Define Your Desires—What Do You Want From Your Career?

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Trevor Noah : “What would you say is the one common characteristic that you have found among all of the successful people you have interviewed over the last 30 years?”

Trevor Noah: “What would you say is the one common characteristic that you have found among all of the successful people you have interviewed over the last 30 years?”

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Oprah Winfrey: “People get to where they want to go, because they know where they want to go. Most people don’t know where they want to go … The most important question you can ever ask yourself is: What do I really want?”

Oprah Winfrey: “People get to where they want to go, because they know where they want to go. Most people don’t know where they want to go … The most important question you can ever ask yourself is: What do I really want?”

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Most people struggle to decide what they want out of their careers. They get stuck, confused by too many possibilities, and overwhelmed by the gap between their desired future and current reality.

Most people struggle to decide what they want out of their careers. They get stuck, confused by too many possibilities, and overwhelmed by the gap between their desired future and current reality.

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Whether you are looking to advance and grow in your professional life, or you want a career pivot to a new industry, occupation, or sector, the following practical and pragmatic steps will help you understand what you want in your career and how to get it. People who are successful and know what they want have clarity . So, how can we help you to get clarity?

Whether you are looking to advance and grow in your professional life, or you want a career pivot to a new industry, occupation, or sector, the following practical and pragmatic steps will help you understand what you want in your career and how to get it. People who are successful and know what they want have clarity. So, how can we help you to get clarity?

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Start by usingmy Four Axis Framework to understand yourself. It has been used successfully by hundreds of leaders in career transition, and it’s laid out in my new book Navigating Your Next: Discover the Career You Want and the Path to Get There . It will help you understand your current reality, your “starting point” and then envision where you want to go.

Start by usingmy Four Axis Framework to understand yourself. It has been used successfully by hundreds of leaders in career transition, and it’s laid out in my new book Navigating Your Next: Discover the Career You Want and the Path to Get There. It will help you understand your current reality, your “starting point” and then envision where you want to go.

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The four axes to work through are:

The four axes to work through are:

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  Competency: Careers are built on competency, progress, and mastery (employers hire for competency). What skills do you have? Are you distinctive at any of them? What do you enjoy?

  Competency: Careers are built on competency, progress, and mastery (employers hire for competency). What skills do you have? Are you distinctive at any of them? What do you enjoy?

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  Context: Success is highly contextual. In what contexts have you built your skills and been successful? What organizations and teams have you worked in? Which did you like?

  Context: Success is highly contextual. In what contexts have you built your skills and been successful? What organizations and teams have you worked in? Which did you like?

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  Culture : Success in organizations over time is based on fit. What are your values? What is your “tribe”? What cultures have you worked in and liked?

  Culture: Success in organizations over time is based on fit. What are your values? What is your “tribe”? What cultures have you worked in and liked?

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  Mindset: What drives you and motivates you (your reward mechanism and impact on others)? What are your aspirations and goals—what do you want to achieve, over what period? What are your limiting beliefs and biases? What is your decision-making style and process?

  Mindset: What drives you and motivates you (your reward mechanism and impact on others)? What are your aspirations and goals—what do you want to achieve, over what period? What are your limiting beliefs and biases? What is your decision-making style and process?

Make the Move from Possible to Probable

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Now, you have a picture of your current reality and your desires. This will likely mean that you have several career and job possibilities you might want to explore, generated from the Four Axes. Imagine passing your possible opportunities through a funnel. First, pour your list of desired possible career opportunities (different versions of you) into the funnel.

Now, you have a picture of your current reality and your desires. This will likely mean that you have several career and job possibilities you might want to explore, generated from the Four Axes. Imagine passing your possible opportunities through a funnel. First, pour your list of desired possible career opportunities (different versions of you) into the funnel.

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Then, you should filter your options down to a shorter list of practical, pragmatic opportunities, using real-life constraints such as location, compensation, work-life balance, and family commitments. Move from options that are only possibilities to those that are feasible.

Then, you should filter your options down to a shorter list of practical, pragmatic opportunities, using real-life constraints such as location, compensation, work-life balance, and family commitments. Move from options that are only possibilities to those that are feasible.

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Next, filter these feasible options even further to probabilities. Use honesty and realism to get to real probabilities. Are there some options for which you don’t possess the competencies needed to be successful, or the resources or ability to gain them? Do you have any relevant experience or education? What options are left? What is probable and attainable?

Next, filter these feasible options even further to probabilities. Use honesty and realism to get to real probabilities. Are there some options for which you don’t possess the competencies needed to be successful, or the resources or ability to gain them? Do you have any relevant experience or education? What options are left? What is probable and attainable?

