5 personality traits to help you pursue a career you love
/“There’s no way I was just born to pay bills and die.”
-Campervan graffiti quote found on my trip to beautiful Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada (pictured below).
My feelings about my work and life exactly.
And I’m not alone. Technology is advancing. Times are changing. People are too. The millennial generation, especially, are waking up to the notion that your career can add a level of meaning and fulfilment to your life that was previously viewed as too idealistic.
No more work for the sake of work. And as we break out of the conditioned patterns and beliefs about how we’ve been taught we should live, older impossibilities are becoming newer probabilities.
So isn’t now as good a time as any to go after what you really want in your career?
I believe so. However, beyond favourable conditions there’s so much more to it than that. Here are the 5 biggest personality traits, I believe, are needed to go after the career you really want :
1. Creativity to design your own path
A career that you truly love is likely to be pretty unique to you, whether that be in the world of self-employment or not. Every job is different. And with more ways to make a living on your own terms than before, creating your own unique vision is as important as ever.
2. Trust your gut to move forward
As you set out to carve your path, realize there are no real formulas nor a true “right” way to get to where you want to be. And what works for one person in one scenario might not work for you in yours. This is where my fellow perfectionists and I get stuck. Trust your intuition, try a few different ways to get to where you want to be and discover what works for you.
3. Be willing to make mistakes to grow
And if the last point resonates, it’s likely that you’re going to have to get more used to the idea of making a mistake or two on that journey. And of course, learn from them. Mistakes are not equal to failure, just as the level of anxiety you feel is not always proportionate to the risks you take.
4. Courage to buck a trend
It takes courage (and an ability to embrace your fears) to go after what you really want, to trust your gut, be willing to make mistakes and learn from the whole process.
And for those of us who are bucking societal or family trends to pursue a career they love, I believe it can take an added dose of audacity to follow through.
4. Determination and commitment to follow through & succeed
If you want something enough, you’ll find a way to do it. And as you grow (as per the above), the odds of success grow also. Beyond every circumstance that shows up, keep going; when you don’t feel like it anymore, commit; dust yourself off after every mistake and champion every subsequent win.
It’s important to note that all these qualities are not fixed personality traits. They can be developed through awareness and practice.
If you’re interested in growing and having a high level of support around that, you’ll be interested in applying for a private consultation about coaching here with me. We’ll talk about where you’re going in life and areas to focus on that journey.
