Today, most university students have many worries about their future occupation. They have difficult time both deciding which job they will engage in and doubting whether that job would be come true. To overcome, the first thing that we have to do is to have our own definite answer about what is an occupation.
Some students think of an occupation as just a means to earn money. They think there are too many individual or social obstacles to achieve self-realization and are just satisfied with having that kind of definition of occupation.
However, compared to their limited meaning of occupation, the amount of time and effort to achieve one’s job is enormous. Actually, it is unlimited and it is enough amount to define one’s identity. Do you want to just let such a kind of means to earn money define your identity? It is clear that we have to have more extended answer about what is an occupation.
I think the occupation is the only big channel through which we can give something to the world. During our life, from trivial to significant, we take countless things from the world. In the morning, we take a cup of coffee from the clerk in the coffee shop and in the university, we take a class from the professor. We gain a force to endure hard day from the clerk and knowledge or wisdom from the professor. Reversely, through our own occupation, we can give something to the members of society. So, when we decide which job we want to engage in, it is important to contemplate on what is the most valuable thing you want to give to your society.
When finding it, I recommend to know that society members can be an animal or plant, not confined to human beings, and it is helpful to think about various jobs in the world in an aspect of value which that job gives.
It does not mean that we must ignore money when we decide about our job. Money, honor, power and so on are also significant considerations because they can facilitate for someone to give something to society through job, enhancing one’s influence in society; when you want to give one specific value, it is advantageous to have a job which is in a higher social status than other jobs.
Also, according to Alain de Botton’s Anxiety, people want to be in a higher social status because they want to get more respect from other people and I think a desire for respect is natural and inevitable. However, despite all these necessities to consider social status, reflection on the most precious value you want to give to your society must be preceded. With this, all of your times and efforts poured into your job become worthy and consequently it makes your identity formed in the right direction.
Once you succeed in finding your own answer about which is the most valuable thing you want to give to your society, then just move forward, with your eyes fixed to your own mountain, not the fine gravels around. Your mountain can be seen too rough to reach to the summit. You may fall down and break your leg or the sun sets. But your own mountain that you have already chosen with enough deliberation will always be there. Just climb up toward the top of the mountain, and sit on a tree stump to rest, or sentimentalize over the sound, smell of the landscape around.
You definitely will be on the top of the mountain.