Adults face immense pressure from colleagues, families, the education system, and their cultures to pursue a specific career path. This involves the expectations associated with being in a career that engages individual talents, guarantees for a very good salary, and reflects well on one’s family. Guichard et al. (2012) mention that most people have been led to believe that falling short of the expectations of a ‘perfect’ career deprives them of their happiness and their failure to live up to their potential. The result of these pressures is the sense of regret as people get older due to the belief that they may not save up enough for retirement, fail to leave a legacy for their children, embarrass their families and appear as wasted potential in the eyes of society. While it is okay to do whatever one pleases and that which is in line with personal interests, it is impossible to ignore the misery that is associated with pursuing a career not out of one’s passion, but as a result of what the society dictates.
This paper demonstrates that social forces within American society, such as diverse cultures and racial discrimination have a negative impact on adult careers as they cause stress and anxiety that deter them from effectively pursuing their careers. The project addresses adults’ involvement in their careers while investigating the social pressures that may cause stress and anxiety in their career pursuit. This project aims to explore the possible side effects of social pressure on adult careers. The study also discusses the societal conditions that affect individuals’ mental state and their ability to pursue their life purpose using their talents, skills, gifts, and inner drives. In conclusion, this paper suggests that individuals cannot exist separately from the society in career development.