Careers are a 20th-century invention and I don't want one

What does "career" mean to you?

Many people differentiate between the words "career" and "job". Why is that? Is it because a career is seen as something intentional, rather than something you do to pay the rent? Does calling something your "career" imply a more serious relationship -- or a connection to some deeper part of who you are or what your life is about?

Alexander Supertramp (aka Christopher McCandless) had this to say about careers: "careers are a 20th-century invention and I don't want one". At least, that's what he said in the movie Into the Wild which chronicles his journey towards a so-called "life of truth" after he graduated from university. It seemed, from his story, that he wanted his life to be about freedom, adventure, and living his own happiness and not about societal constructs like money, possessions, and security.

Maybe it's because I work as a career counsellor, but I don't define "career" with the same limited connotations that he did. In fact, I actually think that despite his eschewing of all things predictable for a university graduate, he did have a career. He worked (cue the scenes where he foraged for food, drove a combine, worked at Burger King). He built relationships (with border guards, with hippies, with harvesters). He developed new skills and went outside his comfort zone (he learned how to recognize edible plants and overcame his fear of water). He did all that in pursuit of a goal that was extremely meaningful to him. I believe those are just some of the hallmarks of a career.

Of course, "career", although it might conjure up those images for some, doesn't have to mean a pension plan and a navy blue suit. And while he is an extreme example, I think that Alexander/Christopher made an admirable and conscious effort to build a life that was uniquely tailored to fit him. I don't agree with everything he did but I can't help but be awed by the resolute determination he found to do what he loved.

Maybe, for you, career is not about burning your cash, donating your savings and heading out alone into the Alaskan wilderness. But spend some time pondering the question: what does "career" mean to you?