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INTRODUCTION

We are in a society where young people find it difficult to actualize their career dreams. Many people dreamt to become successful professionals but couldn't because of some certain constraints which could be personal or environmental. Such constraints include but not limited to;
Dull brains
Lack of career guidance
Financial problem
Influence of pear groups
Attitude
Most importantly; Government negative policies.

However, in the face of the above constraints, the serious minded and focused individuals still distinguish themselves by remaining focused and choose a flourishing career. No matter how old you are, you can still change your career direction and turn around your fortunes.

Here, we will look at this subject matter under the following headings;

• Definition of terms
• About the available careers
• How to choose
• What makes a career flourishing
• Hindrances to choosing a flourishing career

DEFINITION OF TERMS

• CHOOSE

(a)To select freely and after consideration •choose a career.
(b)To have a preference for •choose one car over another. Source

Example: Deut. 7 vs 6 (God chose the children of israel); Deut. 21 vs 5 (God chose the Levites to minister); 1 Pet. 2 vs 9 (God has chosen the Church today as His special people).

• FLOURISHING

Developing rapidly and successfully; thriving.
"a flourishing career" source

• CAREER

an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with opportunities for progress.source

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AVAILABLE CAREERS

There are millions of careers that are available to choose from. However, only few will be mentioned here;

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HOW TO CHOOSE A CAREER

Choosing a career is one of the toughest decisions to make by most young people. Some parents make the mistake of enforcing their children into a career that they have no interest in whatsoever. In the process, most of these children find it difficult to attain the peak of their career. Although, there is nothing wrong in guiding children regarding their choice of career but this become wrong when they are being forced into a career which is against their personal choice. When guiding these children, we should let them know what to consider in choosing their career rather than forcing them.
The following questions should be asked when choosing a career;

• Will I enjoy doing this?

Whatever you are doing and not deriving Joy from it might not be done so well. People who fit well into their Jobs are usually happier and perform their job better because of the love and interest they have in it.

• What will I excel in doing?

Notice what you are good at. If you are good with animals, you may want to consider a career doing veterinary work or animal caretaker work. Match the skills that you naturally have with the careers that go along with it.

• What are the trainings involved?

Understand the education and training required to follow through with that career path. For instance, doctors, pharmacist, accountants and lawyers go to college for at least 6 years. Other careers require four years in college, and some only two years with additional on-the-job technical training.

• Salary and benefits?

Keep in mind what you must earn to support yourself and family or have extra money for the finer things in life. The more money you make, the more money you will have for those fine things.

• Will the career path balance your personal and spiritual life with your professional life?

Let's take for instance, an Obstetrician may be on call 24/7 whenever a patient is ready to deliver her baby. Registered nurses often work 12-hour shifts. Just be sure that you will be happy with the schedule that many in your chosen profession have.

• ADVICE; always attend career talks and counselling as these can analyze your skills, personality and interest to best match you with the type of careers in which you would do excellently well.

Remember; The Bible encourages us to work with our hands but that which is good.
Eph. 4 vs 8

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WHAT MAKES A CAREER FLOURISHING

A flourishing career is the one that prospers you or makes you do well financially. If you are not doing well financially, what is now the essence of your career? However, there are certain factors that will help you choose a flourishing career.

• Real opportunities: Consider what opportunities are embedded in the career you want to choose, how urgent is the service you want to offer needed by people, how indispensable it is, target customers (the poor, affluence, women, men, etc. If the answers to these is yes, will the income be able to keep afloat during the off season? Also consider the fortune of people who have chosen that career path and how they are faring on the average.

• Great earning potential: A flourishing career is a high paying career. What is the nature of the stream of income in that career? Sometimes a career's stream of income is little but regular while others are huge but irregular. In both cases, you must consider the one that pays better monthly and the energy involved in generating the income.

• A strong future forecast: There are certain careers that are required throughout one's life while some are for a moment. A medical, musical, legal careers for example have no retirement age while most footballers, athletes, quit on or before they turn 40years. A flourishing career is one that promises and guarantees sustainable future stream of income.

• Christ blesses it: A career will flourish when Christ is allowed to bless it. Many do not commit their careers or life endeavours to God in prayers. Remember Jesus said "ask and it shall be given unto you". Matt. 7 vs 7.

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HINDRANCES TO CHOOSING A FLOURISHING CAREER

• Parental choices: Your parents may force you against your wish into career path that you cannot manage properly. This may make it impossible for you to make it flourishing since you may not have the love, interest, skills or confidence to make it happen.

• Poor educational foundation: Many want to become doctors or engineers but could not make the least credits in science subjects at O'level. This will surely hinder them from attaining their dreamed flourishing career. However, those who are determined will not mind the number of years wasted to obtain the required O'level credits for that career. Again, some fail to get the required cut off mark on several attempts for certain courses that they have dreamt about and had to settle for less preferred ones. This kills the zeal or enthusiasm or ego or skills of the person and may not be able to manage the new career to become successful in it.

• Lack of finance: Many have lofty dreams of flourishing careers but could not actualize them all through their lives because of lack of finance. Many completed the formal training but no finance to set them up. You find them working for others with so little income that can barely sustain them let alone set up their own firms.

• Discouragement from others: Peer groups and pessimists have discouraged a lot of youths with lofty ideas from actualizing them. They will tell you no carpenter, welder or mechanic has made it in their community and therefore you will be poor like them if you choose that career. This is not true. Making a career flourish depends largely on your training for it, love for it and location of your practice.

• Government policies: Changing government policies and poor economic environment make many careers to become less flourishing. Many lost their business, investment and careers during the introduction of SAP in 1986 and collapse of banks and stock market in Nigeria in the last 17years. In fact, many lost their lives let alone careers during several military coups and changing Government policies.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.

Choosing a flourishing career seems difficult but when the necessary steps are taken it might come easy. Also, parents should only guide their child or children in their career path rather than enforcing a particular career on them. By so doing, these children will be able to choose what they will be happy doing and not vice versa.

Thanks for reading....