If you’re at the stage of life where you’re planning what major education step to take next, you should think about vocation, according to the expert advice available to you.

This may be as young as 13 – a stage where you make choices which will help shape your overall future career direction.

The next big choices come at 16, 18, 21 and beyond in most western world developed countries.

Unfortunately, any one of these ages is far too young to make a choice of such import, but we’re stuck with the situation we have and so have to make the best of it.

In today’s troubled economic times, it’s probably more important than ever to try and find your true vocation and to make it your chosen career path.

In an ideal world, your true vocation will also be something for which there is a shortage in supply and for which there will always be a need.

So try and think what you really find fulfilling ad match it with your career choice and consequent choice of study areas and places in which to make those studies; those with the best reputation in other words.

Make careful note here of the word “fulfilling”.

You could use online resources and advice websites to help you out. Something like David Lichtenstein’s blog, for example, offers opinions and reviews which may well be of interest to you.

Finding your true vocation is not about what you simply enjoy, or what you’re good at, it’ something different altogether; it’ something you find fundamentally fulfilling. I‘m afraid the best word to describe it is simply “vocation”.

For example, many housewives are great at looking after the kids, doing endless work and organising a family’s life but it doesn’t mean it’s what they want to do for a living. Similarly, the same women may enjoy painting a picture, but don’t want to do it every day. So a vocation is something else again – something you from which you derive true fulfilment. It’s closer to what you enjoy, but enjoyment isn’t everything. Think vocation and this will steer you right.