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Crucially, what is your mindset, and how does it align to your probable options? How do your motivations, goals and aspirations, limiting beliefs and biases, and decision-making style uncover your real desired pursuit? How may they help or hinder you in the process? Think carefully about these, and discuss them with friends, family, and colleagues to get an accurate picture of what you really want. This will allow you to whittle your options to a manageable number, such as one or two.

Crucially, what is your mindset, and how does it align to your probable options? How do your motivations, goals and aspirations, limiting beliefs and biases, and decision-making style uncover your real desired pursuit? How may they help or hinder you in the process? Think carefully about these, and discuss them with friends, family, and colleagues to get an accurate picture of what you really want. This will allow you to whittle your options to a manageable number, such as one or two.

Interview the Role

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Next, you also need to talk to people who have succeeded in doing the things you’re considering. Identify people who are at least three to five years ahead of you and are doing the job at the level you aspire to. They could be in your existing workplace or in companies or organizations you admire. Contact them directly, or through friends or colleagues. Meet them for coffee. Ask them what their life is like (lived experience). What do they do on a daily or weekly basis? What did they have to do to get there? What made the difference, and what would it really take for you to do this? What advice do they have about your next steps? You are basically interviewing your future self, which allows you to narrow down options from the probable to what you want to go for.

Next, you also need to talk to people who have succeeded in doing the things you’re considering. Identify people who are at least three to five years ahead of you and are doing the job at the level you aspire to. They could be in your existing workplace or in companies or organizations you admire. Contact them directly, or through friends or colleagues. Meet them for coffee. Ask them what their life is like (lived experience). What do they do on a daily or weekly basis? What did they have to do to get there? What made the difference, and what would it really take for you to do this? What advice do they have about your next steps? You are basically interviewing your future self, which allows you to narrow down options from the probable to what you want to go for.

How Do You Really Decide?

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Often, the decision is made for you. The answer may lie in what you are best at. Sometimes, the power of location, where you want to be, drives the choice. Sometimes, the power of relationships, with whom you want to be, determines it. Sometimes, there’s a pragmatic consideration about whether you can actually make something happen—maybe you need to take an intermediate step, such as getting a certification.

Often, the decision is made for you. The answer may lie in what you are best at. Sometimes, the power of location, where you want to be, drives the choice. Sometimes, the power of relationships, with whom you want to be, determines it. Sometimes, there’s a pragmatic consideration about whether you can actually make something happen—maybe you need to take an intermediate step, such as getting a certification.

Learn to Take Purposeful Action

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Gaps between desired future and current reality can be overcome by taking purposeful actions—steps that are attached to your motivation and aligned with developing competency.

Gaps between desired future and current reality can be overcome by taking purposeful actions—steps that are attached to your motivation and aligned with developing competency.

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Deliberate and sustained practice of an action that leads to your goal is purposeful and helps you transform yourself through changing habits and behaviours. Taking purposeful action is a skill you can practice and learn. It becomes discipline and confidence in your ability to execute.

Deliberate and sustained practice of an action that leads to your goal is purposeful and helps you transform yourself through changing habits and behaviours. Taking purposeful action is a skill you can practice and learn. It becomes discipline and confidence in your ability to execute.

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Doing something for three days is an idea. Doing something for three weeks is an attempt. Doing something for three months is a habit. Doing something for three years develops a core competency. The actions you take today will help you do better work tomorrow.

Doing something for three days is an idea. Doing something for three weeks is an attempt. Doing something for three months is a habit. Doing something for three years develops a core competency. The actions you take today will help you do better work tomorrow.

Remember, It’s a Journey

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In my experience, people spend a lot of time stressing and anxious about outcomes when trying to find their next career move. They focus on the result, not the journey, often frozen by a fear of failure. Looking for stepping stones to your goal, actions you can take that you desire and will enjoy, can unfreeze you.

In my experience, people spend a lot of time stressing and anxious about outcomes when trying to find their next career move. They focus on the result, not the journey, often frozen by a fear of failure. Looking for stepping stones to your goal, actions you can take that you desire and will enjoy, can unfreeze you.

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By examining your desires, understanding your possibilities, filtering them to the most probable, and taking pragmatic, actionable steps, you can define your next career move. This will give you clarity around what you want and the purposeful actions you can take to get there.

By examining your desires, understanding your possibilities, filtering them to the most probable, and taking pragmatic, actionable steps, you can define your next career move. This will give you clarity around what you want and the purposeful actions you can take to get there.

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Live a life of desire backed by competence, and you will become an indomitable force of nature!

Live a life of desire backed by competence, and you will become an indomitable force of nature!

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