Career Choices—Do I Follow My Head or My Heart? - myFootpath

Emily just couldn’t decide what to do with her life.  She liked school, and had some real ability in Math and History, a combination that meant she could be a great lawyer.  But Emily also loved music—she’d been singing since she was 6, and was the hit of every school talent show, as well as a few open mike nights at local coffee houses. A career as a lawyer promised a more steady income, but probably less excitement, while music was really a passion—but how would she pay the bills?

It’s not uncommon to have talents and interests in your life that take you in opposite directions, and deciding which path to follow isn’t always easy.  As you try to sort out where your career should head, keep two ideas in mind:

It doesn’t have to be one or the other—it could be both.
Like Emily, many people look at the job market and feel they have to choose between what their head tells them to do (“take the safe and reliable”) or what their heart tells them to do (“create, help others, and the money will follow.”)  But more and more people are finding ways to follow two paths at once without burning out—in fact, many people discover their interests balance out and help them thrive.

Jamie was torn between a career in business or working as a social worker; he’s now in business for himself, and gives time to the local drop-in counseling center and suicide hot line.  Michelle loved the challenge of law, but felt she wasn’t doing enough to help others—until she became a Big Sister and provided a stabilizing influence to a family in need.  From construction workers who sing in community choirs to waitresses who teach English to immigrants, many people find ways to blend their work life and their volunteer time in ways that are more satisfying than ever.

It could be one after the other.
If family commitments keep you from doing two things at once, you might want to plan on a sequence of careers.  After working in aerospace engineering and even earning a patent, James felt he wasn’t making enough of a difference—he now teaches Physics at a specialized high school in an urban area.  Molly was a successful businesswoman who loved church work; she put enough money away over the years to retire from her first career and enter the full-time ministry, and could still meet all of her expenses.  The early buyouts that are available to many employees today offer the opportunity to see what the next chapter of your life can be like—and it may be something very different than the work you’re doing now.

Since transitions can be tricky, it’s often a good idea to get the help of a career counselor if you find yourself caught between two job options you love.  Many community colleges, religious organizations, and universities have career placement services available to the public at little or no cost—ask around, and see what’s available in your area to help you make your plan.

And Emily?  She sang her way through law school, and managed to record 3 CDs and put together a couple of award-winning national concert tours on the vacation time she took from her job as a public defender.  Rumor has it, she’s thinking about running for judge—considering the way she handled her career decisions, she’d be a natural decision maker on the bench.