Nobody ever has it all figured out from when they start school to when they retire from their careers. Most people are the product of a trial and error system until they land themselves in their dream careers. Unfortunately, some retire not having found their perfect careers, either because they gave up the search too fast or weren’t willing to take the risk. However, Aishah Newson is a perfect example of: Don’t get stuck in a shitty and depressing job because you’re afraid of venturing into new waters.
Aishah Newson is a perfect example of people who never gave up in their quest for the most satisfying career. For the better part of her 20s, she has hopped from one career to the other in search of a perfect job. The 29-year-old from Santa Monica only recently found her passion in data science and enrolled at UC Berkley for an MS in Information and Data Science. While some people think she wasted her prime years, Newson refused to settle for a career that did not feed her curiosity.
The Journey Is Never Straight Forward
The common mistake that most young people make is assuming that life is as perfect as it is in their minds. We all have dreams and aspirations, but the road to achieving them is not as perfect as we imagine. Unfortunately, when most people encounter difficulties in their paths to success, they give up and settle for whatever comes their way. This is usually the perfect recipe for a stressful and unfulfilling career life. If you’re stuck in a career that doesn’t bring you happiness, it’s never too late to find your passion.
For Newson, it was either a fulfilling career or nothing. Her journey started immediately after high school when she went for her first degree in entrepreneurship and kinesiology. The degree was not an ideal choice for her, but she went for it anyway. She wanted to sample what life had to offer. The data scientist talks about her career journey as something she wouldn’t trade for anything else. As curious as she is, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery and sampling g the different careers until she found the perfect one. While it might have taken up most of her years, she is happy that she went through the process. She says, “I truly spent most of my 20s trying something different every year from a career standpoint. Some might say that’s reckless, I would say it was perfect for my curious soul.” Now that she has found what she wants to do with her life, Newson is not wasting opportunities.
Aishah Newson Explains What To Do When You Find The Right Career
So you have finally found what makes you happy, but you have no idea what to do to make it a rewarding career. The first thing you need to do is commit yourself to the course and make it what you want. If you need to go back to school or invest all your savings into that business, go for it with determination and a willingness to walk the extra mile. Be ready to make sacrifices to get where you want to be.
Aishah Newson knows all too well how much work needs to be put into studying for a data science degree. Her advice to people aspiring to join the profession is “Study. Create a study schedule and dedicate a few hours per week at least to developing your skills. It takes time & nothing will happen overnight.” Be consistent with your schedule and push to do better every day. If you want more for yourself, you must be willing to do the extra work. While in college, Newson started doing extra things to add weight to her academic qualifications. She says, “I’m currently in my last semester and am supposed to be starting the job hunt process.
But throughout the program, I decided to freelance and consult a bit to keep my skills fresh and keep developing. I’m currently working for myself doing data analysis, modeling, and visualization work. I must say though it’s a wild adventure and I am really enjoying it. Most importantly, I am learning a shit ton along the way.” She is already building a business for herself so that she won’t have to start from scratch when she graduates.
It Matters Who’s In Your Circle
When asked who her greatest motivation is, Aishah Newson had this to say: “One of my best friends since I’ve known him runs his own business. He works super hard, but also very efficiently. He’s always known that I’ve had an interest in working for myself & has always encouraged me too. He is also someone who is always there to answer all of my business questions. So it’s just really nice to be close to someone who has been where I am from the standpoint of running your own business & is currently in the space of the direction I want to head in.”
Who is in your corner? Are they building you, or are they dragging you down?
