Options (2025 version)

“If you aren’t happy with your decisions, it’s quite likely that you aren’t living your values. This is an indication that you should reevaluate your career and life choices.”  Binod Shankar

This week’s topic of discussion is options, and this quote is a really great reminder, that the choices we make from the available options need to meet with and align with our own personal values system.

The other point that I would like to make, is that we can always change our mind and follow another decision or option.  Things are not always set in stone and can be reconsidered.

Quite often, we are presented with options, and neither are very good.  Sometimes we need to compromise on what we would like to have, to an option that is more affordable or suitable for the time being.  At times, we may need to take the more scenic route whilst the preferred option is less attainable.

I often speak with young people who have their mind set on one particular career choice.  They may not get their desired ATAR rate or finish year twelve.  This doesn’t mean that their dream career choice is not achievable, it is postponed for a period of time, until they can attend university as a mature aged student.  They may need to wait a few years to attend and quite often are in a better mind space to complete the degree and ready to hit the workforce. 

For me, being a mature student (and much older that 21 years of age) meant that I had many life skills under my belt.  Many which were transferable to health and life in general.  I also knew (or thought I did) of what I wanted from the degree.  For those unaware, I initially went to university to study business and then took a detour into social work.  Life often throws us curve balls to see if this is really for us.  My grades definitely improved on the transition to social work as the world made more sense to me.  I was so fortunate that this option was provided to me, as I am not sure if I would have landed here in any other way.  Life certainly has its own way of making its own direction known at times.

You can always reinvent yourself and change the course that you initially set.