Career Choice and Development

I was invited to talk to young people on career choice and help them forge trajectory for their lives. It was a captivating event as I had to journey back to how I choose a career through passion. I will be sharing my talking points here and I believe we will pick one or two things from it.

1. God First. As I got to the event hall and gladly listening to the first and second speaker, I noticed they have said virtually all I wanted to present. Then, I called on God immediately to lead me through and unveiled to me was a VPA model in having a successful career. V= Vision P= People A= Attitude. So, I centered my talk around this model connecting with my stories.

2. The VPA Model: For you to have a successful career, you need a vision and picture where you want to be in the future. I asked, where do you see yourself in 10 years time and I was surprised by the responses I got. One said, "I want to drive the best airplane in the world" and the other said, "I want to become a pharmacist" After talking about how vision gives them a sense of direction. I mentioned what they need to do to bring their vision to reality. By taking the smaller steps. There is always a smaller version of the bigger dream. I told them to start reading books in line of their vision and organize seminars amidst each other talking about their vision. We become what we talk about. I also went further to explain, why they need people to attain their vision. I talked about support they can get from friends, families, career coaches, teachers and mentors. They can't do it alone. And then, I talk about having a positive attitude towards life, work and service. I said, they might go through hardship living their Vision but they should never give up. That's why they need positive mental attitude.

3. Your career might not be a linear path. You may have to become many things in choosing a career and there is always something to learn. Find that stuff that makes you tick and choose a career from it. I told them how I choose a career from writing, connecting with my stories from primary to NYSC. When I wanted to become a Lawyer, Accountant, Sports Analyst, Sports Psychologist, Community developer and finally a Career Coach.

4. The 3 P's (Passion, Purpose and Pleasure). To choose a career, you first identify a passion, find how you can contribute to the world through your passion, like how you do your passion, make money from it and live comfortable. Having a career is about contributing to the development of the society, meeting a need and feeling happy.

Thank you NRCS, Mushin Division for the invite and most especially my man Yemi Cullex G Gbolahan.Thank you for the kind gesture. The others speakers Dr. Oniemola Roseline and Chinenye Nzom. I learned a lot from your lectures. Thank you. Ultimately, the world will be a better place, if we help young people discover purpose.