We have a choice, or do we?

We have a choice in how we lead our lives.
We have a choice in taking a career path. Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, throughout his life gave some impactful, thought-provoking quotes. Some of his most famous include: 'Stay hungry. Stay foolish', encouraging a mindset of continuous learning and open-mindedness; and 'Think different', emphasising the importance of unconventional thinking. He also famously said, 'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life', highlighting the value of authenticity and pursuing one's passions. He also famously said this: 'The only way to do great work is to love what you do', emphasising that satisfaction and high-quality output stem from genuine passion for one's work.
Now here comes the choice part — can we afford to choose any particular profession you like, just because you have an aptitude for it?
We have to understand the job market too. What are the jobs that are in demand? Once we understand that, we can shape ourselves to the requirements of the job market.
This is where another quote from Jobs, author of ‘Make Something Wonderful', makes us think — a pioneer of innovation who encouraged people to think boldly is often quoted for this line, “Innovation distinguishes leaders from followers”.
But the fact is that everyone needs a platform to prove themselves. The youth often begin with new ideas, having a strong belief that they know it better than the others who have been working before them. We have all been there. But time also teaches us the value of experience. We learn eventually how to respect methods that work well and are foolproof. So we learn from them, the seniors and still think of new ways to improve and move forward.
There are challenges, however; there is a need for more jobs and would-be entrepreneurs need capital to start their venture.
So they ask, “Do you want to make others dreams come true, or do you want to make yours a reality?” After all time is limited.
Finance is something not all of us think about until we reach the crunch. Would it not be nice if the concept were thought of very much like science and social studies?
How much should a person save in a month? I had asked a finance expert and he replied, “At least 30 per cent of your monthly earnings”.
You can only shop or enjoy your retail therapy after saving. Shopping, that is a place where we regularly practice our choice. We are so hands-on when we are shopping, knowing exactly what we want. Yet we are not that focused when it comes to other aspects of our lives. It is all about knowing what we want as well as practicing.
But going back to our challenges in finding jobs and fulfilling the dream of entrepreneurship, it goes without saying that we must not give up, but we have to keep in mind the alternatives that could be available. If plans A, B and C did not work, do not lose hope because there are so many more alphabets. We must learn from each experience, though.
There are times when we might feel tired and that we have run out of resources, especially energy. But that is when we must realise time is the most precious resource. And if we have come this far, we must surely understand that we have been blessed with time.
We are encouraged to count our blessings daily because that leads us to practicing gratitude. The human tendency, however, is to complain about what we perceive are our lackings. And to understand better, all we have to do is to look around and see what others are going through as well.