*By Dr. Devan

Introduction: The Mirror Principle of Wisdom

Most people give better advice to others than they follow themselves. When our friends face confusion, we often see their situation clearly, detached from emotion and bias. Yet when we face similar crossroads, our judgment gets clouded by fear, overthinking, or social pressure.

This paradox gives rise to one of the most profound principles for life and career:

“Do what you would advise others.”

This single idea can transform how you plan your career. Because it forces you to see your life from the outside — objectively, calmly, and wisely. It frees you from the emotional fog that blurs your thinking and lets your innate intelligence lead.

1. The Blind Spot in Career Decisions

When it comes to our own career choices, we are often our worst counselors. We hesitate, we doubt, we fear disapproval. We make decisions not from clarity but from social expectation, insecurity, or comparison.

Ask yourself honestly:

Would you advise your friend to stay in a job that kills his creativity, just for a monthly salary?

Would you tell your sibling to choose a career based on what relatives might say?

Would you encourage someone you respect to remain stagnant out of fear of risk?

Of course not.

But when it comes to our own life, we rationalize all of these compromises.

This is because the mind is both the lawyer and the accused. It defends its comfort zone with well-crafted excuses.

However, when you apply the rule — “Do what you would advise others” — you become your own wise friend. You step outside your mind, see your situation as an observer, and suddenly clarity emerges.

2. The Objective Lens of Self-Advising

Imagine you were advising your best friend about his career. What would you tell him?

“Follow your strength, not your fear.”

“Don’t waste years proving something to others.”

“Take small risks early rather than big regrets later.”

Now, pause and apply the same lines to your own life.

If your advice sounds noble for others but inconvenient for yourself, it reveals the gap between knowing and doing.

That gap is where most lives get stuck.

To plan your career wisely, bridge that gap. Start practicing mirror thinking — imagining your own life as someone else’s story, then giving yourself the same honest counsel you’d give them.

This method removes emotional bias and awakens rational wisdom. It helps you see beyond short-term fears to long-term fulfillment.

3. The Foundation of Career Planning: Know Thyself

Before choosing a direction, you must know who you are.

Career planning isn’t about selecting a job — it’s about designing a life that fits your temperament, talents, and values.

Ask yourself:

What energizes me naturally?

What kind of problems do I love solving?

What am I willing to struggle for — even if I’m not paid yet?

Do I like stability or adventure? Routine or innovation? People or ideas?

The answers to these questions shape the architecture of your career.

Never begin with: “What is the highest-paying job?”

Instead, begin with: “What work feels meaningful enough to justify my years?”

Because the greatest tragedy is not failing at something, but succeeding at something that doesn’t matter to you.

4. The Three Pillars of Career Wisdom

A. Clarity

Clarity comes when you strip away noise — parental expectations, peer comparisons, social prestige — and listen to your inner compass.

You must ask, “If nobody judged me, what would I choose?”

Clarity often whispers. It doesn’t shout. It is drowned out by fear and external pressure. You regain it through solitude, reflection, and honest self-inquiry.

B. Consistency

Success doesn’t come from bursts of enthusiasm but from sustained effort in one direction.

Once you choose a field that resonates with your strengths, stay consistent for years.

Do not keep uprooting yourself because someone else seems ahead.

The bamboo tree grows underground for years before showing any visible growth — then shoots up rapidly.

Your career works the same way.

C. Courage

Every meaningful career requires courage:

The courage to start when others doubt you.

The courage to endure early failures.

The courage to ignore criticism and keep refining your craft.

Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the decision that something else is more important than fear.

5. The Emotional Architecture of a Career

People often plan careers logically but live them emotionally. That’s why so many feel empty despite “successful” jobs.

Your career should satisfy three layers of need:

Financial Need – Enough to live with dignity.

Emotional Need – Enough to feel valued, creative, and purposeful.

Spiritual Need – Enough to feel that your work serves something larger than yourself.

When all three align, you experience career harmony — where your weekdays and weekends no longer feel worlds apart.

6. The Two Career Paths: Designed vs. Default

There are only two types of careers:

Default Careers: Chosen by accident, imitation, or convenience. You drift into them. You accept whatever comes first.

Designed Careers: Built with awareness and intention. You choose them because they resonate with your deeper goals.

Most people end up in default careers and spend decades trying to find meaning retroactively. But those who design their careers early — with self-awareness and purpose — live with far less regret and far greater peace.

7. Reverse Engineering Your Ideal Life

To design wisely, plan backward from your ideal destination.

Ask yourself:

“What kind of person do I want to become in 20 years?”

“What kind of daily life would make me content?”

“What would make me proud of how I spent my years?”

Then, trace the steps in reverse — what skills, qualifications, experiences, and networks are required to reach that life.

This process turns abstract dreams into actionable maps.

You stop wandering and start moving strategically, every step aligned with your future self.

8. Learning as a Lifelong Habit

In the 21st century, the best career plan is constant re-education.

The world is evolving faster than any syllabus. What you know today can become irrelevant tomorrow.

So cultivate curiosity. Read beyond your field. Learn digital tools, human skills, and mental resilience.

The one who keeps learning never fears obsolescence.

Remember: Degrees age. Skills grow.

9. The Role of Mentorship and Networking

No one rises alone. Mentors accelerate growth by showing shortcuts born of experience.

Seek people who are ahead of you in the direction you wish to go.

Ask questions. Observe their mindset, not just their methods.

Equally important is networking — not as manipulation, but as connection. Every person you meet expands your field of opportunity.

But remember: genuine interest, gratitude, and reliability build far stronger networks than opportunism ever will.

10. The Emotional Balance Between Passion and Practicality

Passion without practicality leads to frustration.

Practicality without passion leads to boredom.

Balance them wisely.

Sometimes you may need to work in something steady while nurturing your true passion on the side — until it grows sustainable.

Don’t kill your dream, but don’t starve your present either.

Let both coexist in harmony, until your passion can feed your livelihood.

11. The Test of Alignment

Every few years, pause and ask:

“Does this still feel right for me?”

“Am I growing or merely surviving?”

“Would I advise someone else to do what I’m doing now?”

If your honest answer is no, that’s your cue to realign.

Careers, like rivers, must occasionally change course to stay alive.

Staying stuck in the wrong path for too long is not loyalty — it’s self-neglect.

12. Legacy Thinking: The Highest Level of Career Planning

Eventually, every successful career must evolve from self-centered goals to service-oriented purpose.

You begin by asking not “What do I get?” but “What do I give?”

The greatest professionals don’t chase fame — they chase impact.

They know that true fulfillment comes not from accumulation, but contribution.

When your career starts improving the lives of others, even in small ways, it transforms into a legacy.

13. The Golden Rule of Career Fulfillment

At every crossroad, return to the golden question:

“If I were advising a loved one in my situation, what would I tell them to do?”

That question slices through confusion, fear, and ego.

It gives you clarity because it speaks from your highest self — not your insecure self.

Your inner advisor always knows the right answer. You only need the courage to listen.

Conclusion: Living by Your Own Counsel

Planning your career is not about making perfect choices; it’s about making honest ones.

It’s about aligning what you do with what you believe, and what you would proudly tell others to do.

So the best way to plan your career is simple:

Live as though you are advising your best friend.

You’ll find that your wisdom for others was meant for yourself all along.

And when your choices reflect that integrity, you’ll not only build a career — you’ll build a life that commands quiet respect, deep contentment, and enduring success.

*Dr Devan is a Mangaluru-based ENT specialist and author.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti