****, what have i done?

I'm sitting here in a coffee shop (I'll admit you could say I'm *almost* procrastinating, I should be lesson planning) reflecting on where I am at 27 and in particular, my career.

I've worked since the age of 15 and from the age of 15 - 21 I worked alongside school and studies. At one point alongside my GCSE's I was definitely working full-time hours at the same time as school (I remember friends asking me to go to the pub and I could never go, I was so lame), not the wisest move but hey, there we go. In those six years, I worked in two places.

Then if we look at my CV from 21 onwards:

Customer service (8 months)

Gap of a year in Australia (worked while travelling)

General assistant/accounts/customer service for a media company (6 months)

Customer service, same company as above (6 months - temp contract)

Gap of 4 months in New Zealand

Programme Coordinator (18 months)

TEFL Teacher (6 months in physical schools, 6 months online and counting...)

Cognitive Behavioural Coach (2 months and counting...)

It's a bit of a shit show, isn't it? So, the question I am asking myself, is this bad long-term thinking, or does it show a commitment to doing something I want to be doing? And at this point, I'm really not sure. If I had stuck with any number of those jobs, I would be in a far better financial position that's for sure. But would I have done all the things I am doing now? Would I be living in a different country, learning a different language and trying to start my own business, would I have travelled to the places I have? I can't say for certain but I think it would be more difficult to do if I had stuck with any of the jobs above.

But I do have a niggle at the back of my mind that actually, maybe it's me, maybe I need to just stick with something. Learn to like it. But I don't think that's what I'm here for. I'm not here to learn to like something, I'm here to share with the world what I can do best.

I can confidently say that every step I have made, has bought me closer to something that I want to be doing. After the customer service, I decided I never wanted to deal with customers in that way again, after the media company, I decided I didn't want my job to be focused on finances or repetitive tasks, after the programme coordinator job, I decided I didn't want to just be doing admin all day but I enjoyed being with people in person and feeling like I was helping. Finding out what you don't want is just as useful as finding out what you do want.

When I took the step towards teaching, there were multiple benefits:

1. I do actually enjoy it, surprisingly I'm quite good at it

2. I can do it from anywhere

3. I can work in a place where I can learn another language

4. I have time to work on other things that I want to do long term

My career doesn't 'feel' normal. I don't think the time we are living in is 'normal'. But do I have a lack of 'stickability'? Do I just need to suck it up and be done with it and sit in a job I'm not enjoying because that's what I'm supposed to be doing? I just don't buy it.

People told me I shouldn't do an Acting degree because it wasn't going to lead to anything. But to those people, I challenge you to find me any other degree that gives you half as many transferrable skills. Any other degree that prepares you for endless rejection and criticism. And to be quite honest, my degree didn't lead me anywhere. I've led myself to where I am.

And right now, I am finding my place, I don't believe I need to specialise right now. I am learning, I am working, I am diversifying, I have range. (Range by David Espstein is a great read on this by the way, thanks John)

We are living in a different time. We don't stick in one lane for the whole of our career. Learn, create, work, risk, take the leap. I don't regret anything I have done but I'm sure if I was still sitting in one of my jobs I'd be wishing I had taken the trip, made the move. I'd be wishing I had done SOMETHING.

Whatever you're putting off...make a small step to get there. If it's what you want to do, get started. If you're not sure it's what you want to do...how will you know unless you do it?