Feeling lost after graduating college is a universal truth that pretty much everyone faces. It's normal to have no idea what you're doing, and to feel without the road map for life that we all wish we had.
I recently attended a business conference in Boston called Inbound, and while I was there I learned a lot of somethings. One of the somethings that I learned is that even successful business people, people making millions of dollars a year, don't know what they're doing. It dawned on me that I was probably being a little harsh (or a lot of harsh) on myself. I needed to cut myself some slack, and take it one day at a time. Since I'm not alone in this universal dilemma, I decided to come up with ways to kick myself into gear, and do great things.
Attending conferences is always a good idea
Attend as many conferences as you can, about anything and everything. Many will cost money beyond your budget, but there are discounts available for certain people. Explore the opportunities in your area, and try to attend at least one. It's a wonderful learning experience, and can make you seem super competent (even if you don't feel like you are). Trust me—people are impressed by those who take initiative.
Never stop learning!
It's never a bad idea to join local clubs and explore talents you forgot you had. Spend an afternoon reading travel books at Barnes-N-Noble, research anything, and everything. It's always a good idea to broaden your horizon! It also gives you more to talk about during job interviews and dates with that cute guy you met at Barnes-N-Noble.
Make business cards
Make business cards, even if they're generic. I recently received business cards that I can fill in if I forget my professional ones. They say:
My Name is:
We talked about:
You can reach me at:
I have a business card for the company I work for, but I loved the idea of having blank cards to fill in. Not everyone I meet will care about the company I work for, but keeping in touch is a good idea for networking.
It doesn't need to be focused on one career—it can be as simple as meeting people who can help you grow. (It also makes you look good in the long run)
Make a LinkedIn profile, and reach out to people you admire
"The journey of 10,000 miles begins with a single phone call."
When I first read this quote I was stunned, because it dawned on me that I was holding myself back. The world is silent for those who don't ask for help; and there's a lot of respect for those who do ask for advice. Reach out to people you admire, invite someone for coffee and get inspired. A great way to reach out is through LinkedIn. Sure, people may ignore you. It may take months before anyone responds, but it's worth trying! You never know what doors you could open by making that phone call or sending that email currently sitting in your drafts folder.
Don't let rejection destroy your perseverance
You're going to be rejected. The trick is to never stop trying, and to keep pushing forward. At the age of 33, Dr. Susan O'Malley was rejected by every medical school in the country. But she kept applying and two years later she attended medical school in NYC. (It should also be noted that she was 6 months pregnant and single at the time of her acceptance.) And you know what? She persevered, kicked ass and became an emergency room physician.
It doesn't matter how old you are, because it's never too late to try something new. It's never too late to follow a dream you were told not to follow. And it's never too late to kick ass.
"Unless you are willing to walk out into the unknown, the chances of making a profound difference in your life are pretty slim." -Tom Peters
