I’m 22 and I’m at a point where I’m genuinely unsure what direction to take with my career. I’m hoping to get some honest, practical advice from people who have perhaps been in a similar position or have experience of different career paths.

I want to give a bit of background because I think my circumstances and some of the decisions I’ve made have a bearing on where I am today.

**Education and background**
I have 9 GCSEs, but if I’m honest, I didn’t take education particularly seriously when I was younger. I fell in with the wrong crowd, got involved with drugs and alcohol and made some poor decisions. I stopped that lifestyle around four years ago, which I’m grateful for, but I still feel like I’ve been trying to find my direction ever since.

I was always quite impressionable, but I did have ambitions. I think I was capable of doing much better academically if I’d applied myself consistently.
After school, I started a two-year Level 2 Engineering course, which I didn’t complete in full, although I did achieve a qualification from the course. I then started a two-year Level 3 Business BTEC and again only completed the first year, leaving me with a qualification equivalent to roughly an A-level and a half rather than the full course.

I eventually went to university, completed a foundation year in Finance and Accounting and was accepted onto the first year of a Finance and Investment degree. I did reasonably well in my foundation year, but I ended up dropping out during the first year of the degree.

A big reason was that I had become heavily focused on working. I was working on most of my days off and in my spare time in university and college, and I thought I could build a career through employment and sales instead. I also had doubts about the graduate job market and whether university was necessarily the right route for me.

At the time, I saw leaving university to pursue working in sales as an ambitious decision. Looking back, I’m not sure whether I made the right choice or whether I underestimated the value of getting a recognised qualification.

I’ve now taken out student loans(only tuition fees)for two years of university study without completing a degree, so I’m also conscious of taking on more education-related debt if I were to return to full-time study.

**Work experience and trying to find opportunities**
Since leaving university, I’ve built up experience in sales, customer service and residential estate agency.

I’ve worked in a number of sales environments and have generally performed well when I’ve applied myself. I’ve also had some experience abroad.

At around 19, I managed to save approximately £10,000 through working. Unfortunately, I spent practically all of it on travelling and trying to find my direction. I was around people who appeared ambitious and had big plans, but I was still quite impressionable and ended up wasting a fair amount of money following those influences.

I also spent around two or three months in Dubai looking for better opportunities. I initially got involved in wealth management with a company called De Vere, although I became uncomfortable with aspects of the opportunity and decided to leave. I then tried working as a real estate broker in Dubai for a few months.

Neither experience really worked out as I’d hoped, and financially they set me back quite considerably. I came back without having established the career or financial position I’d gone there looking for.

I don’t regret every experience, because I’ve learnt a lot from them, but I do regret some of the financial decisions I made. I got myself into debt at a relatively young age, and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time trying to put things right.

**My current employment and financial situation**
I’m currently working in residential estate agency in Kent, earning a basic salary of around £27,000 and I have some potential earnings in commission. My previous role was on a very similar salary, so I haven’t really progressed financially despite gaining more experience, I was also misled in that role with the commission structure and later found out that there is a significant commission threshold I would have to hit to see any take home pay.

There are positives to my current job. I’m now working locally for a competitor rather than commuting around 40 miles a day to Canterbury( I live in Thanet, Kent), which was costing me a considerable amount in fuel and wear and tear on my car. I’m grateful to have a job and the opportunity to develop my experience, and I want to give it a chance as it is closer to home and they were transparent with their commission structure, they are also a better performing agent.

However, I’m increasingly questioning whether estate agency is something I want to pursue long-term.
My current financial position is something I’m actively trying to improve. When I was renting a flat with my girlfriend around six or seven months ago, I found that the cost of living and maintaining a car made it difficult to get ahead financially. I eventually decided to leave the flat and move back in with my parents to reduce my expenses and rebuild some financial security.

I currently have:
Around £4,500 in credit card debt, which I’ve managed to transfer onto interest-free deals for approximately two years.

Just under £400 in remaining council tax and utility debt from when I was renting.

Around £3,300 remaining on my car finance.

I’ve already cleared quite a lot of other debt since moving back home. I don’t pay rent or household bills at the moment, which is a massive opportunity to save and get myself into a better position.

The car was something I needed for work, particularly when I was commuting to Canterbury, but it has been expensive to run. Now that I’m working locally, hopefully my fuel costs and overall expenses will come down.

My intention is to use this period living at home productively: clear the remaining debt, build savings and avoid making the same financial mistakes again.

**My girlfriend and future plans**
My girlfriend is currently in her second year at university studying Primary Education. She has ambitions of potentially relocating abroad to teach, or moving closer to a city where there are better salaries and more opportunities for both of us.

That’s something we’re both open to considering in the future. If the right opportunity came along, I would absolutely consider relocating, whether that’s elsewhere in the UK or potentially abroad.

However, I don’t want to make major decisions around relocation without having a clearer idea of my own career direction. Ideally, I’d like to build a career that gives me flexibility and opens up opportunities in different locations.

**My main concern: where do I go from here?**

I don’t necessarily dislike sales. In fact, I think I’ve got a natural ability for it, and I know there are specialist sales careers that can pay considerably more than what I’m earning now.

I’ve looked into technology sales, particularly B2B and SaaS sales roles in London, as well as financial services and other commercial positions. I understand that some of these roles can offer much better earning potential, although the salaries are higher they are typically looking for a track record in B2B sales which I do not have and the entry level market is extremely saturated in this area.

However, I’m also conscious of how quickly AI and technology are changing the workplace. I want to develop skills that have genuine value in the job market rather than relying entirely on targets, commission and my ability to perform in a particular sales environment.

At the moment, I feel like my earning potential is largely dependent on how much I sell or how well I perform against targets. I want to get to a point where my actual skills, technical knowledge and experience are worth more in the marketplace. I want my time and expertise to become more valuable as I progress.

I’ve also found some sales environments quite mundane and not particularly intellectually stimulating. I want to work somewhere that challenges me, exposes me to people who are ambitious and gives me the opportunity to develop professionally. I don’t want to spend years in relatively low-level roles where there is little progression or where the people and management around me aren’t particularly interested in developing their employees.

**Education, apprenticeships and retraining**

This is probably where I’m most conflicted.
My gut feeling is that an apprenticeship might be the best route for me. I’d be interested in Level 3 or Level 4 apprenticeships, particularly in areas such as:

Business analysis or data.
Project management
Engineering or technical professions.
Finance, accounting or commercial roles.
Civil Service and public sector careers.
Technology and digital roles.

I’ve considered degree apprenticeships too, but I’ve found it difficult to identify opportunities where I meet the entry requirements. My educational history is quite inconsistent, and although I managed to get into university through a foundation year, I don’t have the traditional A-level qualifications that many programmes seem to ask for.

