I remember an episode of Modern family where Alex had a meltdown about having to graduate from middle school or high school and she was scared of the feeling that came with not knowing what would happen in the next step of her life. I know this feeling all too well because it comes regularly in our lives when we have to make significant transitions like graduating to our next educational phase, changing jobs or even career path.

The burning question in your mind may be: how can I know the right career path to choose? Or am I on the right path? The answer is… you do not! The truth is you cannot know a career path is right until you try it. I have seen a lawyer start over as a doctor, and a pharmacist after working for over 30 years switching paths to become a software developer.

If a path looks appealing to you but you still have doubts, you can pray about it and speak with established professionals in that field to get a full picture of the path you are about to take. You can look for professionals on LinkedIn; it is what I would do to understand their perspective because they can guide and give you insights, and practical steps on how to get to your end goal.

If after a few months or years you find out the selected path is not working for you, rather than stay stagnant and remain miserable, do some research and take a step in another direction. The beauty of your journey is not in the pace but in your progression, so you always have to ensure you are making progress at every step of the way.

I remember feeling stressed out and worried about what was next for me and how I found it hard to stay at home after my master’s program. I even got an excruciating job just to keep myself busy (mind you, the earnings from this job could not even cover my rent at the time, but anything to keep myself busy). When I finally got an offer with a biotech company, I resumed feeling already burnt out. I struggled to find my balance, obviously. Now, I try to encourage people to make sure they take their time after school to travel or have a “staycation” while applying for jobs.

Do not put yourself under pressure because of the expectations you have placed on your life. It is important to know that purpose is fulfilled in stages and not in seconds. Progress is a process and throughout that process there will be difficult moments because progress is not easy. However, with the discipline, resilience, and fortitude you will get where you are going because you have all it takes. Enjoy your time; and as my twitter folks will say, all you need is what? Good vibes and God’s grace (Amen)!