We love to imagine careers as neat, straight lines. You pick a goal, march toward it, and end up exactly where you planned. But anyone who’s lived in the real world knows that’s rarely how it works. Life has detours, breakdowns, potholes, and surprise turns.
I was reminded of this when I talked with a group of scholarship students about their dreams and fears. One young woman said she wanted to become a veterinarian – a tough and noble goal. She started college with all the right intentions, but the workload crushed her. She stumbled, lost confidence, and stepped away from school.
For a while, she thought the dream was over.
She was passionate about the work but afraid she wouldn’t be able to cut it academically.
The Lesson: Step Chosen Beats Step Perfect
When I asked the students to produce their own next steps, this same young woman laid out three goals:
- Research what qualifications are really required.
- Check out which programs (like internships, scholarships, and even volunteer work) are available.
- Visit a vet’s office to see what the work looks like.
Those weren’t my assignments. They were hers. And that makes all the difference.
When we choose our own steps, we’re far more likely to take them. Not because they’re easy, but because they’re ours.
Why This Matters for You
Whether you’re starting a career, changing direction, or just trying to figure out what’s next, remember this:
- Your path doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Detours aren’t failures. They’re data.
- The goals you are most likely to achieve are those you set for yourself. Not your family. Not your friends or other loved ones.
The most important questions you need to ask yourself:
- What pulls me forward?
- What’s my superpower? The thing I do that comes so easily to me that other stare at you in open-mouthed awe.(Yes you DO have at least one superpower. Don’t underestimate yourself.)
- “What small steps can I take right now to move toward my goal? What do I need to learn? Where can I find that information? Who do I know who can help guide me?
That’s Where SheRises Comes In
That’s exactly the heart of our Career Success Circles in SheRises Network. We collaborate with women to help them produce their own goals. We create a space where you can identify your own next steps, commit to them out loud, and get the support from a certified coach and fellow Success Circles members to follow through.
Sometimes the step is big: applying for a job, pitching an idea, enrolling in a program. Sometimes it’s small: making a phone call, rewriting a résumé bullet, asking for advice. The size doesn’t matter. The ownership does.
Like that vet student, your confidence grows every time you take a step that belongs to you.
Your Turn
So ask yourself today: What’s one step I choose for myself?
Write it down. Tell someone you trust. Act.
Because progress doesn’t come from perfect plans; there is no such thing as a perfect plan. It comes from steps chosen, claimed, and taken. And if those steps don’t take you where you want to be, it may be time to adjust your plan.
There is no shame in that. That’s the smart move. You wouldn’t keep driving down the wrong road when you know it won’t take you to your destination. You figure out another route, another destination.
The Key: Keep moving forward. And SheRises can help.