11 Steps to Find Career Clarity in 30 Days
1. Your #1 Priority
Clarity should be the first thing you invest in. It makes career success SO much easier (at every stage). When you have clarity, you can invest 100% of your energy into that goal. So before you start applying to jobs or grad school? Find your path.
2. The Myth Of “Passion”
People think passion is a lightning bolt that suddenly hits you. One day you wake up knowing what you’re supposed to do. That’s BS. Passion stems from the action. It’s the result of trying new things. If you want to find your path? You need to act.
3. Map Out Your Ideal Lifestyle
Career happiness doesn’t come from a job title. It stems from the ability to meet your lifestyle needs: — Target salary — Ideal living situation — Surrounded by people you love — Work that fills your cup Start by defining all of these things.
4. Label Your Energy
Next, grab a piece of paper. Make two columns:
- Energy Creators
- Energy Drainers
Now list out every single activity, task, and project you’ve worked on. Label each as a creator or drainer. Your career path should be filled with energy creators.
5. Clarify Your Strengths
Success is easier when your path plays to your natural strengths. I recommend the High 5 Test. It’s a 15-minute quiz that will define your top strengths. It’ll tell you what each means and how to harness it.
6. Find People Doing “Cool” Stuff
Now you’ve created clarity around your strengths, energy, and ideal lifestyle. Next, I want you to find people already living that life. Who has a job you admire? What jobs have seemed “cool” to you in the past? Make a list of 30+ contacts.
7. Reach Out & Learn
Make a daily habit of reaching out to one person. Be honest about your situation and desire for clarity. Then make sure to build up their achievements and mention why you admire them. Here’s the email template I used when I was on this journey:
8. My Favorite Convo Enders
As the conversation is winding down, reflect. Is this job something that aligns? If so, ask your contact to make an intro to someone else. If it’s not? Call out what doesn’t align and ask your contact if there’s another job that’s a better fit.
9. Test Drive Your New Field
Once a field begins calling your name, test it! Set a 30-day goal that pushes you to jump in head first. Like social? Share 3 posts/week for 30 days. Like coding? Plan to build an app in 30 days. Like design? Plan to create 5 in 30 days.
10. Assess & Iterate
At the end of 30 days, reflect. Did you love what you were doing? Great, dive in deeper! Did you realize it wasn’t for you? Also great, give yourself permission to quit. Rinse and repeat every month until something clicks.
11. Clarity Is A Process
Like any other process, it takes time. You’ll also say “No” to 90%+ of the fields you learn about. Each step is a data point taking you closer to your eventual goal. And when do you reach it? The sky is the limit.
