Life is not always how we want it to be. There are many ups and downs. Sometimes we pursue career options, which are different from those, which we had imagined, or those that our parents would like us to be.

In nearly 90% of the cases, most people take up a profession by accident. That's probably the first job that they landed up with. Then they decided to carry on in the job or the career until they retire or die.

It's not always that they liked the job or the career path that they had chosen. However the fear of the unknown kept them from changing over. Better still, it was the easiest thing to do. Change of a profession was uncertainness and the present job provided security if not any thing else.

Things are certainly changed now. Many people are opting for careers, which might have seen unreasonable earlier. Earlier they would have chosen their family professions because simply that was the way out. Today's changing world has thrown open many options for everyone. The requirement to succeed to today's chosen career is the "will" to do something as well as perseverance and hard work.

There are so many possibilities, some take the beaten path, while others choose the uncommon professions. Some of the careers that one can choose from are:

• Film / TV/ Music Video Director

• Make up artist / beauty salon professional

• Writer (Fiction / Non - Fiction

• Stock Market and financial analyst

• Banker / Economist

• Music Composer / Pianist / Cellist etc.

• Scriptwriter for TV and Films

• Fashion Photographer

• Fashion Models

• Internet Website writer / owner / Web Master

• Speaker

• Politician

• Publicist

• Actor

• Consumer Advocate

• Software Developer

• Interior Designer / Architect

• Shoes / Jeweler / Clothes designer

• TV news reporter / presenter

• Power broker / Lobbyists with various governments

• Consultants for various types of jobs

• Airline pilots / air hostesses / stewards

• Restaurateur

• Pet salon owner / keeper

• Luxury goods salesman / owner / manufacturer

• Venture capitalist

This list is an endless one, but one can get a fairly general idea as to what opportunities are available today, which were not there earlier. Another major factor is that now those who come up with new ideas are the pioneers in the industry and can quickly taste the success as compared to those who would choose the well-beaten path.

There are certain factors, which can help you to distinguish yourself from the crowd, whether you take the well-beaten path or otherwise. These crucial factors are:

1. Creativity - those who are creative can create something unique. This is what differentiates them from the others. Those who are painters, dancers, and musicians are normally more creative than others and this comes across in their work. However those in mundane jobs can also be creative to make them stand out from the rest of the people.

2. Time schedules are flexible - people are bound in a 9 -5 job. In fact their careers are such that they can work during odd hours too (of course completing the job on its scheduled time). This is especially helpful for authors, mothers with young children etc.

3. Adaptable skills - the skills are such that they can be transferred from one profession to another or from one career to another. Then there are some essential skills like time management, which are required in all professions.

4. High value and low volume - there are many professions, which have high value and can be generated through few clients. Such as fashion designers. Many have few selected clients who buy their expensive creations.

5. Technology usability - technology plays a major role in today's world of interconnectivity. Leveraging the technology helps a business to run more smoothly. Simple jobs can be automated thus allowing people to concentrate on more pressing matters.

6. Some jobs can be done with the same productivity from anywhere in the world. For example writers and authors can function from just about any part of the world.

There are possibilities galore. The career that you choose must be able to satisfy your creative urges and make you financially strong. It should be something that you enjoy doing. Then you will surely succeed in your chosen path.