What Is Your Niche?

I also think that the student graduating high school, the senior who has just retired and wants to keep busy, and the person who is making an entirely new career change are the largest groups of people searching for their unique niche in life. If you are in this situation, you may have asked yourself the following questions?

• Which way do I go?
• What do I want to do in my life or for the rest of my life?
• What interests me?
• What are my passions?
• What job interests me so much I am willing to follow my career dreams?
• How do I enjoy spending my free time?

New skills require of you a whole lot of:

• Interest
• Motivation
• Determination

You should search for your unique ability, no matter what field of endeavor. You need to have an interest and be willing to research, read, and learn about your new chosen skill.

There may be classes available for specific skill changes. You can find these classes on college internet sites, in a classroom setting, and even on the job. You must achieve the highest level of success in your new skill to realize success and happiness.

The word niche has a few definitions. However, a niche in the business world is a specific place or position that one must search for and find to be happy within the workforce.

Many students do not know their unique niche.

For example, while I was a senior in high school, our senior class was required to consider what we wanted to do for the rest of our life. We had to find and consider a career that we could study and work towards when we chose a college to attend.

Some students have no idea what they want to do in life until they are well into their adult years. Other students know beyond a shadow of a doubt their career path. I felt that this requirement for seniors was a good thing because it got us to think about career choices.

Our class had a list of companies that took the students and allowed the them to shadow an employee. This opportunity gave the student a good look at a career choice. This program triggered an interest in the students enough to make the shadow job a lifetime career choice.

I chose to work at the hospital in our city. Nursing interested me enough that I wanted to shadow someone at the hospital. Later that summer I worked as a volunteer at the hospital. This volunteer position gave me an intimate insight into nursing.

I chose to nurse as my field of endeavor. I worked as a nurse for over 40-years serving my community. This career, in other words, became my niche in life; also, nursing offered an excellent second income for my family.

People can have hobby niches such as bowling, vehicle repair, needlework, cooking, home improvement, and so much more. This type of niche offers self-gratification but little in the way of income unless you want to turn your niche into a profitable business.

Develope New Skills After Retirement?

I embrace writing. I knew that I loved to write on most anything. I especially like to write about other people's lives, healthcare, medicine and their side effects, alternative medicine, treatments, vitamins, minerals, supplements, weightlifting, illnesses, America's obesity crisis, and so much more.

After 43 years of nursing, I retired, and I found it difficult to sit still. I already knew what niche made me happy, so I did not have to look far. I decided that I wanted to write. The question I asked myself is, "Where do I start to write, what should I write, where do I write, and to whom do I write?"

I thought about my dad. Everytime we got together he frequently spoke about life as it was when he was growing up in Michigan. There were so many unanswered questions about my dad that I wanted to know more about before it was too late.

I asked my dad if he would sit with me a few times a week and tell me stories about his life growing up in Michigan and later about his Navy life. I knew he was stationed at Pearl Harbor at the onset of WWII and I wanted to know more him before this information was lost forever.

This is where I would start to write, a biography of my dad, then 81 years of age. My dad had an unusual childhood and later an exciting career in the Navy for 23 years. I felt that I did not have much time to accomplish my goal due to my dad's age.

Since my dad's memory was starting to falter, my dad and his next younger brother, Herman, and I compiled a 300-page book about my dad's life in Michigan with his parents and brothers. His other two brothers gave their input and stories.

Uncle Herman was a storyteller by heart (Herman's niche), and we enjoyed working together on this project. Herman's niche in addition to being a storyteller was to cane antique chairs. My niche was writing stories, cross-stitch, bowling, and travel. I enjoyed each of these things.

I taped my Uncle Herman as he answered my questions. Later I organized the items many times until they fit into the storyline of my book as I transferred the information from my recorder to my PC.

This project kept me busy for over one year. I enjoyed this project and was motivated and determined to publish this book. It now sits on Amazon for sale.

After my first successful attempt at writing, I wanted to compile a cookbook that included a small biography on the women in my family, followed by their favorite recipes. I finished this project in about six months. I got my book printed, but never published it, and this made lovely Christmas presents that year for family members.

