​Do you invest in your career planning?

It’s the height of summer, peak vacation season. I hear everyone discussing their vacation plans; each detail carefully planned well in advance of the departure date. I’m guilty too. My vacation was planned 6 months in advance. But, here’s the question I ask today. Do you invest as much time and effort into planning your career?

I was guilty of ‘falling into’ my first career, even my second career, merely by circumstances. This is not unusual. I read an article recently from USAToday, published back in 2012 that speaks to this phenomenon. I went from Financial Aid Director to Insurance Associate to Accountant to Leadership Development & Coaching. Yes, it took time for me to figure out. I did it on my own, and miraculously, ended right where I belong.  It took years of self-reflection, growth, and development to figure out what the right career was for me. Happily, I was my first success story! Now, I commit my life to helping others achieve the same thing, helping them avoid the trial and error I experienced.

Yes, the right career is out there for each of us. For some of us, it takes a little more work to figure out what that is. So, while you’re on that well needed vacation this year, take some of that down time to jot down your ideal work environment, or that dream you always had but pushed away, or even the one thing you would do with your time if a paying job wasn’t necessary. Some of these dreams can very well be the start of a new career path. One where you love going to work every day, where your job fits you like a glove and if you’re really lucky, doesn’t even feel like work.
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Take it from one who learned the hard way. Life and work can be a pleasure. If you’re not happy where you are, invest in your own career planning with the energy of a vacation and change your life.