It sounds like a fairytale but it's true. It takes a lot of energy and focus to achieve that perfect career and not many can achieve that.

A writer, Erika Andersen, who writes for Forbes, recently detailed her experience with colleagues. The focus of the conversation revolved around the confusion in choosing which is the best career.

She starts of explaining how she and two of her colleagues conducted a 5 day leadership and management seminar for high potential professional career women in the mid-levels. In the Forbes article, much of the focus dipped into career talk. Conversations revolve around their passion, offers, work-life balance and such. It was about creating a future for themselves.

But not everyone can move in the same direction. Some may get stuck along the way. Some are stuck thinking "what job should I do" or "should I take this job offer." They're thinking this way because they're stuck on the "job" level mentality. What Andersen did is to shift the focus. Instead of looking at the job description, they have to take a step back and figure out what they want overall in their career and life. Afterwards, career women should link it to a job that can provide them with those things they need or want.

To inspire you further, Andersen recalls a story that has become a manifesto. This is a stor about three stone masons. They were set to build on a medieval site.
They were busy chipping blocks when a traveler stopped and asked the first mason what he was doing. The mason said, "I'm trying to make this stone into the shape I've been told to make it."

He went on to the second mason and asked the same question. The second mason answered, "I'm putting up this wall - making sure every stone fits into it well."

Going to the last mason, he asked "What are you doing?" To which the third mason replied, "I'm building a castle, so every stone has to go toward making it strong and secure."

The story is about having a clear vision of the future. The only way to build a castle is to make sure each blocks are strong and secure. When applied to career development and focus, it can do wonders for your life and career.