Changing Your Career

We hear sayings like “follow your dreams,” and “do what you love and the money will come.” But sometimes what you want out of life isn’t so clear right away.

As children we are asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Not just “what do you want to do,” but — what do you want to be. Sure, it’s small talk of sorts, but it plants a seed of expectation that we are supposed to know what we want even from childhood.

However, life is rarely that simple.

It wasn’t until one Thanksgiving when I brainstormed game ideas with my brother-in-law that I realized how much more excited I was about the subject. I began to obsess over game narrative in a way I never did with anything else. I finally found what I wanted to be.

So I knew changing my career would take grit.

Why didn’t I do this sooner?

Whether it’s starting a business, changing departments, or learning a whole new skill, it can feel discouraging looking at others who are already thriving doing what you want to do.

…or feeling like you wasted your time by working in your previous career so fall prey to the “sunk cost fallacy” of thinking you might as well stay where you are since you spent so much time getting there even though it doesn’t make you happy.

At first I regretted not taking steps sooner, but then I realized that logic was faulty. How could I come to the conclusion that I wanted to work in games without the experiences to lead me to the point of realization that I needed a change? I couldn’t.

Often we need to realize that the past experience is what readied us for this path.

Embrace the hard parts

There’s no magic bullet, there’s no formula, and no true shortcuts. Which might seem disappointing at times. Our heroes seem to have it all figured out. But here’s the truth:

They put in the work and can you too. Take pride in the process.

Through my creative education I remember many times feeling like I was good, but not as great as others in my class. As time passed I noticed a trend, talent had very little to do with who continued on in their education or even out into the working world. The deciding factor was grit.

Celebrate Your Grit

Almost everyone knows the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. That good old reliable factor of hard work and termination will win races. Like our heroes, we too can put in the work and make our dreams happen.

So ignore the negative thinking, embrace the wisdom from your past, and give your determined self a high five.

You got this.