While I took on these projects, for my gratification and that of my family's I entered the freelance world of writing. Freelance writing is an ongoing education, and I learned and continued to learn something new every day. This work brings me a small bit of income, although not like nursing it is sufficient for me at this time.

Be as snug as a bug in your niche.

Find Your Unique Niche

At first I found it difficult finding my niche when I did not know what a niche meant. I discovered over time that a niche is an enjoyable pass time, an exciting job, or hobby.

In my case, I certainly enjoyed writing, and I liked doing research. It did not take me long to discover some freelance writing sites on the internet; I just had to find the right places. I love to write on almost any topic, especially health and fitness topics. It did not take me long to find my niche in the freelance writing world.

I started freelance writing for pay. My experience was a roller coaster ride, and a learning process. After five years, I am still learning. Anyone at any stage or age in life can learn a new skill and keeping sharpening that skill.

Learning a new skill takes motivation and desire. You must enjoy what you do and then learn all you can about your new talent. If you have a job, you hate to go to every day or a hobby has become burdensome, this is not a niche it becomes a hateful chore, no matter what your salary.

For me, learning freelance writing never ends.

I worked solo for one year, and then my husband wondered if he could get the same kind of enjoyment in the freelance world as I found. My husband opened a freelance account with my company and began to write.

However, my husband found that he disliked writing and it became a burden to continue, so he quit. My husband soon discovered that freelance writing was not his niche, and this is ok. It makes no sense pursuing a job or hobby you that gives you little joy.

It is doubtful you will do a good job when you work at something you dislike because, when your niche is a chore, and you find no enjoyment in doing it, you should not continue.

During this process I discoved another nitch I enjoyed, health, wellness, and fitness. Soon after starting my new skill, I found a writing site and wrote 52 health and fitness articles, linking the materials to our new health and fitness website.

My husband sat up a fitness store on our website and found this fitness store a slight niche for him if there is such a thing. I do not believe that you can have a "slight niche." This store triggered some interest for my husband; however, it was not something that he loved to do every day. Thus, he gave up as it was not bringing him joy and satisfaction.

Fitness, weightlifting, and supplements, trigger my husband's interest. He enjoys giving me insight into some of my weight lifting articles. As a matter of fact, I have asked him if he would do a series of articles on weightlifting and weight lifting supplements. This subject is now in the making.

When I glean information from him on these subjects, he opens up, offering me a wealth of knowledge. After 40 years of weightlifting, one might say weightlifting and supplements is my husband's passion or niche. Where can he take this knowledge if he does not like to write? Maybe, through my writing? We will see.

I researched freelance writing sites and found three writing platforms that pay me for articles I write on topics that interest me. I have learned quite a bit about plumbing, law, automobiles, health, fitness, children, and so much more. Although some of these topics are not my niche in life, it never hurts to become a bit informed about what other people find interest in doing. Writing helps to expand your knowledge.

Each writing site has levels of writing expertise generally from a level two, beginner, to a level five or six, professional. Improvements in writing skills is always a goal for all freelancers to improve their writing ability and expertise.

A niche should offer you goals and levels of accomplishment. Never let your niche cause you to become stagnant. Make sure your niche keeps working for you.

I developed a writing business and filed a DBA or "Doing Business As," put a business name to the DBA and started to write. I am writing solo, but sometimes different members of my family will contribute articles of expertise.

My husband will give me insight and information in regards to weight lifting, but will not write down the information. I have to put this information to work in an article.

Enjoyable Interests and Hobbies Equal a Unique Niche

Some people do not develop a business using their unique niche. They may find something they enjoy doing and use their niche as a hobby to pass the time and are not interested in earning money or doing business out of their niche, and this is perfectly all right. Sometimes using a niche to make money takes away your enjoyment.

Trying to find what career move you fit into, may be a challenging endeavor. To find your place in the world may come easy for you and not so easy for another person. There is nothing worse than working for a lifetime at a job that you detest.

The thing to remember is, if you want to find your unique niche, this niche must offer you:

• Interest
• Passion
• Motivation
• Enjoyment
• Fulfillment

Your niche can be an excellent wage-earning job or a non-earning hobby.

The choice is yours.