This is my experience thus far in career aspirations: I want to be a performer. I want to be a writer. I want to make music. I want to be a blogger/journalist. I want to give people a business card that describes my job as 'Full-Time Creative'. Next year at university, I am applying for Fine Arts. But, far too often I find myself saying:
- "Ah yes I am prepared to be poor"
- "I'm not smart like you kids"
- "At least it'll be a good laugh"
Which is exactly the opposite of what I should be thinking. Being creative and choosing a creative pathway does not compromise my lifestyle or career, rather it opens me up to new, progressive & expressive thinking, which is what I'm all about. I am completely happy to write and sing/dance/act and make something of myself in this industry, where I can actually feel myself living and breathing.
NOTE: If you're pursuing a different career to me, what I'm about to say is still relevant. This whole post is about accepting and embracing the path you want to take, regardless of what other people think, let's get into it.
NOTE: If you're pursuing a different career to me, what I'm about to say is still relevant. This whole post is about accepting and embracing the path you want to take, regardless of what other people think, let's get into it.
L E A R N T O L O V E Y O U R C A R E E R C H O I C E
The first, most basic thing is that what you're choosing is your personal decision, without any negative influences. If you don't want to be an accountant, don't be an accountant. If you want to be an accountant, go for your life! This is your life, it is not your parents, not your teachers, not your friends. Doing something that keeps you on your toes, while having a good time is my definition of a good career. Personally, no one is pushing me to do anything, I have full reign over everything that is related to my future, and that's the way I like it.
Next, figure out why you're choosing where you're going in life. What are your motivators? I wrote down a list of things that appealed to an arts-based career when I decided what degree/decisions I'm making post-senior year. Mine include personal creative freedom, freelancing, travel opportunities and the fact I will get to spend all day creating and creating and creati-you get the drift. I can almost guarantee your list will be different to mine, maybe you're after job-security or public service or flexible office hours etc. If you've got a purpose in the career you want, it's way easier to embrace and be proud of.
E M B R A C I N G Y O U R A S P I R A T I O N
I've learnt to love what I want to do and why I want to do it, now what? Well this is the whole 'Becoming Unapologetic' part. Every so often someone will take a jab at the career you have chosen or the industry you are trying to become a part of. In arts, the monetary gain is criticised. In science and business, people will say the career is monotonous. If you really want to get to be an expert in that field, then the things those people are saying is utter nonsense. You know yourself better than anyone else, and you have complete control in whether you embrace and defend your choices or shrink away from a job/field that could become your biggest life achievement.
In my experience, if someone tells me that writing and acting and music is a dead-end, they usually end up worse off. In life I want to be happy and creative and able to funnel every aspect of inspiration in my life into a tangible creation I can share with people. If people try and get in the way of my life goals, I push past because I'm living this life, and I'll be damned if I end up doing something I despise.
If you want to go for what you want, really go for it, then your aspirations don't have to stay aspirations.
The first, most basic thing is that what you're choosing is your personal decision, without any negative influences. If you don't want to be an accountant, don't be an accountant. If you want to be an accountant, go for your life! This is your life, it is not your parents, not your teachers, not your friends. Doing something that keeps you on your toes, while having a good time is my definition of a good career. Personally, no one is pushing me to do anything, I have full reign over everything that is related to my future, and that's the way I like it.
Next, figure out why you're choosing where you're going in life. What are your motivators? I wrote down a list of things that appealed to an arts-based career when I decided what degree/decisions I'm making post-senior year. Mine include personal creative freedom, freelancing, travel opportunities and the fact I will get to spend all day creating and creating and creati-you get the drift. I can almost guarantee your list will be different to mine, maybe you're after job-security or public service or flexible office hours etc. If you've got a purpose in the career you want, it's way easier to embrace and be proud of.
E M B R A C I N G Y O U R A S P I R A T I O N
I've learnt to love what I want to do and why I want to do it, now what? Well this is the whole 'Becoming Unapologetic' part. Every so often someone will take a jab at the career you have chosen or the industry you are trying to become a part of. In arts, the monetary gain is criticised. In science and business, people will say the career is monotonous. If you really want to get to be an expert in that field, then the things those people are saying is utter nonsense. You know yourself better than anyone else, and you have complete control in whether you embrace and defend your choices or shrink away from a job/field that could become your biggest life achievement.
In my experience, if someone tells me that writing and acting and music is a dead-end, they usually end up worse off. In life I want to be happy and creative and able to funnel every aspect of inspiration in my life into a tangible creation I can share with people. If people try and get in the way of my life goals, I push past because I'm living this life, and I'll be damned if I end up doing something I despise.
If you want to go for what you want, really go for it, then your aspirations don't have to stay aspirations.
Those are my thoughts on careers, goals and making your mark, if you like. If you have anything to add please let me know, I'd love to get the conversation flowing.
I loved this article. Can't wait for the next one!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Rhiannon! x
DeleteExactly, I'm so glad people feel the same way, thank you for reading x
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post to start my Thursday morning. Completely agree that if you want something, you should just go for it. My dad always used to say to me that if you love your job you'll never work a day in your life - and that's always stuck with me!
ReplyDeletekatie ♥ lacoconoire.com