Searching for a new career

Overview

Finding a new passion or goal can be challenging, and the process is different for everyone. Maybe you've had an idea that you've put aside because you didn't believe you could make it happen, or perhaps you've been discouraged from pursuing an interest you're passionate about. It's possible that there's something you've always wanted to try but lacked the confidence or ability to achieve it. Regardless of your situation, I hope my story inspires you to pursue your dreams, no matter how big or small they may seem. Remember, your unique experiences and perspectives can lead you to your passion, and it's never too late to start chasing your goals.

The search begins

Discovering my passion has been a challenging journey for me. I read countless articles that recommended reflecting on life experiences to determine what truly drives me. For the past six years, I led a simple and unambitious life, which had left me feeling quite stagnant. I had come to accept mediocrity as the norm. However, I soon realized that my limited skills in cooking and customer service had severely limited my career options. Finding a viable career that suited my interests and skills became a daunting task, especially with the added pressure of time and financial constraints. With government aid set to expire soon, I knew that I needed to find a successful new career path before early 2022 when the Medical Device Reprocessing Technician (MDRT) program began.

As I pondered over my career options, a thought crossed my mind: "What if no restrictions were holding me back? What career would I choose then?" This prompted me to ask myself three key questions that proved invaluable in helping me narrow down and decide on my goal.

The first question I asked myself was, "What activities do I truly enjoy doing?". Reflecting on my culinary journey, being a cook was not an ideal career for me as it took a toll on me both physically and mentally. However, I did enjoy the creative process of cooking and learning new recipes. I found joy in helping my colleagues and providing excellent service to customers. This narrowed my search to a career requiring product creation.

The second question was, "What did I aspire to do in the past?". My parents had always encouraged my brother and me to pursue professions that were deemed well-compensated, such as doctors, nurses, and engineers. However, I recalled creating a small programming project in high school, which I had dismissed as a career choice due to the expectations from my parents. It was something I truly enjoyed and now I can consider it as a potential career choice.

Lastly, I asked myself, "What meaningful contribution can I make to society?". Growing up, I was enchanted by the magic of Disney and its adventurous stories. I wanted to create something that could evoke similar emotions in people, in my way. Perhaps, through my future career, I could make a small but positive impact on the world.

After answering the three questions, my career goal became crystal clear: I wanted to become a game designer. It had always been my dream to create video games that could motivate and inspire people worldwide. This was my chance, my opportunity to change the course of my life.

Game Designer

I spent a few additional weeks researching what it would take to become a game designer and break into the industry. During my research, I learned that game designers needed to have a broad range of skills, such as programming, storytelling, and animation, among others. Initially, this realization was daunting, and I began to question my ability to succeed in such a demanding field. However, I couldn't shake off the feeling that if I committed to this path, I could achieve my goal, no matter how long it took.

The Roadmap

To tackle the intimidating skill requirements for game design, I made a strategic decision to pursue a career as a software developer. This offered a more accessible entry point into the tech industry and would help me gain valuable coding experience. I planned to learn coding and industry best practices from experts while using my spare time to acquire other skills such as animation and storytelling. My long-term plan was to leverage my coding experience and transition into game development within a couple of years, and continue building on the necessary skills to become a game designer. Although this plan appeared straightforward on paper, it has taken significant time and effort to achieve.

As of April 2023, I have not yet reached my goal of becoming a game designer. However, I have made substantial progress by becoming a software developer and independently learning other skills. Throughout this journey, I've come to appreciate the significance of taking one step forward every day, regardless of how small that step may appear.

Lesson

There's no single right answer to goal setting, life is a personal journey. It's about discovering something that brings excitement and a sense of purpose to your life, something that you feel compelled to pursue whenever the thought arises. Anything is possible with passion and hard work. Remember, your goals may change throughout your life, so it's essential to remain open-minded and adaptable. Believe in yourself, and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Thank you for reading. If you believe my story will benefit someone who's attempting to make a change please share this post. Feel free to contact me, I would love to hear from you. Please subscribe if you'd like to stay up to date and receive emails when new content is published.