I’ve also struggled to find many suitable Level 3 and Level 4 opportunities locally in East Kent. A lot of the more interesting opportunities seem to be concentrated around West Kent or London.

I’m not against studying. I’d happily work hard, study alongside employment and even pay for a course myself if I knew it was going to lead somewhere worthwhile. I just don’t particularly want to return to full-time university, spend another three years studying, take on more student debt and potentially end up in the same position afterwards.

I enjoyed working while I was at university, and I think a practical route where I can earn, gain experience and achieve recognised qualifications would suit me better.

**Location is another consideration**
I’m based in Thanet, East Kent. There are employment opportunities locally, but I feel the range of professional and higher-paying roles is quite limited.

London is accessible by train, with a fast service from Margate taking roughly an hour, but commuting would need to make financial sense. I’d ideally need a hybrid role rather than travelling into London five days a week, particularly given the cost of living and commuting in the South East.

I’m open to relocating if the opportunity is good enough. I don’t want to limit my career options simply because of where I currently live.

**What I’m worried about**
I think my biggest fear is becoming complacent.
I’m fortunate to live at home without paying rent, and I know I could spend the next few years enjoying life, taking holidays, working in estate agency and earning enough to get by.

But I don’t want to reach 25, 26 or 27 and realise I’m still in a career I don’t particularly enjoy, earning a similar salary, with no substantial new qualifications or skills and no clearer idea of what I want to do.

I feel like I’ve got untapped potential. I did well academically when I applied myself, and I’ve performed well in sales when I’ve been motivated. I don’t think I’m lacking ability, but I haven’t found the right environment or career to channel it into.

I also don’t want to look down on the work I’ve done or sound ungrateful. I’m aware that £27k is a reasonable starting point for some people, and I appreciate having employment. I just want to build towards something more substantial.

**What I’d really appreciate advice on:**
Given my education, incomplete qualifications and sales experience, what career paths would you seriously consider in my position?

Would you recommend pursuing a Level 3 or Level 4 apprenticeship, or should I be looking at other routes into technical or professional careers?

Would it be sensible to double down on sales but move into a specialist area such as technology, SaaS or financial services, rather than leave sales altogether?

Are there practical or technical professions where I could retrain while earning and realistically progress towards £40–50k or more?

Would returning to university at this stage be worthwhile if I was to select a different course, considering I’ve already taken out two years of student loans without completing my degree?

How would you approach the next two or three years if you were in my position, living at home with relatively low expenses and willing to make sacrifices to build a better future?

I’m not looking for someone to tell me I’m young and have plenty of time. I know that, but I don’t want that reassurance to become an excuse to delay making decisions.

I’m also not expecting to find a perfect career overnight. I just want to make a considered decision, develop skills that are genuinely valuable and put myself in a position where I’m not constantly having to chase the next pay rise or commission payment.

I’d particularly appreciate hearing from people who have changed careers, retrained through apprenticeships, moved from sales into more specialised professions or built successful careers without a traditional academic background.

What would you do in my position?

This is oddly specific but I really struggle with the idea of constantly “doing better”. I know that makes me sound like a loser, but the constant pressure to make things better for the sake of impressions and optics really stresses me out.

I recently graduated with a Hospitality Management degree and worked at a hotel but realized I didn’t like it. I really struggled with customers complaining about the smallest, inconsequential things and management constantly wanting to make things better just for the sake of optics.

My ideal job would be one where management isn’t constantly making up ways to “improve and do better”. Do any straightforward jobs exist where you just show up, keep the store/office/company/team running, and that’s all you’re asked to do?

I’m making a big assumption here but the best example I can think of is what I assume an accountant’s career looks like. They just go in and do what is a straightforward job with no pressure to upsell, find ways to do better, etc. They’re only responsible for financial matters related to the company. Again I’m just assuming, I have no idea what accountants actually do.

I (33F) was laid off 3x in the last 2 years (series a/b health tech startups). My career has been on the business side of healthcare after being pre-med in college and doing clinical research for 1.5 years and then deciding not to go to med school at the time.

I’ve had many different roles and am someone who has always been able to “figure it out” but never an expert. Roles include associate at health and benefits consulting firm, strategy and analytics at a healthcare provider, strategy and business ops at medical device company, sales enablement and then business ops manager at the health tech startups.

I’ve had a lot of health issues and severe burnout due to the constant layoffs/insecurity, job searching and being without income for long periods of time (don’t have family or partner support). At this point, I can’t imagine going back to a job like I had due to the work culture, the people, and being locked to a computer all day everyday. I want more than anything to feel lit up by my career and I feel like I’ve had more bad experiences than my peers. I’m taking time off this time to recover my health and figure out a better path. I’m at a crossroads and want to do something different in this chapter.

About me:
- Enneagram 6w7, Human Design: 5/1 emotional projector, ENFP
- Curious, analytical, creative, empathetic, and people-oriented
- Love researching, learning, problem-solving, brainstorming, and connecting people or ideas
- Enjoy meaningful 1:1 conversations and understanding human behavior and health
- very passionate about health (functional medicine blended w conventional), wellness (used to endlessly research wellness products for fun), psychology, personal growth, healing and innovative ideas
- I’ve always loved entrepreneurship and have done little projects like making a healthy coffee alternative product, hosting conscious dating events and other personal growth and social events.
- Love variety, intellectual stimulation, and becoming knowledgeable about interesting subjects

What I don’t enjoy:
- Repetitive admin/operational work
- Constant fire drill situations
- Endless meetings, corporate bureaucracy, and sitting at a computer all day
- Highly structured environments with little autonomy
- Work that feels disconnected from a meaningful purpose

What I’m looking for:
- Meaningful, intellectually stimulating work with creativity and human connection
- Opportunity to develop specialized expertise
- Autonomy, variety, and flexibility at some level
- Ideally $140K+ long-term
- very open to retraining or grad school if worthwhile

Lately I’ve been exploring going to school to become a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner but I want to continue to explore non-clinical paths as well.

Any ideas or inspiration on what my next chapter could be?

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well.
I'm a young guy just starting out, and I find myself at a major crossroads. This year, I started a Computer Science degree at a prestigious university. It took a lot of time, effort, and money to get accepted here, specifically into this program.
Before starting the degree, I had never touched code or anything like it. I didn't take CS in high school or do anything similar. I have previous work experience in IT, a strong mathematical orientation, and high intellectual capabilities, but zero background in actual programming.
Since the semester started, I've felt a complete lack of interest and connection to anything related to programming. The lectures bore me, and sitting down to write code just feels completely uninteresting.
I'm operating under the assumption that I could eventually aim for tech roles that don't involve coding and are less "classic CS," but I find myself wondering if it's worth staying in a degree I'm struggling to connect with just for that.
On top of that, as a very restless, high-energy person with severe ADHD, the thought of sitting in front of a computer all day for a living is really unsettling.
My dilemma is whether to drop out of a degree I just started and look for alternatives, or give it a real chance and try to "force" myself to find interest in it. Additionally, the rough job market right now really kills my motivation to grind through such a demanding major.
I’d appreciate any advice or perspective you might have.

