When I grow up I want to be _________?

In my first blog post I said that the best way to begin career planning is getting to know yourself.  Though this is a great strategy what happens months or maybe even years later when you still feel lost about what you want to do in your life. 
Perhaps you knew what you wanted to do professionally when you started college but since then you've changed your mind.  Being certain and having faith in your choice is one of the hardest thing to do.

This fall I start my final year of college and this uncertainty still plagues me.   Similarly, it plagues many of my peers.  The challenge has become not only to be at peace with this uncertainty but also to find a job/ internship in the process.  The solution to this problem: be content with not knowing.  As simplistic as the solution sounds the path to it resembles Daedulus' labyrinth. There are many promising routes that turn out to be deadends but having taken those paths provides valuable information.  Still, it's difficult to find comfort in knowing "what you don't want to do" in life when everyone is asking what are your plans for the future.

Because everyone deals with uncertainy about their futures in different ways (travelling, trying new activities, ignoring the uncertainy) there is no set plan to overcome it.  Some people stumble upon their passions in unlikely places and here is the story of one of them.

Dominique recently graduated college and is in the process of establishing a non-profit.  Originally he intended to attend law school after completing his undergraduate studies but became bored with the academic setting. As a result he sought stimulation in community service and as fate would have it he found a purpose one afternoon while volunteering.  Dominique was mentoring an at risk youth when he realized the 9th grade student did not know how to type a basic document.  With this occurence as inspiration, Dominique created an afterschool program at a Richmond middle school teaching these at risk children basic computer skills.  From that afterschool program has grown Voice to the World, a soon to be incorporated non-profit that aims to reduce the digital divide.  Dominique's advice to all who still are uncertain about what to pursue: "If you want to apply for a job or try something new, do it.  We are young and this is the perfect time to expore."