It’s become second nature. An internet connection in modern civilization is part of the fabric of society, as important to our daily needs as running water and fresh air. But we tend to use the internet for entertainment. And overuse of technology for one purpose can pigeon hole it in our minds (sort of like when smartphones were introduced and the older generations couldn’t fathom a phone being used for anything but calls).

Anyway. What’s all this got to do with choosing an online course? Firstly, we must realize that the internet is a learning tool. Although social media dominates, the web is a great place to learn, if only we could remember to unlock our phones for a greater purpose than watching people dance for views on TikTok. Ready to change your life for the better? Here’s how to choose an online course.

Stretch yourself

If you don’t come from a legal or medical background, what’s stopping you? For example, have you ever considered helping people in a therapist context (click her to learn how to get a speech language pathology degree online). Although the career mountain to climb may seem steep on day one, just think of yourself a year from now with 12 months of learning under your belt – you’ll be glad you started today.

Going from a couch potato to a therapist degree is a giant leap forward (both in terms of your career aspirations and in your personal development) that will give your life new impetus. Ditch the attitude that tells you you can’t achieve a career in anything more complicated than a minimum wage role that requires four minutes of training (where three of those four minutes were spent waiting for the supervisor to find their glasses and finish roll call). Become a speech language pathologist by studying online and don’t look back.

Stick to what you know

On my first day of high school, the headmaster addressed the entire year. He said that looking at our faces was like looking into the future, and among us would be famous people and prisoners. We all laughed. He said he was serious. He asked who considered themselves to be better than anyone else they knew at something. One girl raised her hand, out of hundreds of children. And do you know what? She was right. She really did know hair and she went on to open her own hair studio (now a chain of studios).

There’s nothing wrong with sticking to your passions when choosing an online course. Don’t let people tell you that you should keep your hobby separate from your day job.

Study a broad topic (and narrow down your options later)

Are you still finding that you’re stuck for online course ideas? That’s fine. Choosing a career is seldom simple. That’s why you may benefit from choosing an online course that can open doors further down the road. Think of an English course that lends itself to a host of professions involving communication, or a history course that shows you can research. Going broad now and keeping your options open is a solid way to proceed.