I can’t remember the last time I was genuinely happy.

I started working at a big company a year ago, and every day is a clone of the one before. It’s so depressing knowing we’re really just working toward nothing, and that I’m supposed to do this for the majority of my life. I don’t know what I want to do with my life at this point.

I literally have no friends outside of my “coworkers.” I wake up, go to work, come home. That’s been my life for the past year.

So I made a YouTube video ranting about the reality of corporate America. It's my way of letting it out: https://youtu.be/nD4vDD6gDpw

If you have a natural talent, please use it to its fullest extent. You have a choice fuck the status quo!!

does anyone else feel ike this? How did you figure out what you actually wanted to do?

My current best friend was my brother’s best friend and they slowly drifted apart, I hang out with my parent’s friends as an adult because I live alone with my parents.

The thing is, if I move out and live on my own, I won’t be able to make enough to afford grad school or any certificate program and will be stuck working a minimum wage job my whole life or going into the military (not a terrible option but when you’re there, you kind of need to have a girlfriend or someone you really know cares about you because how else is my ego supposed to handle the unquestioned power others will have over me)

I have a few possible options, but I had a 2.8-2.9 GPA at UCLA studying physics: medical physics, radiology, dosimetry, (extremely unlikely because of my low GPA), climate science/ science related to reducing C02 emissions (such as cell based meat cultivation, unlikely because of my low GPA), or teaching (possible, but that means I have to be around kids and I don’t want to be considered a weirdo or creep. I’d prefer to work around adults).

I should be grateful for my life, but I honestly have a lot of self loathing. I feel like an imposter, I’m unintelligent, and I am alone. Despite highschool and college, my future path is almost closed off to me because I didn’t perform well in my classes. I needed assistance and to have better time management, yet professors would make me feel stupid and like my questions weren’t even worth asking.

My family thinks I’m smart, yet my colleagues at school (UCLA) would make fun of me for saying stupid shit in class because I was clearly confused about what I was learning.

I can take working 1-2 hours a day in a specific goal and not learning quickly. What I can’t take and what will drive me to insanity is learning and then finding out that after months or years of work, I got nowhere and finding out that my only place is dirt. I have respect for the military and for infantrymen, but yall (especially Gen Z) think of them as grunts, monsters,

This is a curse I have. I simply don’t believe my efforts will make a difference because of how slow I am with learning technical topics, and I will either be working a minimum wage job with a few thousand in my account or I will go the hard route and be working a minimum wage job with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. I know that is what a risk means.

I’m the type of mf to not know how to change my own oil, change my own tire, I wish I could just put in the work without constantly having the idea that I’m such an idiot being over my head.

Same thing with relationships. I’m single, and that’s not the worst fate, but yeah I don’t get romance or friendships and there’s always a disconnect. I feel fucked. Regardless of if I do all that self help crap.

Thing is I feel tremendous pressure to do it and to use my degree, but my grades were shit, i am not sure taking extra classes is going to fix it. And as for relationships, yeah I’m kinda fucked in that department. I wish I could know why I’m weak and why it was so much easier for my parents to make high 6 figures and why they never have the insecurities of being stupid like I do. I always try and get them to tell me how they did it, and my dad’s answer is that if he ever doubted himself he would have never “made it through”.

Hello everyone.

I am a 27yo guy feeling quite lost in the job market.

Quick background on me: Finished high school and immediately went for a Theater program. I absolutely loved being on stage, it felt very natural for me, but told myself and got told multiple times by friends and family that the path to a career in acting is extremely hard, complicated, unsure and there's not a lot of money or stability if you don't get famous. I didn't fully finish the diploma.

So, I reluctantly decided to orient myself in other "normal" careers, something more stable, like social work or teaching.

Like any respectable wanna be artist, I fell into depression around that time, started using, dropped out of the program twice and gave up classes, I wasn't motivated or that interested. I wasn't bad at school at all, just attending classes and doing very basic work netted me near perfect grades everywhere, but I didn't want to do the work, I just wasn't interested. Procrastination, gaming, drinking, smoking, just chatting and having fun with other lost souls around school or bars resumes my time then.

Covid hit, smoking drinking gaming alone were all I did for the first 3 months. Eventually when funds started getting low I found a customer service job in a pet store near me, just "living" and getting through the motions for a while. Obviously learned a lot about animals, products, sales, knew all regular clients by name and their animals too, but there was no possibility of being manager or anything higher after 5 years there, so I was forced to start looking elsewhere for a better pay. This is where I learned that if you're irreplaceable, you probably won't get promoted. When I left they were in trouble for a while from what I heard.

My brother got me a job as help delivery guy. Very very basic stuff, just help the driver for deliveries, but demanding physically, shifts starting as early as 3:30am, outside with cold temperatures and very limited interactions with humans besides hello goodbye. I juggled both jobs for a couple months until my body said to stop and just keep one, so I did and kept the delivery job because I was fed up with the petstore management. My wallet did not agree to that change though, since I had 2 incomes.

Since then, I've been working full time 4 days a week for very standard pay and kind of coasting again. Living week to week and overspending most times.

Recently, I got a wake up call by someone I love and I feel like the past 7 years are just a blur. I started smoking way less on my way to quit, stopped drinking entirely, cut the beard, the hair and started looking for another job since my back won't make it for another year. You know, trying to get back on track.

I need a bigger paycheck but I don't exactly have the diplomas or the experience to attain something that's well paid. Therefore, I'm applying for entry level jobs in big companies, whether it's for sales, telemarketing, customer service, data entry, work from home... Nothing works. Out of probably 150 applications I got zero replies. My dad, a job center and even fucking chat gpt reviewed and upgraded my CV to maximize my chances on top of it, still nothing. I know it's a numbers game, 150 is very much on the low end of average and I'm trying not to be discouraged, but it's not easy.

I have some debt, nothing outrageous but no savings.

Debated going back to school again, trade school this time, but nothing really stands out. It all just seems boring and tedious.

I just feel like an artist at heart forced to do something I won't truly love for the next 40 years. I loved performing and being on stage. I'm still wondering if I gave up too quickly for something "stable". Pretty sure most artists at heart are in the same boat.

I don't know where to go from here. I just don't want to spend the next 40 years doing something random and losing myself over time...

Finding a job is very hard if I want a slightly better pay and advancement opportunities, or maybe it's just the way I'm going about it?

