A colleague asked me what process I used to figure out that I wanted to work independently rather than in a traditional job. I told him that it was like going to an art museum.
Most self-help and career coaching books advocate that you ascertain your strengths and do exercises to find your purpose, but for me, it was an evolutionary process that was a lot like looking at art. Initially, could not describe to you what types of paintings struck my fancy but I could instantly tell what I did not like. My process was one of eliminating jobs or aspects of positions that did not appeal to me until I found myself in the metaphorical gallery of works that I loved.
In essence, choosing a career path is like picking a painting to hang in your home. There may be many that are possibilities, but only a select few that really speak to you. Keep wandering through those hallways until you find one that you want to be with for many hours each day.
