You can’t be unconventional by being conventional.

You’re not going to find an unconventional career through conventional means. Period.

Many of the people I career-coach have aspirations to do something unconventional – start up a business, launch a writing career, fitness training, etc. Their strengths, values, and passions are aligned to that type of lifestyle. Yet the methods they use to get to that career are conventional: forced networking, blasting their resume out to the world, having a presence on job boards, etc.

Conventional, safe, and planned out.

Truth is, the shortest path between where you are now and your dream job is to discover yourself through meaningful self-reflection and construct a life that is aligned with who you are. That second part takes unconventional action, stepping out into the unknown, and following the energy, wherever the energy might take you.

These aren’t easy things to do. They take time and effort and don’t fit neatly into our day. They also require a certain amount of risk-tolerance and willingness to fail.

But the best way to find the unconventional career path is by going where no one else is going and doing what hasn’t been done. You undoubtedly have ideas about what could be changed, improved, or enhanced in the world around you. There is also likely no clear path to that improvement. The good news is, you can’t go wrong trying something unconventional and failing.
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The worst fate any of us faces is wondering what might have been had we only tried.