How can I find a career I actually like?

How to Find a Career You Actually Like

The truth is, most people don’t “accidentally” fall into careers they love, they build them with intention, clarity, and a willingness to experiment. If you want a career you actually like, you have to stop chasing the mythical “perfect job” and start chasing alignment between who you are, what you need right now, and the opportunities you choose to go after.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Must-Haves

In The Art of Leaping, I call this the Square of Focus. Out of the four key drivers (Finance, Growth, Impact, Balance) choose the two that are most critical for you in the next 12–24 months. Not forever. Right now.

Why? Because your career needs will shift depending on your life stage. You might prioritize Finance and Growth early on, then later switch to Impact and Balance. If you don’t choose, you risk chasing roles that look appealing but leave you frustrated or drained.

Step 2: Find Your Zone of Genius

Your Zone of Genius is where your talents, skills, and passions intersect so seamlessly that work doesn’t feel like work. To find it, ask yourself:

When have I felt most alive and proud of my work?

What do people come to me for help with?

What have I consistently done better than most, without it exhausting me?

Write it all down. These clues are your compass.

Step 3: Experiment Instead of Guessing

Here’s where most people get stuck; they overthink. They want the perfect plan before they take action. But clarity comes from doing, not thinking.

This is why I use the 5-5-5 Rule:

5 Days: Pick one career path you’re curious about. Spend five days diving in, research it, talk to people in the field, read job descriptions.

5 Weeks: Present yourself publicly in that direction. Update your LinkedIn, résumé, and story to reflect it. Let your network know this is where you’re headed.

5 Months: Go all-in. Apply, pitch, create, and network as if this is already your career.

By the end, you’ll have real-world data about whether this path excites you.

Step 4: Track Energy and Opportunities

During this process, ask yourself:

Do I feel energized when I do this work?

Are doors starting to open naturally?

Can I see myself doing this for the next two years and feeling proud?

If the answer is “yes,” you’ve found alignment. If not, you pivot. The beauty of learning to leap is that you can do this over and over again.

Step 5: Keep Leaping

A career you like isn’t something you find once and keep forever, it’s something you keep creating. Every year or two, reassess your must-haves, check in on your Zone of Genius, and see if your current path still aligns. If it doesn’t, you leap again.

When you master this process, you’ll never feel trapped or stuck. Instead, you’ll feel in control, confident, and ready to design work that fuels you, pays you, and makes you proud.

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