunch time and any school trips, and then we’d start the lessons for the day.

Fifteen years later, I want to be a writer/interior designer.

Time and circumstance can change so much. Maybe you wanted to be lawyer, but you couldn’t afford the school fees. Maybe you wanted to be a scientist, but then health issues blocked your path. Maybe you wanted to be a dancer, but the fierce competition held you back.

Well…there’s no time like the present. If you are unhappy with your job, it’s time to make that change. The 2008 recession has caused so many job losses that now is a great time to re-evaluate your life.

Before you decide what you really want to do, consider the following questions.

What do you enjoy?/Would you be happy?
When we do a job that we enjoy, we can leave work with a smile on our faces. Our work is more productive because we’re not only getting money or work experience, but personal fulfilment. Plus the time passes so much faster when you’re having fun.

How long are you willing to dedicate to getting there?
If your dream is to become a doctor, architect, etc then don’t expect to be there a year from now, but do expect to be on your way. Consider what is necessary to be qualified e.g. training, work experience, a degree, previous experience, etc. If you don’t know any of this, now there’s time to go online or the library and find out. If the thought of working towards your goal for ten years is off putting, then maybe that goal is not what you really want. By that I mean if you REALLY want something, time won’t stop you.

What is your budget?
After establishing what qualifications and training is necessary, you’ll need to look over your finances. If you don’t have the funds right now, you’ll have to cut back in some areas or re-evaluate your goals. For example, if a degree is necessary for your occupation but you can’t afford the fees you could:
1)Get a loan
2)Get a second job to cover the extra expenses
3)Look at an alternative to the qualifications that you need e.g. years of experience

Are you choosing this job for yourself?
Life is too short to always put others before yourself. Yes, it is good to be selfless but not at the expense of your ultimate happiness, otherwise you may grow to resent the people you’re sacrificing for. When you choose your ideal job, try not to think about your what your parents, friends, lover, children, etc want. You are the one who’ll be doing this job for years, so what do YOU want to do?

Is your own business/self-employment for you?
Starting your own business or going freelance scares some people, but consider it. There’s no point in dreaming about doing it-now is the time to act! It’s better to try and fail than to live with regret.

Advantages:
-You can be your own boss
-You can’t be fired by yourself
-You can take time off if you need to and not worry about your job being gone when you get back

Disadvantages:
-Your money is on the line because there’ll need to be financial investment
-Until you hire more employees, you’ll be playing a much greater role e.g. maintaining your IT resources, interviewing new employees, deciding on new purchases, etc.