Due to my career coaching work, I counsel my friends and family about their careers a great deal. I feel that one of my work missions in life is to help people navigate the practical world. Sometimes I get paid to do so and sometimes I don’t. In discussions with my friends in the shoreline community of Connecticut, I notice that those who are stuck in a career don’t change jobs or careers because the thought is so overwhelming. 

My daughter gave me a mug for Christmas with Lao Tzu’s famous saying: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Even though the impact of these words has been lessened by its overuse, the message is still of deep wisdom.

Your first step: commit to career exploration.

What is career exploration? Reading this article. Reading a book on career choice. Talking to a friend about your career issues. Writing/reflecting about your career preferences. And, yes, making an appointment with a career counselor. If I didn’t run another company for a living The Learning Consultants, I would feel more ridiculous about the preceding self-serving sentence. But as self-serving as this sounds, my career counseling practice is a passion play more than a business one. The passion of an idealist is aroused through helping others. During 2014, I believe I helped people more profoundly through career counseling than other part of our education/counseling services. 

Maybe I’ll see you in 2015? dcapuano@learningconsultantsgroup.com