June marks the end of a cycle for many people: primary school, high school, university studies or a professional career on the brink of retirement. Our perception of the looming future is nevertheless made up of a number of implicit certainties, a mixture of what we know (the sun will rise tomorrow), what we decide (I'll get up when the sun rises) and what we believe (I'll still be alive when the sun rises).
Reality takes shape when the deadline arrives and we set about realizing what we had imagined (getting up). When we control our destiny, we choose the way we see the future. When we suffer destiny, we don't hold the rudder (our capacity to act, our means), nor do we look at our compass (our plan, our goals). Between these two states, it's sometimes wise to seek advice on both the means and the direction to take.
The example is oversimplified, but it clearly separates what is suffered from and what is self-determined. While no one has control over the weather or people's moods, an individual can arrange for this not to affect his plans very much, enabling him to enjoy the present, whatever form it takes.
Among the elements a career counsellor considers, the most important will be the client's will, which can be based as much on objective data (good grades, recognized skills, available means, job opportunities...) as on emotional data (what he likes, what he wants, what his environment expects of him...), generally a mixture of all these. The only truly valid advice is that which is accepted by the client. The counsellor's posture is a determining factor in the effect he or she will have on the client; it depends on how well he or she listens, how available he or she is and how much experience he or she has in the area of concern.
School and career choices can benefit from guidance, but so can the decision to emigrate, to invest, to start a business, to have a child, to retire... we can also choose the uncertainty of adventure! Few choices are definitive, and they can always be changed, but with the right orientation, the right course, we can face many hazards.
Denys Lamontagne - [email protected]
Illustration: Muamer - DepositPhotos
