Navigating The Future: How to Dismiss Feelings of Doubt
I am a 21 year old college student who is just setting out on their career journey. I know I speak for a lot of people my age when I say this is a stressful, intimidating, and often discouraging process. But I also deem this experience stimulating and rewarding. I think we often overlook how exciting this time in our lives is, and we are instead blinded by the immense pressure of it all. We are finally applying everything we’ve learned to the real world. We are entering the workforce, inheriting more responsibility, making meaningful contributions, and finding our place in the world. As scary as this may sound, I prefer to focus on the silver linings. I view this time as the beginning of a momentous chapter of our lives. It’s for this reason that I am here writing. Navigating the future can be daunting, and sometimes I question my capability of achieving success. I want to call attention to the ways in which I procure motivation when experiencing these feelings of doubt, as well as how I cope with the angst about my seemingly mysterious future. Because at the end of the day, I know I am exceedingly capable of attaining my goals.
The one thing that never fails to keep me going is my passion. I am an advertising student because I truly believe it is one of the coolest industries to exist. I once read in a class reading that “advertising is the rock n’ roll of the business world,” and I don’t believe there is a statement any more true. I wholeheartedly love what I’m doing, which I think is what keeps me motivated and eager about the future. I find a sense of increased drive and ambition when I’m doing something that brings me genuine excitement. I always stress the importance of this because I believe true passion translates to great success. This is something my dad always preaches to me, and now I find myself preaching it to others. If you’re ever feeling doubtful about your future, check in with yourself to make sure you’re happy. If not, find what you love and pursue it. The success will follow. If all else fails, become an entrepreneur! The beauty of entrepreneurship is that you can curate an entire career for yourself and do exactly what it is that you love. I find security in knowing that I can start my own business in the event my initial career plans don’t work out.
Speaking of plans, many people my age claim to have their whole life planned out. I know this because I am guilty of it myself. I’ve realized, however, that at 21 years old there’s no telling where my life will go. Take this past year, for example. I don’t think anyone prepared for a pandemic and a deprivation of normalcy. Everyone’s plans took an unexpected detour. In turn, the workforce changed forever and we are now forced to adapt. This brings me to my next piece of advice: rather than devising a 10 year plan, focus on the now. I think young professionals, like myself, should plan for the next 1-5 years by establishing short term goals. We need to take this process one step at a time. Otherwise, we will find ourselves incredibly overwhelmed with the pressure of long term success.
If there is one thing I hope you takeaway from this, it’s that everything will be just fine. No, I am not speaking from experience, but I know doubting and worrying about our future isn’t going to do much. Instead, it’s important we remain proactive, confident, passionate, and hardworking. We must control what we can control. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that hard work pays off. Stop dwelling on the intimidating nature of the future and focus your energy on the present. You are great, you are worthy, and you are capable!
