I received the following question in my LinkedIn DMs:

What is some advice you can give me, I am having motivation issues. I have a decent job but it’s not my dream job, trying to join the aerospace industry. Also doing my masters to specialize in AI and eventually get a leadership role. Not seeing the clear path yet and it’s hard to stay motivated.

Here was my response:

There’s never a clear path! My path has been all over the place, and I never would have guessed I would be where I am now.

I think the key is to do the best you can where you are and always be on the lookout for new opportunities. Reach higher than you think you can go and ignore the requirements in job postings, they’re just wish lists.

I didn’t expect to get the job I have now. I was terribly underqualified on paper, and just wanted to apply to see what the interview process might be like for the kind of position I might apply for in a few years. And then I got the job!

Also, have fun along the way. If you’re early on in your career, look for fun ways that you can boost your visibility and increase your surface area for lucky opportunities. For me, that looks like posting on LinkedIn, starting a blog, working on web apps on the side, etc. Just find stuff you love related to where you want to go, and start now. Find little aerospace projects to work on, or AI projects, or local leadership opportunities.

You got this!

I want to capture this in a post so I can share it with anyone else struggling with the same things. Demotivation like this is really common and I’ve dealt with it too.

To anyone else out there struggling with the same thing, you really do got this! Keep moving, keep having fun, and tell people about what you’re doing. The right opportunity will come along!

I would be happy to chat over email about it!