Discovering Your True Career Path: How Pursuing Value Transforms Your Professional Life and Personal Growth

As the year 2021 approaches its conclusion, it's natural for us to reflect on how we spent the 525,600 minutes we were granted. What have been your triumphs, opportunities, and transformative moments? Simultaneously, our thoughts wander to the future—where do you envision yourself in one, five, or ten years?

In a nutshell, you're examining your ideal lifestyle and career aspirations. This question has crossed my mind on several occasions throughout the past year. Frankly, I struggled to formulate a response, as I hadn't considered my ideal circumstances. I had been so focused on pursuing a title that it was refreshing to simply appreciate my current position.

Initially, I didn't see the need to invest in this question. I was content with my role, the work environment, the company, my colleagues, and my sense of fulfillment. My job involves transforming lives by empowering individuals to become software developers, merging my passion for motivation and technology. I can apply my strengths daily in this role, providing value.

Value? Suddenly, it all became clear. The satisfaction I derived from my position was unrelated to my title or earnings. What truly mattered was my ability to genuinely contribute value.

Reflecting on my career, I recalled moments when I felt insufficient or like an imposter, trapped in uninspiring roles. I worried about not contributing as much value as my peers, which drove me to search for ways to escape this feeling. Eventually, I mistakenly equated a prestigious title with value.

As I further contemplated this idea, I recognized that the core concept of "Where do I add the most value?" was crucial. In the past, I had chased titles, only to feel confined and ineffective. These reflections revealed that I didn't bring value to those positions, despite my fancy title and office. I wasn't making an impact on the company's vision, nor was I growing personally or professionally. I came across the notion that we should always strive to contribute more value than we receive.

This epiphany led me to this conclusion: it doesn't matter if my title indicates that I am a technical trainer, a leader, a CEO, or something else. What genuinely matters to me is my ability to add value in whichever position I hold. My refined answer to the question of my ideal position is now centered on the role that enables me to deliver the most value.