Every year the holidays roll around and we set new goals for ourselves.
Not everyone is very fond of the term ‘new years resolution’, but there’s something about the new year that has us all dreaming of bigger and better things for ourselves.
The goals may revolve around travelling somewhere new, experimenting with new interests, or even branching out into a different career. Regardless of the goal, January is the perfect time to start – though some goals may require some extra planning, so why not get started right away?
A common objection to setting New Year’s resolutions is that they never stick. Just think about how many gym memberships get signed up for on January 2, only to be cancelled by mid-February; or how many travel goals get delayed and before you know it, a whole year has passed. Starting a new career, is the same. It can be a fleeting pursuit if not taken seriously.
So how do we get motivated?
Explore a new interest to discover your next career
One way to get moving toward a new career in 2018 is to consider your interests. Whatever kind of background you have, you’re likely going to be inclined to pursue a job that’s in line with your interests – and rightfully so. So why not start there?
Well, even knowing that, we can’t simply get a job doing just anything we enjoy. Lot’s of our interests or passions are more suited to be hobbies or weekend passion projects, but that doesn’t mean we should give up finding a career we enjoy, right?
Even Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, changed course at one point to follow his passion. Bezos told Princeton graduates that “after much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion.”
It’s not just billionaire entrepreneurs who benefit from work they’re passionate about though. In general, people are more satisfied with their jobs when they match their personal interests – and they’re usually happier with their lives as a whole.
That’s why experimenting with new interests may be the best course of action in setting career-related resolutions. Chances are you have a hobby or two already, so imagine how incredible it would be if your new interest was a valued skill in a booming industry!
Consider the technology industry
One of Canada’s fastest-growing industries is technology. In fact, more than one in every 20 Canadian companies is in the technology industry (it also doesn’t hurt that the industry’s average salary is $19,000 higher than the national average).
The best way to explore a new interest is with a community of supporters who are also learning something new and exploring new interests. Lucky for Vancouver, it’s home to a global leader in digital technology education, BrainStation.
Their Vancouver campus is a state-of-the-art tech hub that has everything you need to get started in tech.
Being a student at BrainStation means you get to work on real projects and learn by doing things hands-on. You can engage with industry experts in small classes that are collaborative and interactive.
And as a Daily Hive reader you can attend your first BrainStation event for free by creating an account here.
Remember that people don’t fall in love with a career overnight. So take the plunge and a first encounter with what might eventually become a lifelong passion is just the opening scene in a much longer narrative!