I was recently having a conversation with a close friend of mine about career changes being okay and she said something that really stuck with me; "I certainly hope we aren't too old to change our careers, I love what I'm doing, but if things keep going they way they are, I might have to make adjustments."  It's so true though, we start an education and believe truly that this is the path we want to take for the rest of our lives.  Of course we do, otherwise why go through all the effort in the first place.  The question we are faced with five to ten years later is "Do I love what I'm doing and did I waste all that time training for this and I don't even like it."  I don't believe it's wasted at all, every experience every opportunity teaches you something that might be applicable to a completely different situation later in life.

I've recently been reading Ivanka Trump's book "The Trump Card" and I found a few really good points she states incredibly helpful.  Not only does she really focus on what it is to be a young women striving to be strong in the business world, but also how to keep the femininity along the way. One point she focuses on is that it's never a bad idea to take a job that holds interest to help figure out if you are heading in the direction your passion supports.  Gaining experience is always experience, the difference is knowing whether you should push harder or get out if you are not getting the results you would like.  There is never more of a disservice you can do to yourself by not putting in the time and working towards your goals, even if that means not getting there as soon as you wanted to; where you do need to take a closer look is evaluating if you can ever reach a higher career goal or if you truly are stuck.  If you are stuck, it is probably time to move on.

My generation is currently being called the Millennials, and there are some significant criticisms associated with our generation, one being loyalty the other dealing with a sense of entitlement.  I truly believe we need to watch out for the latter, we don't want others to feel we are not working for what we get.  However, a sense of loyalty and entitlement are different subjects than when you are considering if you in the right industry.  If you are truly unhappy and not enjoying what you are doing, whether you have earned your place where you are or achieved it through a sense of entitlement; if you do not enjoy it, a career change is the best thing you can do for yourself and for the company.  Let someone else have that position who truly is passionate for it.  If you want to have integrity, be brave enough to know when you are not the right person for the job.  

Another tip Ivanka Trump points out is the power of a Thank You card/note, a handwritten one.  Our Millennial generation has definitely moved away from handwritten anything (as I type a blog haha) and onto technology, but thanking or even just acknowledging those who have helped up or inspired us is how we bring back the loyalty and curb the entitlement.  If you've been helped, thank the person who has helped or inspired you.

One more thought and I'll put this subject away for now.  A point in this book I don't identify with as much is the one I believe many people are currently struggling against.  We all know we need to work hard, prove our worth, and go the extra mile.  In fact, if you want to get ahead in business, you need to "write the note, make the call, attend the meeting, whatever it is..." (Ivanka Trump). I don't disagree with this at all, but I do believe America greatly under values the right to time off.  To unplug from everything and focus on family, friends, and oneself.  We have created this go-go mindset that if we are not doing something for work, we are falling behind and someone else is passing us.  Meanwhile, mental health issues like depression, suicide, aggression, etc. are at an all time high.  We are so amped up and motivated that we never relax.  Our marriages are falling apart and our relationships are fragile and surface.  If we put as much dedication into our mental health as we do our physical and employment health, we might find we are a great deal more balanced.  

I think about this when I travel and find an establishment closed for the afternoon so the employees can go get a nap, drink a glass of wine with friends, or just hang with the family at home.  There is truly something to this.  So as you are evaluation your current and/or future career goals or struggling with your own mental health, think about a career that allows you to be you, pushes you to be your very best and drives you to do the extra mile, but most importantly, makes you happy.

(Image source http://chrisstuff.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/f/i/file_20_8.jpg)