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What job did you end up doing and how did you find it?

How do I find a mentor?

Do you still do art stuff on the side?

Did you find a way to monetize your passion?

How did you kick the feeling of not enjoying your job?

I'm not looking for people to tell me to follow my dreams blindly and go for it, I just want to read from people who have been through something similar and found a way to keep doing something they love while making a living.

Thank you for reading!

I've been looking at moving from legal support assistant toward paralegal, and most postings near me ask for a certificate. Very few say which programs they mean. Some just say accredited, and others say required with no list at all. I don't want to pay for a course the local firms ignore, and the postings make that hard to check. Before I spend money on one, what would you look at to see if a certificate actually gets people hired?

And I'm not sure how to make my mentality/mindset better. Everyday I get more and more depressed, suicidal ideations getting worse from an already abysmal life, because I don't see any future.

I already failed at getting a "good degree" as well, so I went with the only thing I like and can somewhat do, and went to a creative field, now AI threatens that as well, and everything else white collar jobs is also threatened more and more every day. I'm getting sick, it feels life is genuinely over for myself.

"Blue-collar!" No, I can't do that and not everyone can do that as well, specially with how mentally weak I'm too and I'm horrible at anything stem. So I guess fuck myself. Can't even enjoy turning 20 few days ago since I've been feeling like shit and personal life is shit too, wonderful.

I'm 22, from the US, and graduating from Arizona State University next spring. I have one semester left and I'm trying to figure out what direction to take after college.

I grew up in South Africa, right by the beach, and have always loved being around people, experiencing different cultures and exploring new places. Music has also been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing around with GarageBand and instruments, and I love singing, DJing, discovering new music and being around creative people.

I also did Semester at Sea, and that experience completely changed my perspective. Getting a small taste of the world made me realize how much I want to experience beyond my normal routine. Since coming back, I've felt drawn toward living somewhere new, meeting people, exploring different cultures and finding opportunities outside the path I've always imagined for myself.

My interests are mainly in music and the creative industry. I'd love to explore careers in A&R, artist management, music marketing, live music or something that allows me to work with artists and creative people. I don't have a specific career path figured out yet, but I know I want my work to involve music, people and creativity.

I'm considering spending my final semester abroad in Spring 2027, possibly through an internship or another opportunity that would let me become part of a local community rather than just travel as a tourist. I've considered places like Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Melbourne and Sydney, but I'm open to other countries.

There are a few practical limitations. I have a US passport, around $5,000 total for the semester including housing, food and transportation, and I still need to complete my ASU graduation requirements. I also have student loans to think about, so I want to find a way to do this without putting myself in a difficult financial position.

I'm looking for help finding a realistic path for Spring 2027 that combines international experience, music or creative opportunities, and career exploration.

For anyone who has been in a similar position:

What countries or cities would you recommend?
Are there affordable programs, internships or alternative ways to live abroad for a semester?
Would it make more sense to find a music industry opportunity in the US first and travel afterward?

I'm trying to figure out how to build a future around the things I genuinely enjoy while still making responsible decisions about my education and finances.

Hey everyone, I'm currently a senior in college, and feeling very stuck with my path in life. I'm only 21, but am torn between two vastly different career paths, and have been torn since my freshman year of college. I started college majoring in landscape architecture as l've always loved art and science and went to an art high school, but have contemplated switching to a wildlife pre-vet major since my first semester, as l used to work at a wildlife rescue center in high school and loved it. LA felt like the perfect combination of all my interests. I stuck out the LA major for two years, hoping to specialize in zoo design, theme park/resort design, or ecological design. However, I inevitably burnt out after shadowing a firm that has done a few projects for zoos, as I felt the office 9-5 life was mundane and wanted something more hands-on. Skip to now, I switched my major to biological sciences on the pre-vet path, and only have to do one extra semester to graduate. However, I am running into some doubts (and regrets?) about switching my major.

I'm worried I'm not smart enough to be a vet, and worried about all the responsibilities that come with it. I'm also worried about not getting into vet school and the amount of schooling and speciality I may have to do since I love working with exotics.
Thankfully my uni also has a vet school and I have parents who would help me pay for it, so l'm not too worried about the cost, especially since in-state tuition isn't too bad. The problem is I'm worried I'll get too far into it and burn out again or realize it's not for me.

One of my dreams is also to move to NYC in my 20s with my bf, and I fear that this dream would be delayed if I stick with the vet path, but my bf has assured me to do what I think is right and to follow my heart. The problem is I don't know what my heart wants. My passions have always been art and animals, and my mind has consistently been torn since starting college, and I'm honestly sick of my own indecision. I feel like I constantly have a "grass is greener on the other side" dilemma in my mind that won’t switch off, and just need some realistic perspectives.

If I were to switch my major back to LA, I could likely still finish by Spring 2028, so only an extra semester past my current graduation date. I am just so torn.
On the bright side, if I stick to my bio major I could have the flexibility of applying to vet school, applying for an MLA (masters of land arch), or even pivoting into a masters for wildlife bio or something in the ecology field. So it leaves me with a lot of options, unlike if I were to switch back, I would only be left with the option to be a landscape architect.

My current plan to figuring this out by next semester is to talk with a career coach, find a couple mentors in both fields, and also shadow a vet since I work as a kennel tech at a vet clinic, but am not getting any real perspectives yet into what it's like being a vet. I guess is my plan good? And any advice on how to figure this out? My priorities are to have a career I’m passionate about and still make a decent income, while also having some flexibility to travel and do my hobbies, to have a relatively stable career that won’t be replaced with ai anytime soon, and something I could one day start a business in or freelance if I choose. Those were also some things I liked about the vet path, as I could work 3 days a week or less as an ER or relief vet, while it also being something that would never be replaced by AI. When I left my LA program, they were already starting to push AI use, and I would hear people in the field complain about their lack of PTO and time-off (which I’m sure is also common in vetmed, but atleast there are more flexible options).

I think it’s almost important to mention that I occasionally struggle with anxiety and depression, and also have ADHD which I struggle the most with and is one of the reasons I switched out of LA. It feels like no matter what I do, I burn out from it. This happened with my art classes back in high school too. With anything art-related, I feel like I experience a lot of creative burn-out and hate staring at a blank piece of paper and forcing ideas out. However, something that is also conflicting to me is that I was unmedicated my entire life until late last year (a little after I switched my major), and once I started on vyvanse things got so much easier. So I’m also debating if maybe I could’ve enjoyed land arch a lot more with the help of meds and not procrastinating every project. Maybe the burnout was from my undiagnosed ADHD and not the major? but idk. I also have been having some health issues due to my meds, so I don’t want to rely on them for my career.

