Sea Turtles and Cupcakes: Why Your Career Decision-Making Metrics Are All Wrong
Which career should I choose? Chances are, if this question is on your mind, you’ve been thinking about it a long, long time.
Most people start with interests when they’re thinking about choosing or changing careers. “I don’t like sales. I do like baking. Maybe I should open up a cupcake bakery.”

While interests are an important factor to consider, if you think about interests first, as most people do, you’re looking at your data backwards, and chances are, you’ll find yourself running around in circles changing your mind again and again. Why?
Interests change. We may have interest in something over the course of time, but if it doesn’t also match other, equally important metrics, it won’t be a good fit over time.
Interests: What I like
Let me give you an example. I’ve always been fascinated by sea life.
Ocean + animals = awesome!
So, a few years back, I volunteered to participate in baby sea turtle rescue here in South Florida.

What I loved: I got to be involved with and learn about the different types of sea turtles nesting and hatching on our beaches, I got to save their lives and ensure they made it to the ocean rather than the street, and I got to educate people visiting from all over the world about it.
What I didn’t like: Baby sea turtles usually hatch in the wee hours of the night and morning. NBD, right? Well, I also worked 8:30–5 at the time. My 8-midnight volunteer shift turned into 8–2 or 3 in the morning, and a couple nights a week volunteering turned into more. All I was doing was working, sea turtle rescue, and sleeping.
Which I’m sure would be ideal for some. But why didn’t this match me? I’m interested in baby sea turtle rescue — still am — but I had to make a tough call about my volunteering becuase it didn’t match my values.
Values: Who I am
Values are what give our lives purpose. When we are doing something — work, taking care of family, volunteering, traveling — that aligns with our values, that’s when we feel the most fulfilled. It’s when we find meaning. I was getting a lot out of baby sea turtle rescue, but the work was conflicting with some values I hold dear.
A few of my top values are helping people create lives they love, relationships with family and friends, and creating excellent quality work. Here’s what didn’t match with my baby sea turtle rescue position:
1. Helping people create lives they love
I was able to educate, certainly, but mentoring and training people was lacking in this role. To be sure, there was a lot of organizing, managing, and educating but there wasn’t a lot of seeking and discovering. In short, I was able to tell people things, but there wasn’t back and forth collaboration toward a positive outcome.
2. Relationships with Family and Friends
These suffered during my time as a baby sea turtle rescue volunteer. When I worked at MIT, we had a joke we’d share with new students: in your free time, you’ll want to study, party, and sleep. You’ll only have time for 2 out of 3. Because I was choosing sleep, I was unable to engage in the quality time with family and freinds I prefer, and my relationships suffered.
3. Creating Excellent Quality Work
Another side affect of sleeping much less was this: I was going to work tired and struggling to create the quality of work that mattered to me. It’s important that my work speaks for itself, and when my output was not the quality I know I’m capable of, I had to make a tough call.

What about cupcakes?
Let’s get back to our cupcake bakery for a moment, shall we? So you’re interested in baking. You really like cupcakes. Why not open a cupcake bakery? Let’s take a step back and think about some of the key things you’ll need to consider for success.
Hobby versus Career
Sure, baking on the weekends may be a form of relaxation now, but what about if you had to do it all day, every day, because it was your money maker? Would it still be as relaxing?
Business Model
If you’re great at baking, but not so fantastic at business, you are going to have to think about how you’ll ensure success. How will this be sustainable? What could you automate? Who’ll keep your books?
Marketing
We’ve all heard, “build it and they will come.” Sorry, but IRL, that’s a big nope. These days, you are competing with everyone and their grandma on social media for attention. What’s your strategy to get the word out about your cupcakes?
Time Management
Running your own business can take over your life if you let it, especially if you’re the one in the kitchen stirring batter and decorating cupcakes to perfection. How will you ensure you have enough time to devote to the business and your life outside of it?

A Certain Something
Just like it takes a certain kind of person to run a bakery — someone who’s creative, business-minded, and wants to devote time to success (hello values!) — it takes a certain kind of person to do any of the potential new careers you may be interested in pursuing. Our values dictate the kind of people we are, so it’s important to figure out your values first, then use them as guides when you’re narrowing down interests.
Maybe you’re just the kind of person to be successful at your new career of interest. Figure it out by taking your values into account.
Want to read more about changing careers? Check out my blog post: Which Career Should I Choose: 4 Steps to Navigate a Career Change.
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