A career is something you make up for yourself and will define you for a good number of years. Choosing what to do as a professional in the fashion industry, or anywhere else, is not always an easy task, especially when you take such a decision at a very young age. But what is very crucial in this process is to follow your inner unfiltered desire at any given time and shift towards more fulfilling paths when that flame goes away. You need to be flexible and aware of your alternatives in life. Let’s see how that translates to happiness!
WHEN NOT EXCITED, QUIT
It sounds costly and risky, but a professional lacking excitement is never a successful one. If everything is boring and flat, then you either make out of your job something that will change that feeling or you start looking for a new one. Discomfort caused by your professional reality will have a direct impact on your personal life, with stress being transformed into anger and anxiety, ultimately bringing ill behavior towards your loved ones.
BE PATIENT BEYOND LIMITS
Colleagues, partners or bosses making your life hard would love to see you blow out and take irrational decisions. Or they are people who hope to mold you according to their aspirations. Instead, you should take your time, stay cool-headed and set the tone in the battlefield. You are the one to decide when you resign, become outspoken, or make a proposal. If someone pushes you to react at a moment when you are not so sure about your response, then postpone or avoid it. Create a strategy to cope with competition!
THINK LONG TERM
Some people have taken a crazy, random course of actions and succeeded. Those people were either extremely intuitive or purely lucky. Do not bet and gamble at a professional level, even when fortune has been kind with you for years. Before kicking off a career or changing direction, think of your past and future. Imagine yourself during the next decades; where you would like to be, what you would like to do, and how much money you would like to make. Combine that with your family life and the status you aspire to develop. Being short-sighted is always a reason for regret.
TRUST YOUR INSTICT
Listen to your own voice, especially when it’s very strong. Deep inside us, we all know what’s the right thing to do, but often ignore that instinct. External influences, opinionated friends and family, rationalism and a conservative attitude can lead us to a very conventional career. When puzzled or confused, just forget about other people’s success stories, what your education was, how your parents would love to see you evolve, or what sounds completely reasonable within your social circles. Go for what you are dreaming of doing, stick to it, try hard, and practice. Never give up on what you know you are good at!
DON’T BE MONEY-DRIVEN
As grandmas tend to say, money won’t buy your happiness, which is partly true. Of course you want to be well-off but you could definitely live with less money at a more fulfilling job. Corporate environments are often restrictive and many creative people are suffocating inside them. If finance isn’t your thing, then don’t get seduced by the glittering surface of some buildings in the City!
