Career doubts

By Klaus Döring

Doubts often arise at the start of your studies simply because you might not yet know enough about the many career paths available to you.

It’s important to realize that doubt is a normal part of the achievement process. Everyone experiences it at some point. Sometimes, you’ll set big career goals, only to find yourself subconsciously sabotaging your own progress. You may even get close to achieving those goals but, right before you do, you may suddenly undermine everything.

To combat these doubts, start by conducting exploratory interviews. Attend industry conferences and network with key professionals. Ask a few of them for their time to discuss their personal career journeys. Find a mentor who can provide direction, assess your strengths and interests, and help you brainstorm new career options.

A career is dynamic — a course of action, a progression through life. It’s more than just professional conduct or advancement. A careerist, then, is someone who actively seeks personal growth and achievement in their field, making their own advancement the central aim of their life.

But what can we do if these “career doubts” don’t go away? First, allow me to quote from the Bible — specifically Jude 1:22, where it says, “Be merciful to those who doubt.”

My parents always wanted me to become a banker. So far, so good, right? But maybe I would have been happier in that role; or maybe not. From the age of 6, I already knew I wanted to be a journalist, believe it or not.

The pressure to “be” something, or to “not be” something, as Shakespeare might put it, started early in my life. My parents, teachers, and peers all exerted their influence on me. At that time, I didn’t even know where my inclinations lay. I just knew I wanted to be a journalist.

Could I have suddenly become a doctor or a lawyer? At one point, I was interested in both law and medicine. I eventually found myself working as an editor of German law magazines for 18 years, but I never became a lawyer or doctor. Now I ask myself — who cares?

Fear of failure: Perfectionism and fear of failure can reinforce self-doubt. When you’re in this state, you may attribute your past successes to luck, downplaying your true abilities. This phenomenon is known as imposter syndrome, which often affects successful people who feel unworthy of their achievements.

“The way people pick careers is incredibly primitive,” said Nicholas Lore, founder of the Rockport Institute, a career coaching firm, and author of The Pathfinder. His words hold weight. Many people are indeed dissatisfied with their jobs. While I always wanted to be a journalist, mass communications wasn’t my chosen subject. Publishing house management? Yes. Banker again? Once upon a time, maybe.

I’ve often reflected on whether I found my true calling. People whose careers don’t seem to align with their talents often feel like impostors, as organizational psychologist Robert I. Sutton from Stanford University once pointed out. Well said, Professor.

How about you, dear reader? Are you placing too much value on external rewards like money, prestige, and power? For many of us, these things are important, but the work itself — the skills it demands and the value it brings — is truly what leads to fulfillment.

Think you’ve found a better career fit? Go ahead, but don’t expect it to be the final destination.

I waited for my “better calling” (what a terrible phrase!) while experiencing many wonderful moments along the way. Looking back, I realize that much of what I did in the past didn’t align with my natural inclinations or my parents’ expectations.

Now, at 71, I reflect on my journey and still enjoy teaching the next generation.

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Questions, comments, or suggestions?
Email me at doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, or X (formerly Twitter). You can also visit my blogs at www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.