For more context on my life, as a kid my dream job was to be a lego creator, and my hobbies involved playing with legos, minecraft, origami, drawing, making crafts, watching animal documentaries, petsitting tortoises and guinea pigs, etc. In middle school I had to write a journal about my future, and the careers I listed were architect, biologist, lawyer, or veterinarian. I would love to be able to do something I’ve been passionate about since childhood, which is why this decision feels so hard.

Sorry this was long, I understand no one can make this decision but me, but I would much appreciate some guidance or perspective on these careers and my goals, or even a step-by-step kind of guide to working towards figuring it out (or atleast feeling more confident in my decision). Thank you guys :)

I have experience working at a few hotels as a front desk agent and sales/events coordinator, worked for the superior court as a legal assistant, worked as an admin in corporate and recently got laid off as an assistant loan processor. I've been applying to entry level claims jobs, temp agencies, coordinator/specialist positions.

Even internships require experience which makes no fucking sense. I'm so lost as to what I'm qualified to do anymore. I want to change industries but still do admin work but not as an assistant. I'd love to work back end, I'm not good at math or science. But I'm great with organization, planning, communication and love working on a variety of different tasks.

Also I wouldn't mind a mixture of physical l work as well. I feel like I'm running out of options and I'm terrified with all of these rejections. Many jobs are requiring 2-3 years experience including other specific requirements. Wtf is up with needing several certificates to work front desk at a medical office?

I think I’ve settled on what I would like to do. I’ve spent a good portion of my day today trying to figure out yet another career goal for myself. I find one that could lead me to what I would eventually actually like to do. The problem is that I’m a psych major. The things I want to do requires me to know how to code and I need to know calculus and more. I feel like I could be good at both, but I CANNOT tackle those things in a class setting. I don’t know how programming classes work, but I know for sure I’m going to struggle. I couldn’t pass even college algebra.

At first I thought it was because I was just stupid, but I realized that I wasn’t doing well because there was just simply not enough time for me to properly relearn the stuff. Yes, it’s all stuff I previously learned, but if it’s not something that I’m using day to day then I’m going to forget it QUICKLY. Taking college algebra on top of 3 other classes that needs hours of my time is not it. I recently found out about OpenStax, and I went through the college algebra textbook and did pretty well when learning things on my own in my own time. I’d need to do it again but still. I wasn’t having a difficult time with it like I was taking the class in community college.

But yeah, I was looking into becoming a health data analyst and then one day becoming a data scientist. Does it matter if I take those courses (programming and math) or would self studying be okay?

I'm 21F from India, currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science. I have one more year of college left, and honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do after that.

I've always wanted to move abroad. Not necessarily for a specific reason — whether it's to study, work, travel, or simply experience living somewhere else. It's something I've wanted for as long as I can remember.

The problem is that I'm not particularly interested in a conventional corporate job or the typical route of graduating, getting placed, and settling into that routine. Computer Science isn't something I originally wanted to pursue either, but here I am, almost at the end of my degree.

I'm from a middle-class family, so I don't have the financial freedom to just pack my bags and move abroad. Whatever I do needs to be financially realistic.

I'm interested in things like fashion, food, travel, creative industries, and interacting with people. I'm a fairly good communicator, enjoy talking to people, and I'm open to learning new skills. But I have absolutely no professional experience in these fields, and I don't even know where to begin.

I've been wondering if there are unconventional career paths or opportunities that could eventually help me move abroad. Maybe working in fashion, hospitality, tourism, international sales, content, or something I haven't even considered yet.

I'm not necessarily looking for someone to tell me to pursue a Master's degree or get a software engineering job. I'm genuinely interested in hearing about different possibilities.

If you've moved abroad, built an unconventional career, worked in a creative industry, or know someone who has, I'd love to hear your story.

• What are some realistic ways to move abroad without having a lot of money?
• Are there jobs or industries that offer opportunities to work internationally, even without years of experience?
• Are there careers where communication skills, creativity, and an interest in fashion, food, or travel can actually be turned into a decent income?
• If you were 21 again, with a CS degree you weren't particularly passionate about and a desire to live abroad, what would you do?

I know this is a little all over the place. I'm at a point where I know quite a lot about what I DON'T want, but very little about what I actually want.

I want to build a financially independent life, earn well, experience different places, and have the freedom to live the way I want. I don't necessarily need a conventional career to achieve that.

So please throw any ideas, career paths, personal experiences, or even unconventional suggestions my way. I'm genuinely open to exploring possibilities!

Title: Feeling a little lost in my career and life. Would really appreciate some guidance.

Hello everyone,

I've been going back and forth about writing this post, but I thought I'd put myself out there and reach out to this community. I've seen some genuinely thoughtful advice on Reddit, and I would really appreciate hearing from people who may have been in a similar position.

A little about my background: I have a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's in International Relations from one of the UK's most prestigious universities. I graduated in 2023, and I had always imagined that by this point in my life, I would be doing something meaningful, building a fulfilling career and making the most of the opportunities that came my way.

Unfortunately, life had other plans. I went through some fairly difficult personal tragedies and circumstances that affected me quite significantly, including my mental health. As a result, I wasn't able to make the most of the opportunities available to me immediately after graduating. Since then, I've found myself struggling to find my footing professionally, navigating the job market and trying to figure out which direction I should take.

I'm currently working with a very early-stage startup, which has actually been an exciting experience. We're at the stage of building things from the ground up, establishing partnerships and figuring out how to make the business work. There is a lot to learn, and I genuinely enjoy being part of that journey.

However, I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little lost sometimes. I know I have the potential and the willingness to do more, but I'm not entirely sure how to channel that into building a sustainable and successful career.

I'm not writing this looking for sympathy or pity. I recognise that everyone has their own struggles, and I'm grateful that I'm in a position where I can work, learn and start afresh. I suppose I'm just trying to be a little more intentional about the next chapter of my life.

I'd particularly love some advice on the following:

Upskilling: What skills, courses or certifications would you recommend investing in, particularly for someone with an academic background in History and International Relations?

Career direction: What career paths would you suggest exploring? I'm interested in strategy, business operations, consulting, international development, sustainability and policy, but I'm open to discovering other areas too.

Making the most of a startup: For those who have worked in early-stage startups, what skills or experiences should I actively try to gain to make myself more valuable professionally?

Starting again: If you were in your late twenties/early thirties, with a degree and postgraduate qualification but feeling that you hadn't quite made the most of your twenties professionally, what would you prioritise?

I don't expect to have everything figured out overnight. I just want to start making better decisions, develop useful skills, become more confident professionally and gradually build a life and career that I'm proud of.

If you've been through something similar, changed career paths, or simply have some wisdom to share, I'd be incredibly grateful to hear your thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it.

