How to Create a Compelling Vision of Your Future Career

To gain the future-career you want, you need to take action. But before you can take any practical steps, you need to spend time creating a compelling vision. Follow these steps to determine the right profession for you.

Slow Down and Clear Your Mind 

If you are super busy every day studying or working, or both, trying to envision your future professional prospects can be difficult. You probably feel like all you want to do is take a break so you can spend time envisioning the future career you want. Well, your gut feeling is absolutely right. The first thing you need to do is slow down, take time out, and clear your mind.

Once you are free of everyday distractions, it will be much easier to focus on your future. Make some alone time where you have the opportunity to think about what you want your professional life to be like. Make notes as well, so that you can proceed with the next stages easily. The important thing about this initial phase is not to rush it. It takes time to envision the future career you desire, and you could go through several false starts before things become clear. That's totally OK. Taking your time is essential if you want to avoid committing to an idea that later turns out to be a mistake.

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Choosing the right future career is partially concerned with how you feel about a specific profession. But you need to use left-brain as well as right-brain thinking if you want to select the best course of action for you. So, spend some time identifying your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. It is just as important to consider what you are not good at as much as what you excel in. Perhaps you have always had excellent math skills. If so, you could consider a career in accountancy. The profession is not as boring as it's made out to be in popular culture. For example, if you become a Certified Public Accountant, besides gaining basic skills like bookkeeping and completing tax returns, you will be qualified to give expert financial advice to top businesses and organizations. But you must first pass the rigorous CPA Exam. You can find the best review courses and study materials for the CPA Exam here.

To identify your strengths, make a list of the things you are good at. Those things can be practical skills, such as being good at DIY or computer literacy, or soft skills, such as being a good team player or having excellent listening skills. Also, list the skills you have that you actually enjoy using, so you can whittle down your career opportunities later on.

Consider Your Core Values

 Determining your core values is a crucial step in developing your future career options because your values are linked to your attitude and professional approach. If you really believe in the career you want to pursue, it will be much easier to focus on working towards it. To discover your core values, ask yourself questions such as:

· Is it important that my work gives back to society?

· Am I good at taking responsibility for my own actions?

· Am I motivated by inspiring other people?

· Do I want a good work-life balance?

You can also take an online values test. It will provide you with information about your beliefs, personality, and preferences so that you can make a better-informed decision about what type of future career is best for you.

Don't Restrict Your Options

Contrary to popular belief, dream careers are possible. So, don't limit yourself because you believe some career options are out of reach. If you have the right skills and core values for a position, there is no reason why you should not be able to pursue the career in question. Suspend pragmatic thinking and envision what you would truly love to accomplish. Find ways to switch off all-too-common negative thoughts, as they are what stop you attaining your heart's desire the most. And do not assume that your future is limited to what is happening in your life today. The world is a big place with lots of strange twists and turns, so who knows where you could be a few years from now.

Narrow Down Your Field and Piece it All Together

 Once you have come up with the type of industry you want to work in, narrow down what your desired position within the field is. For example, you would first choose a field such as finance, law, or visual art. You then need to determine which role you would most like within that specific field, such as a bank manager, a lawyer, or a graphic designer. The next step is to set role-specific goals. Think about what you would like to achieve in the role.

You do not have to stick to your first attempt. It is quite natural to revise goals over time. But once you have information from following a structured thought process, it will be much easier to arrive at a choice that's right for you. Once you have put all the information and feelings together, you can begin to get the cogs moving and take positive action.

Take Action!

After you have determined the future career you want to follow, it is essential you take positive action to get the ball rolling. If you do not start the process straight away, your new-found gusto and belief in your chosen career path will gradually dissolve and be forgotten as you get caught up in your daily routine again. You don't have to take massive steps like enrolling in college the next day. But you should take some proactive steps to prove to yourself that you are committed to making your choice a reality. One of the best initial steps you can take is to research your future career in depth. Find out what qualifications you need, what the entry requirements are, and every other detail of the position. You can then come up with a plan to make your dream happen.