Common Mistakes When Choosing a Career: When Childhood Wounds Shape Your Vocation

What you experienced in childhood may be guiding your career choices more than you realize.

When we think about choosing a career, we usually imagine it’s only about talents, interests, or dreams. Yet behind many decisions, there are deeper personal stories. The experiences we had in childhood—especially the painful ones—can leave lasting marks that influence what we seek as adults: security, recognition, connection, or stability.

These marks are often called childhood wounds. And while the term might sound heavy, it actually describes something common: we all carry moments from our early years that shaped us and still echo in the way we act and decide today.

Examples

• Someone who grew up feeling lonely may develop a strong desire to always be available for others, even in their professional life.

• Someone who lived through injustices might feel drawn to become a lawyer or activist.

• Someone who feels invisible may lean toward careers where recognition is central.

• Someone constantly compared to siblings or classmates may pursue highly demanding careers to prove they are “capable enough.”

• Someone raised in material scarcity may gravitate toward professions with high financial promise—even if passion isn’t part of the choice.

  
  

These motivations are not “bad” in themselves. In fact, they often inspire us to contribute something meaningful to the world. But it’s important to recognize them, so that we don’t make decisions from a place of lack, but from conscious choice.

What Are These Wounds?

Among the most common childhood wounds are:

• Rejection → “I’m not enough.”

• Abandonment → “I have to face everything alone.”

• Humiliation → “What I do has no value.”

• Betrayal → “I can’t trust anyone.”

• Injustice → “I need to work twice as hard to be seen.”

  
  

The real question is not whether these wounds exist (we all carry some), but whether they are influencing our choices without us noticing.

Am I choosing my future out of love and authenticity, or out of a void I’m trying to fill?

Both forces can coexist. But naming them gives us greater clarity and more freedom.

This is a gentle reminder: before making such an important decision as your career path, take time to look at all aspects of yourself—your needs, your context, and your interests. Doing so can reduce the chances of changing majors, dropping out, or graduating only to realize you don’t enjoy what you’re doing.

And if you’d like to get to know yourself more deeply, at the Brujitales store, you’ll find resources created for this process: an eBook and a Course (in the format you prefer) where I guide you through reflections and exercises to help you choose with more clarity and authenticity.

Because in the end, your vocation is not only about healing what once hurt, but about building what truly makes you feel fulfilled.