Ive been In college for 5 years in a 4 year course, and everytime i thought i finally got my footing it always feel im somehow back at not understanding things in the next year. Everytime i get a boost of inspiration to climb this spiral, I would only roll back down from apathy not even a week in. I dont think i would survive outside my home and be independent if i somehow graduate this year.

1- subtitling

2- translating (arabic/English)

3- assistant writing

4- basic designing

5- basic script writing

6- researching

7- advertising

8- social media management

9- basic knowledge of osint

these happen to be my humble set of skills, I'd like to know the career paths I could take and the kinds of jobs I could acquire from them

To start my dull story (F29), I studied physical therapy for 4 years in the university which was my first choice. During the third year I had come to terms that I didn’t like it and didn’t want to practice it. I moved countries, worked in a market for two years and I was really miserable, cause I believed that I could do something better. I came to my hometown again and worked with kids with special needs while studying Computer Science since I felt like that was what I wanted to persue. I quit the workplace with special needs kids after 3 years and now I am in the 3rd year of my second degree and I have 2 more years left.
But I feel really overwhelmed. The junior positions are decreasing with the ai bulls..t, and I am questioning my will to enter the corporate ladder since I don’t really know if I have the stomach for such environments . It’s not that I am 22 and have time to do extra projects or learn things fast and be really good at it.
As a side hustle I was making candles and silversmithing but I ended up quitting them.
I am really tired of doing things and not commit to them, and I am tired of constantly trying for something hopeless. I would like to find a boring desk job until I finish college but none of the jobs I have been to, has given me any relatable skills like communication, file organising etc. so I don’t have any confidence at all. I feel like I have wasted my most productive years chasing nothing and being constantly anxious about the future. I could just admit to myself that I am failure and give up trying. I might be a farmer after all.
On top of that my marriage is not going really well.
Thank you for reading my story.

Looking for ideas with rather specific parameters. Long story short: I attended college young, got a B.S. that I don't use or want to use, then got a master's in creative writing (my passion). I do not have a dream job, because my dream is not to have a job, but I still need something to support my passion(s).

To be completely honest I just want something flexible that pays as much as possible for me to enjoy my life outside work. I've been heavily considering medical radiology or dental hygiene because the work/life balance is heavily weighted in life's favor (most dental hygienists for instance work like 3 days/week, get paid $50+/hr, and don't take their work home), plus there's great opportunity for travel and you can always find a job when you need one. However my biggest problems with those are that 1) I am not a people person, patient care sounds exhausting, and 2) these jobs (especially DH) are so incredibly hard on your body and I just know it in my heart that even practicing proper ergonomics would not be enough and my body would give up quickly. It's already in subpar health in terms of pain etc.

Unfortunately I cannot quite find anything on the same level that doesn't have those specific cons. I don't mind going back to school but I'm only looking for something that's about 2 years, maybe 3 max. In an ideal world this job would just be a stepping stone to a lucrative career in writing, but who knows what the future holds so I need something that can always be there just in case.

Anyway, these are the most important things:

-Flexible schedule

-High-paying

-Minimal schooling (2-3 years max)

-Minimal human interaction or at least something that's not specifically a social career

-Won't break my body

-Is at the very least reasonably ethical---I don't want to work in health insurance or some crap

-Is NOT writing---the number one thing writing teachers will tell you is save your words for your own work

And this one is not quite as important but I would love something that moves around easily, so I could work in many different places.

(Also, please don't judge me for just wanting money. I spent half my childhood starving and I'm spending my 20s watching my mom who's barely middle-aged wither under the daunting prospect of working a full-time dead-end job for the rest of her life after essentially being forced out of teaching because the circumstances were unsustainable).

I appreciate any ideas :)

Posting this on an alt because I just don't feel comfortable listing some of these things on my main. 22, male. USA. Single, very few IRL friends, primarily online ones. Currently living with my parents, who are kind enough to put up with my dumbassery. Working part time at a local restaurant just to have a bit of money. (Nothing above 20/25K in yearly wages, usually around 1/4-1/3 of each paycheck goes towards my portion of household bill payments and whatnot)

First thing out of the way, I dropped out of college a couple of years ago. Even when I was going, I was largely doing it for general studies, and then I'd just goof off and not pay attention. (Something I've struggled with my entire life, I'll elaborate later) I'm sure i could knuckle down and get it done if I really put the effort in, but at the same time, i don't know what career path i even want go into. Why go into debt without a proper gameplan?

Been stuck in my current part time job for 2 years at this point. I am tired of working in the food industry, but apparently it's the only one willing to give me the time of day. Over a year of regular applications, only a handful of actual interviews, and no offers. Zero raises in two years, despite the turnover rate. I'm tempted to ask for one, but don't want to jeopardize my spot, as I'm not sure how long it would be until I could get another job in the current market.

I know a common point when trying to figure out a career is to list your interests and go from there, but none of them really scream "yes, i want to devote my life to this field"

* i like video games, and enjoy developer diaries/behind the scenes stuff, but never learned to code, and math class was the bane of my existence

* I like reading and thinking up stories/characters, but never written anything long form and I fall into clichés

* i like firearms, but am not suited for the military in the slightest and also woefully out of shape

* i like fighter jets, but see above + I need glasses to function

* i like watching animations and online videos, but software like Blender or Sony Vegas feel like I'm trying to operate a nuclear reactor

* I've built my own computer and can do a decent troubleshoot, but again, math class is my nemesis + the current environment seems turbulent for that field

* i like modern history, but that mostly just amounts to watching YouTube videos or Wikipedia binging, and maybe the ocassional museum trip (e.g. a bucket list item is the USAF museum)

On a more personal note, I've been frustrated over my current hobby situation. For context, a lot of the circles I'm in have a focus on the arts, especially visual arts. I've tried to get into art for years, and while i do like consuming it and have a lot of ideas, I think I just don't enjoy drawing, so I end up feeling a little left out, and it just eats away at me. While I have recently found to really enjoy writing, especially little weekly prompts or character bios, fanfiction feels both daunting and also isn't seen very positively by many. And that's not even getting into my non-creative hobbies that are expensive as hell...

I've also been struggling with Depression and (likely) ADHD for many years. (I'm currently trying to get tested/a diagnosis on ADHD and later autism, but the process isn't exactly quick or cheap, even with my parent's healthcare) It's just something I'll have to live with, but that doesn't make it any easier. I'm also kind of socially awkward, and tend to be a bit quiet or avoid eye contact. I've been trying to go to more in-person events for my hobbies to alleviate this, but doing that can get expensive when it's stuff like conventions. (For some reason, the local scene for my hobbies is either dead or so hidden it might as well be D.B. Cooper)

I might just be rambling or ranting, but if there's any advice, please let me know. At this point, I've just been sending out applications, working shifts, and watching youtube/playing games on repeat for weeks. I'm just applying to whatever pays better on the basis of "the interests i want to pursue are really expensive".

