5 Tips to Find and Transition to Your Dream Career

It's a terrible experience to show up every day to a job that you hate. It's discouraging to know that you have to spend at least forty hours each week for a job that feels pointless. Since your full-time job takes up a significant amount of your lifetime, it's so important to do something you love. It's important because you don't want to spend your life enduring a major component of your livelihood. However, it's not a great idea to jump without a definitive plan. Chances are you've stayed at your dead-end job because you need to earn money. This is an important and valid reason; however, it's not a good enough reason to spend your entire career in one bad job. In order to find fulfillment in your work and do what you love, you'll have to make some moves first. Consider these five tips to get started.

1. Explore Your Passions

Take a thorough inventory of the things you love. Take note of the simple hobbies you thoroughly enjoy. Take note of the things you like to do when you procrastinate. Use these observations as arrows pointing you in a specific direction. In 2018, there are a million ways to make money and enjoy your passion at the same time. However, take time to explore. Move forward with an open mind to try new things.

2. Recognize What You're Effortlessly Great At

Understand that you don't have to start from the bottom. Take a look at some of the things you're really great at. Take note of the things that you can do with your eyes closed. If you are extremely organized, a math whiz or excellent with people, find ways to use those skills in your next job. Don't throw those gifts and talents away in order to pursue new ones. Use what you have to your advantage.

3. Educate Yourself

When you're educated on a specific subject, it helps you to feel more confident. Education comes in many forms. You can read books on specific areas of employment. You can earn online degrees in specific fields. You can even attend various conferences within a specific niche. As long as you immerse yourself in that subject matter, you'll be able to get a well-rounded education you can lean on in the future.

4. Volunteer or Find Part-Time Work

Before you leave your full-time job for potential, it's wise to test the waters first. You might think you want to own a restaurant. However, there are a lot of moving parts that many people don't consider. In order to learn more about the restaurant business, it's good to volunteer or intern at a specific restaurant to learn the ropes. You'll be able to gain behind-the-scenes footage and insight into the career field you'd like to walk into. It's better to make a move based on wisdom rather than hopeful aspiration.

5. Take the Leap

Once you've gathered all of the necessary research, it's time to take the leap. At the beginning of your journey, create a timeline. Give yourself an opportunity to decipher how long you'd like to explore, decide and transition. If you'd like to give yourself six months or a year, write out the path. Be realistic with yourself. You don't want to put a ton of needless pressure on your brain to do such an intensely transformative move. However, set a timeline. When you do that, stick with it.

Yes, this process will take some time. It will also require lots of courage. However, your happiness is worth it. You don't want to spend your best years working at a job you hate. When you don't feel invigorated, challenged and excited about the work you do, this can really take a toll on your quality of life. You have the power to make the change. With belief in yourself and active action steps, you can break free from your dead-end job.