3 Reasons You Should Revisit Your Career Path Right Now

Choosing a career path is one of single biggest decisions of your entire life.

Not just because of what it means to devote upwards of 40 hours a week to something, but because of how long the average person remains in a career throughout their lifetime.

For that fact alone, it’s smart to revisit your career path from time to time to make sure your pursuit still makes sense– or if something has changed and it’s time to consider a career change.

Passion is what gives meaning to our lives. It's what allows us to achieve success beyond our wildest imagination. Try to find a career path that you have a passion for.

– Henry Samueli

Sure, not all of us need to review our career path, some of us are perfectly positioned and well-fitted for what we’re doing now.

However, doing so is invaluable because it can help you learn more about how you’ve changed as a person since you originally picked your career as well as whether it still makes sense as far as your long-term goals.

Here are the three main reasons to revisit your career path:

1. You’re not passionate about your field

Oftentimes, we pick what we think we’ll enjoy doing. Other times, outside influences such as our parents or the rest of society place pressure on us to pick conventionally accepted careers that will make you “successful”.

There are many occasions where both of those scenarios work out just fine and you end up really enjoying what you do– maybe even loving it. However, oftentimes, we grow to hate our career or, at the very least, dislike what we do once the glittery shine of “something new” wears off.

If you feel that this might be you, it’s time to revisit your career path by revisiting something else– your passions. What do you love? What have you always wanted to try? Moving in the direction of what you love and have a passion for is almost always a good career move, particularly now.

2. The world is changing very quickly

The world is moving at a blisteringly fast speed, with new technology being invented on an almost weekly basis.

But it’s not just technology, the world is changing in many other ways as well. The way we communicate is changing in a fundamental way– not to mention politics, developing countries affecting the world economy, and shifting views on major issues that could all affect your career path.

For these reasons and more, if you chose your career based on positioning yourself within the workforce in a specific way, you’ll need to not just revisit your career path now, but also make a habit of it each year.

Take time regularly to follow top publications that are relevant to your field so you’re aware of new tech, trends, and any other developments as soon as they go public. Make this a habit and continue to revisit your career path over time to make sure you’re not off-course.

3. You’re no longer excited about a role you once loved

Okay, so, maybe you really did love the career you chose when you chose it. Maybe you did a great job of picking something you knew you loved to do, pursued it, and loved it...for a while.

Over time, you changed as a person and, for reasons that aren’t always so easy to pin down, you just don’t have the same passion for your career now that you used to. This isn’t always a reason to change your career path, however, it’s always a reason to revisit it so that you’re absolutely sure you’re going in the right direction.

Perhaps stress has made you lose your enthusiasm and you just need to put a plan in place that better handles those stresses. Perhaps you’ve become too focused on results or accolades and have forgotten why you loved your career in the first place, needing nothing more than to come back in touch with that unobstructed joy for your craft. Then again, maybe you’re a different person now and it really is time to make a change.

Whatever the case, take some time to revisit what drew you to your career choice in the first place. Why did you decide to do what you do? How have you changed as a person since then? By doing so, you can be sure you’re following the right road and loving what you do instead of living a life of regret and unhappiness.