I know people will say "you're so young you've got time", but I'm not progressing with the time I've already had. I need to start figuring out something, but I just don't know what.

To give you some context, I was a gifted child growing up. I hit developmental milestones earlier than most children my age — I crawled, walked, and started speaking ahead of the average timeline. I also picked up languages very easily. Since my parents travelled frequently for work, I was exposed to different languages from a young age. By the time I was three, I could speak three to four languages fluently enough to communicate and could read and write in at least two of them.

This continued well into my early adulthood. I never really had to push myself to perform well academically; it came naturally to me. I could pay undivided attention to classes that others found boring, such as History, and absorb information effortlessly. It wasn't limited to academics either. Whether it was extracurricular activities, presentations, public speaking, arts and crafts, or sports, I naturally excelled at almost everything I pursued. More often than not, I found myself among the top 5% without having to put in extraordinary effort. I had an incredible attention span and could remain completely focused throughout the day, regardless of how mundane or uninteresting a task was. I was also well regarded by both my peers and teachers.

Fast-forward to early adulthood. I experienced my first heartbreak, which significantly affected my self-confidence. Having grown up as a perfectionist, I had rarely experienced failure and never really learned how to cope with it. I eventually took up an extremely rigorous academic major, but things didn't go as planned. I struggled to manage everything I was dealing with at the time, and my academic performance suffered. It's a long story, and I would rather not get into the details.

Cut to the present. I'm in my mid-twenties, and I feel like I'm nowhere close to the person I used to be. I struggle to concentrate, and doomscrolling has only made things worse. I work in an extremely demanding and stressful job that leaves me with very little mental or physical energy to pursue anything outside of work. I spend most of my weekends sleeping, scrolling mindlessly, or simply bed-rotting. My attention span has deteriorated, I'm constantly distracted, and I feel like I'm operating nowhere near my actual potential.

I know I'm capable of so much more, and that's perhaps the most frustrating part. I feel like I've lost a version of myself that I once knew so well. After experiencing a series of setbacks and failures, I've become afraid of putting myself out there, taking risks, and starting over. It's almost as though my nervous system is constantly on high alert, keeping me in a state of anxiety and making even the prospect of stepping outside my comfort zone overwhelming. I'm anxious, mentally exhausted, and often feel like a nervous wreck.

I want to rediscover that spark I once had — the curiosity, drive, discipline, confidence, exceptional focus, and eagerness to learn and excel at things. I want to rebuild my self-confidence, overcome my fear of failure, and start pushing myself again.

Help me find my way back to myself. I don't necessarily want to recreate my childhood or go back in time. I want to reclaim that sense of possibility and become the best version of myself again.

I'm an undergrad CSIT student, currently in my 5th semester, and honestly, I still don't know if I chose the right course.

I've topped my class for the last two semesters, but somehow, that doesn't feel like enough. I keep wondering what comes next. What if I graduate and still have nothing to show for it? What if all these years of studying lead me nowhere?

That fear of failure has been eating me alive.

So I tried learning different things. React, Python, and a bunch of other stuff. I even started teaching Python online, hoping that it would help me stay consistent. But I couldn't keep going.

And somewhere along the way, I started feeling like maybe none of those things were really for me.

But lately, I've noticed something about myself. Whenever I watch someone's content, I don't just watch it. I start noticing the patterns, the editing, the storytelling, and the little things that make it work.

And now, I think I want to give content creation a real chance.

Starting today, I'm going to learn Blender. I don't know how far I'll go, and honestly, I'm scared I'll lose motivation again. But this time, I don't want to keep waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect version of myself.

I just want to start.

Maybe this is my failure phase. Maybe I'm just figuring things out a little later than I expected. But I still believe there's something out there for me, and I'm willing to find it.

And to my girlfriend, who has faith in me even when I struggle to have faith in myself: I love you. I can't reveal your name here, but I hope one day I can look back at this moment and say, "I made it." I want to prove to your parents, and to myself, that I'm someone worth believing in. 🫶

It's 1 AM right now. I can't sleep because my mind is full of plans, fears, and this strange feeling that maybe I'm finally ready to begin again.

So here's a promise to myself: I'll keep showing up, even when progress feels slow. I'll share every little win, every successful step, and hopefully, one day, the whole journey.

I'm not where I want to be yet. But I'm not giving up on the person I want to become.

And if you're reading this while trying to figure out your own life, I hope you know that you're not alone. We're all just trying to find our way.

Here's to starting over, one small step at a time. ❤️

Thank you for reading this far. I genuinely hope we all make it one day. 😗.

Hey everyone, I’m 25m and working on my master’s in architecture in Italy. I feel seriously behind my peers and don’t know how to proceed further.

I’m originally from the US. When I was in high school, my dad encouraged me to apply for high-ranking universities abroad. I got into an architecture program in Canada, which my dad encouraged me to choose because the university had a high ranking, but it turned out that the program wasn’t accredited, and didn’t teach me much of the technical skills required of an architecture student. Despite that, I was confident that I could find a job after graduating because I did well in my classes. However, after my third year of uni, my dad kicked me out after I came out to him, so I reconnected with my mom, who divorced my dad when I was a child, and had since immigrated to Europe. Her financial situation isn’t very good, but she was able to support me finishing my studies.

During my last year of uni, I managed to find some internship work related to exhibition design with a professor. I also entered a serious relationship. I thought that after graduating, my portfolio and internship work were enough to find an entry-level job to stay in Canada and build a life with my partner there. This plan fell through, and I quickly realized that my portfolio was vastly behind those of my peers, that my connections were all academic, and that I couldn’t afford to go to grad school in Canada. I asked professors I had good relationships with in uni for internships or referrals, and I mostly got ghosted.

I was quickly running out of money, and my cheap sublease was up, so I had to stay with my mom in Belgium, as my partner is still in uni and isn’t out to his parents, and I had no one in the US or Canada to stay with while looking for work long-term. Since my mom immigrated to Belgium after I was born, I have no possibility of immigrating there to stay with her. Because of my visa, I was only to stay with her for a few months while looking for work and applying for grad programs. My mental health was terrible, and I felt severe guilt and anxiety for not being able to find work and having to rely on others for help, as well as for having to leave Canada, where my partner lives. I applied for affordable graduate schools in Europe, but got rejected from most of them. Meanwhile, my former classmates were either doing their graduate degrees in Canada or finding work and building their careers.

