Questions To Gain More Clarity In Your Career

Questions To Gain More Clarity In Your Career

I attended an event for aspiring authors seeking to compare my personal process with how others were successfully getting it done. The panel of women authors, which consisted of mothers, doctors, wives, and entrepreneurs, were all forthcoming with different avenues to publishing. What engaged me most was their candid admissions for why they decided to become authors and the various situations they had to navigate through. A newly published author myself, I was enlightened by the fact that none of us have the time to do what we love, we just get it in where we can fit it in. I thought I was the only one writing late at night, early in the morning, standing in the check out line at the grocery store, or sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office. What I discovered was I'm not alone, there are many more women who are seizing whatever time they can to incorporate their passion into their lives daily. I realized that whether you are married, single, have kids or not, there is always something competing for your time. Prioritizing what is important to you will make it easier to choose how you manage your day and what you can accomplish.

With the popularity of social media also comes the regular flow of advice from everyone who wants to tell you what to do. While it's great to be advised in areas where you may struggle, any advice is merely just a suggestion for you to consider. Ultimately only you can determine what is best for you. What works for me may not work for you for a myriad of reasons. The insight social media provides is knowing someone else has the same or similar challenges and have figured out an approach that works, which means you can too.

Here's a suggestion: If you are searching to gain clarity in your career, you have to be ready to ask yourself the difficult questions. Before you can make a solid decision about your career, knowing your starting place and your desired state will give you a map to keep you on track. In essence, when you make a choice to do one thing, you are saying "no" to something else. Life is a series of choices which shapes who you are, and in the end creates your legacy. 

• Taking time out for introspection to ask yourself the hard questions can remove doubt, creating the freedom to confidently move forward.

• Knowing what you are not willing to give up can narrow your choices, making a clear path for your plan.

• Defining what success looks like will put your decisions into perspective.

So, start with answering the question, "How do I define success?" Once you determine this, you may begin to understand what you need to be content and fulfilled. Capture your thoughts and be confident in your answers before taking action. The questions below will help to bring clarity for your career decisions. If you choose, discuss with a confidant, mentor, or career coach to get feedback on your thought process.

Questions

• What will be different in the job market 10 years from now?
• Where do I want to be in my career in the next 3 years? 
• What will it take to accomplish this? 
• What am I willing to sacrifice? 
• Why am I doing this? 
• Do I have the support I need to accomplish my goal?
• Will this really make me happy? 
• What do I expect to gain in the end? 
• What if it doesn't work out as I intended?

 For additional resources on this topic, check out more articles written by Stacey:

• How To Infuse #Passion Into Your Everyday Routine
• 3 Questions To Getting What You Want In Your Next Job
• Starting Your Most Important Project: YOU 

Stacey Rivers is a strategic project leader, mom, wife, and the author of the book "50 Essential Tips to Getting & Keeping The 'Right' Job". For more on career management, check out the Career Mom Bluprint Magazine or StaceyRivers.com.