I don’t know what to do in the future—and that’s okay

November is the National Career Development Month, and it reminded me of the phase when I felt so lost—not knowing what I wanted for my career after hoping for so many things.

It is not a phase to some, however.

Until now, my peers still do not know what jobs to pursue despite currently being in their degree programs.

Will they pursue the respective occupations their college program offers? Or will they succumb to the powers of reality that they can only choose what is available to them at the moment?

Having no dream job is not entirely a bad thing.

When we were kids, they ask us the same question over and over again. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Most of the time, our answers are different, with some starting with wanting to be an engineer, then a doctor the next. Then a teacher. There is no consistency.

Although after some years, other people finally reach the point where they are absolutely sure on what path to take. Few are unmotivated that they have a crisis and stop everything that they are doing. And some, like me, simply go with wherever life takes them.

If you already have a set of goals, good! But if you do not, then that is okay.

Know your strengths, at least.

The only thing I know is that I can write, I can speak well (at least, I think so), and I love reading. I know you know what you are good at, too.

I am aware that knowing what you are good at and knowing what you want are two different things. But you can start from there.

Having no dream has its perks, too.

You are flexible. You can play on your strengths and even experience new things. Not setting such high and rigid expectations on yourself means that you won’t be cut out for disappointments.

You don’t get to mentally exhaust yourself too much, either.

Is there really a “perfect” job?

Let’s say in some kind of luck that you find your dream job. You found the needle in a stack of hay. After so many job interviews and portfolio revisions, you finally get to do what you’ve always wanted to do. Good for you.

But everything—yes, everything—has its flaws. Drawbacks that do not always go with your plans, interests, or sometimes your morals.

Small things like talking with people in interviews, or heavy paperwork, or the commute from your home to the office.

It takes a lot of work to do things that you do not like, even if it’s the small things. Not that you have a choice to decline requests and orders—that’s absurd. Thus, you push through it. (We draw the line at all things against our conscience, though).

Thus, don’t stress yourself too much in deciding right away.

Nothing is the perfect job. Nothing is set in stone. We know that we’ll just have to work in the future to live. To pay our expenses. To get by.

It is okay even if you are not entirely sure what you want. The important thing is that you are going at your own pace and that you are somehow content with your current situation. (Which I am).

Pressuring yourself too much might exhaust you, and we can’t have that.

If you already have a set of goals, good! But if you do not, then that is definitely okay as well.