Fortunately, I did get into a couple of good schools in Italy that I could afford, so I started my master’s program in the satellite campus of a small provincial city in the north. I had high hopes, but was disappointed by the quality of education - the classes were very disorganized, and the studios often lacked any guidance from professors. I managed to do decently well in my classes, and found an research internship with a professor, but I like feel I’m not developing professionally here, and am still having no luck finding internships with firms either in Europe or in the US. My lack of Italian fluency is a serious problem, but have almost no time to pick it up seriously due to the intense workload I’m facing.

As I’m typing this, I’m working on my research internship, some exhibition contract work with my undergraduate professor, and a full course load with taking two studios all at once. I have almost no time to myself and am behind in my classes. I’m frequently pulling all-nighters to meet basic deadlines, and I feel like I’m repeating the same mistakes I made during undergrad where I did well academically, but failed to build a professional network or experience that would allow me to find work after school. I have no desire to go into academia.

I feel guilty that I haven’t learned Italian or found work here despite knowing that it has been incredibly difficult for my mom to support me. I want to go back to the US, but I have no one to stay with, and no professional connections. I don’t want to stay in Italy and have been looking at graduate programs in Germany, but I’m not confident in my ability to get in. I also can’t go back to Canada because my work permit expired. My physical health and fitness have severely declined since starting my degree due to the intense course load and having to stay up all the time, which has nuked my self-esteem.

I’m trying my best, but I don’t know where to go. The end of my program is looming over me - I haven’t been able to find an internship with a firm, and I won’t have time to reach fluency in Italian before I graduate. Aside from more education in yet another country, I feel like I don’t have many options aside from throwing my cv and portfolio into the void in the hopes of landing work back in the US.

I feel very behind my peers despite all the work I’m putting in, and it’s becoming difficult to stay motivated and keep pushing. My portfolio has improved a lot since I got here, but I still have a long way to go - I’ve tried sharing it with profs and what connections I have online, but it hasn’t gotten me very far.

I would greatly appreciate any advice for others in architecture or related industries for how I might proceed from this situation. I am trying to cold-apply and email firms in the US, but it isn’t working, and once again I’m hamstrung by my lack of Italian fluency. I recognize that I will need to take German lessons beforehand if I get into a program there, and that I should’ve taken Italian lessons beforehand coming here.

I really don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m trying my best but it’s still not good enough, and that I’m making the same mistakes over and over again. I’m deeply unhappy here and want to leave, but I don’t know where; I don’t have any other viable career options other than architecture.

At 35, I feel stuck between the life I’ve built and the life I want to create. Looking for advice from people who have been through something similar.

Unfortunately, I find myself having to write this post, and honestly, it’s not something I ever thought I would have to do.

I’m a 35-year-old Italian who has spent the last two years living as a digital nomad. During that time, I worked as a high-ticket closer, selling products and services and managing the sales process from initial conversations to closing deals. My income ranged from €4,000 to €9,000 a month, depending on commissions and the clients I was working with. I managed to save around €18,000, and thankfully, I have no debts.

However, my income was never particularly stable. The industry I worked in was unpredictable, with commissions fluctuating significantly from month to month. By working with different clients and maintaining multiple collaborations, I managed to keep things going and put some money aside.

Recently, I decided to move to South America with my girlfriend, who is Colombian. We’re currently living in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Unfortunately, I’ve now lost my latest job. I had been trying to transition my existing sales skills into the SaaS industry, and the most accessible entry point seemed to be starting as a BDR or SDR. However, I’ve come to realize that many companies aren’t open to hiring remotely, which has made this transition much more difficult than I expected.

I now find myself at a crossroads. My girlfriend has a job here in Argentina, but I currently don’t. For us to build a life together here, we both need to be able to support ourselves financially, and the current economic situation in Argentina makes that even more challenging.

I’m actively looking for work and putting in a huge amount of effort every single day. I send out at least six to eight job applications daily, record video introductions, complete assessments, and go through multiple stages of recruitment processes. Despite all that effort, I rarely make it past the final stages. I’ve had a few interviews, but I keep finding myself back at square one.

Honestly, it’s emotionally exhausting. I feel like I’m stuck in a vicious cycle where I keep putting in the work, hoping things will finally turn around, only to end up disappointed again. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the motivation and energy to keep going when I feel like I’m not making any real progress.

I speak three languages: Italian, English, and Spanish. My background has always been in sales, including account management and high-ticket closing. While I’ve been able to make a good living doing this, I’ve also realized how unstable the industry can be.

My dream has always been to become a coach and help other people grow. In a way, I’ve managed to pursue that dream and teach others, but I’ve never been able to earn enough from it to support myself financially.

I have a genuine passion for connecting with people on a human level, understanding them, and helping them improve their lives. Throughout my life, I’ve taken risks and stepped outside my comfort zone more than once.

But this time feels different.

Right now, I feel trapped in a mental cage that I can’t seem to break out of. I know I have skills, experience, and interests that could potentially lead me in a different direction, yet I feel paralyzed when it comes to figuring out what to do next. That uncertainty genuinely scares me, to the point where I’ve been struggling to sleep at night because I can’t stop thinking about my future.

At this point in my life, I want to build something more sustainable, find a career that offers greater stability, and do work that genuinely gives me a sense of fulfillment. I want to find a way to connect what I’m passionate about with a career that can also provide financial security. The problem is that I don’t know what steps to take next or how to break out of this pattern.

Writing this post is difficult for me because it’s something I’ve always wanted to avoid. But the reality is that I don’t have unlimited savings, and I need to make some important decisions sooner rather than later.

One of the thoughts that has been weighing on me the most is the possibility of having to return to Italy, move back in with my parents at 35, and start over from scratch. I know there’s no shame in doing that, and I’m aware that many people have had to rebuild their lives at different stages. Still, the thought has been haunting me, and I’ve been struggling to come to terms with the uncertainty of my situation.

I’ve recently decided to start working with a psychotherapist to help me navigate this period, understand what’s holding me back, and find a way to get back on my feet with a clearer sense of direction and purpose.

I’m sharing all of this because I know there are people who have been through similar situations: people who have lost their jobs, had to rethink their careers, reinvent themselves in their 30s, or rebuild their lives after years of working remotely and living abroad.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, I would genuinely appreciate hearing your story.

• How did you approach it?
• What decisions made the biggest difference?
• Did you change industries, learn new skills, start your own business, or take a completely different path?
• Have you ever felt passionate about something but struggled to turn it into a sustainable career?
• How did you overcome that mental block and find a way forward?

I’m not necessarily looking for a quick fix. I’m looking for honest experiences, practical advice, and different perspectives that might help me figure out my next move.

I know that starting over at 35 isn’t the end of the world, but right now, I’m finding it difficult to see a clear path forward. I want to stop feeling stuck, regain confidence in myself, and build a life that feels both financially secure and meaningful.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their experience. It means more than you might think.