What do you want to do with your life?, careers Options

[CandyPop]

I have no idea on what career I want to do. I am not really good at anything. I have to figure out what I want to do now because i'm starting college this fall. When ever I take those surveys to find out what careers best fit you, my results always include that I am more of a creative person. The only problem, is that most jobs today seem like they don't pay much for being creative unless you are REALLY good. I am mediocre when it comes to web designing, drawing, and writing stories. I'm no good.

I did want to be a psychiatrist but I stink at talking to people. I get very nervous around people I don't know. And I am thinking about becoming an accountant but I am horrible at math and critical thinking.

I just finished taking a skills test, and my results were horrible. They said that I could be a maid, or a restaurant waitress. That just took a large toll of my self-esteem. =( When people siad that I am smart, they were lying...

I just don't know what to do. I really don't want to just pick any career and end up hating it. I want a career that I know that i'll like.


If you ever were in my position, what did you do to figure out what career fits you the best?

[batman]

Well the thing is that even though I love art and writing and such, I'm not motivated enough to make a career out of it (right now, anyways). The moment I get a block or lack inspiration or just don't feel like finishing something, I tend to just scrap it instead of powering through.

I'm still considering sticking through with premed, but I'm not sure about that either. I just need to take some time into thinking about what I want, figuring out how to do it, whether i want it enough to do what it takes, then do it. I figure I have some time before I go back to school.

[tokyo-rose]

Well the thing is that even though I love art and writing and such, I'm not motivated enough to make a career out of it (right now, anyways). The moment I get a block or lack inspiration or just don't feel like finishing something, I tend to just scrap it instead of powering through.

I'm still considering sticking through with premed, but I'm not sure about that either. I just need to take some time into thinking about what I want, figuring out how to do it, whether i want it enough to do what it takes, then do it. I figure I have some time before I go back to school.

All right, thanks for elaborating. Well, you wouldn't necessarily have to become a starving artist or novelist to make a career out of either one of those interests. I don't know enough about digital or traditional art to say anything about those fields, but as for writing, you could try copyediting your friends' essays or short stories if they'd be willing to let you do that, or see if you'd like publishing. I've always been an avid reader and strong writer, but I prefer reading more than writing, so that's why I became interested in book copyediting in the first place. (I think it says a lot that the main highlight of my Halloween in 2008 was editing a friend's ED application essays at 11:30PM, when they were due at 12AM on November 1st, and I've only grown to enjoy editing papers more since then.)

A lot of people I've met have asked me what on earth I plan to do with an English BA, since there's a misconception that you're limited to being either an English teacher or novelist, but that's just totally wrong. Most people can do their jobs well enough, but too many of them can't write well, and English makes good writers into even better ones, which is a skill that can be applied to a ton of jobs out there. Sorry I'm so tl;dr! But yeah, if I don't go into copyediting or publishing then I will likely try to become a paralegal, possibly a lawyer if I develop enough ambition and/or come to like law that much, since you need strong research, reading, and writing skills for that.

I know you'll be able to figure something out, even if it's not right away. You took a year off from school, so you still have like ~10 months to consider your plan of action. We don't know each other too well, but you can always PM me here, or exchange AIM SN's and talk there, about anything at all. :)