One of my favorite resources is Yahoo Groups at http://groups.yahoo.com/. You can look up any particular subject and find a group where you can discuss some of your career objections. This is an excellent way to network with your peers and experts in field. It is not uncommon to find a lot of other “newbies” in these groups as well as professionals. The most important thing is to not be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t know what questions to ask then reading over archives of a group is a great place to start. Groups vary in size and subject so what I suggest is to join a couple to see which ones fit your personal needs.

Another resource you can use is ListServ lists http://www.lsoft.com/catalist.html. Typically you subscribe through your email client to a discussion group within your field of interest. You can also do a search for “listserves” or “user groups” on internet to pull up a vast amount of sites that list an array of groups. Not all lists are treated equal so again use your own judgment when joining.

I also personally like forum communities. You can often search for “forums” online to find one in your career field. It’s a great opportunity to share your discoveries as well as learn from others. Not to mention you can do several searches within a forum and read old posts. This is a great way to see other member profiles which often reference their personal or business websites. Some forums even have a ‘members’ section that lists all their members profiles. Any profile with a “www” by their name usually has a live link to their site. Be sure to take time and visit these sites for reference.

When you are visiting other people’s websites in your field, I advise you to check and see if they have a links page. I have found so many great resources through other people’s links pages. Also it helps you get an idea of what sites you can possibly request link exchanges from in future.

By networking with others and conducting your own market research, you will gain a better sense of direction and get an idea where it is you want to be in future with your career. If you see a website that you like, bookmark it. Then once you have collected enough information, go back and review your favorites once more. Ask yourself what do you like about it? What information was useful to you? Was site visually appealing? Was site easy to navigate? If not, what would you change? What information would you add? Take notes, write your thoughts down and remember… patience plus perseverance, equals purpose.

Don’t feel guilty for taking this special time for yourself. Understand that your commitment to yourself will reflect off onto others. By bettering yourself, you become better in all roles and commitments you hold. It is when we stop to listen to our true selves and nature of our lives that we are able to create abundance in our environment and those around us. What you are doing is investing in a personal foundation.

If you only have a half hour or an hour a day, make a list of what you want to accomplish with that time. So once clock starts ticking you are ready to be productive and work on your goals. Time management is good practice right from beginning. So when you do figure out what your purpose is, you will be ready to use every minute you get efficiently.

Once you figure out where you want to go or what direction you want to take in your life, then take time to research… research…research. Research is a crucial element of developing your career strategy. Go to library or do a search online for topic you are interested in pursuing. Find out what tools you will need to start your purpose. Will you need additional education or training? Will you need a business loan? Or will you be using your own personal resources for start up? Don’t let money issues stop your progress. Remember knowledge is currency here. There are ways to accomplish your purpose on little to no funds.

Remember real life purposes take real life work. Sure some people get lucky, but often others have to really dedicate themselves to their success. Have an open mind during this self evaluation period and rest will follow. Most importantly, be patient with yourself same way you would be patient with another person. Secondly, perseverance is essential in formula for success. You have to be willing to make a serious commitment from day one to yourself. Your ideas may change form along way, but at least you are continuing to reach towards self fulfillment.

As a summary for this step’s exercise, write it down, take a pen and paper and make a personal inventory of your ambitions or things that you are good at and enjoy. What do you feel passion about? What would you want to do even if you didn’t get paid for it? Second of all, be honest with yourself. Don’t feel ashamed or guilty to recognize your talents… after all that’s what they are there for, to be recognized. It’s up to you to release them and share them with others. Make your purpose, your business.