Introduction
When I began my career, I found myself wandering aimlessly through the world of accounting without a clear purpose. To me, it was just a job—something to pass the time and pay the bills.
It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a simple yet powerful three-step approach that everything changed. My perspective shifted, my direction became clearer, and my professional life gained a sense of purpose.
Today, I want to share these steps with you—so that you too can find clarity, direction, and confidence in your accounting and finance career.
Welcome to The Accountant Show
Hello, dear accountants! I’m Divyesh Dave—your friend, fellow accountant, and host of The Accountant Show. This podcast is part of my community, The Accountant Hub, where we help accountants and finance professionals gain the clarity, skills, and confidence they need to grow faster in their careers.
In this episode, I will share how to bring clarity to your career—something every accountant needs, but very few intentionally work on.
Step 1: Know Your Why
The first step is to understand your why.
If you’ve read Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, you know that identifying your purpose is the cornerstone of success—whether in your career, your business, or life as a whole.
Ask yourself:
Why are you in the accounting and finance profession?
What do you genuinely enjoy about it?
What kind of impact do you want to create?
For example, my early career was more about job security than passion. Over time, I discovered that I loved simplifying financial data for management and improving processes through automation. That became my “why.”
A useful exercise here is to do a quick SWOT analysis of your career—identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This will help you see yourself clearly and set the right long-term goals.
Step 2: Define Your Micro Identity
Your micro identity is what you want to be known for in the professional world.
Instead of being a “general” accountant, choose a niche where you can shine. For me, it’s financial reporting. I’m not an expert in taxation, and that’s okay—I know enough to support my role, but I focus my energy on becoming exceptional in financial reporting.
This could be:
Taxation
Audit & Assurance
Automation & ERP Implementation
Financial Analysis & Modelling
Management Accounting
Compliance & Regulatory Reporting
Choose something you enjoy, not just what’s trending or where the money seems to be. Many accountants jump into fields like data science purely for higher pay, only to feel stuck later. Find your passion within accounting and finance—something that energises you even on difficult days.
Step 3: Build a Long-Term Learning Plan
Accounting is not static—regulations change, industries evolve, and technology disrupts old methods. That’s why you need a long-term, continuous learning plan.
Here’s how to start:
Commit to weekly learning goals.
Stay updated on trends, standards, and best practices.
Join communities like The Accountant Hub where professionals share experiences and resources.
Apply what you learn immediately at work to make it stick.
Remember—expertise is built over time, not overnight.
Final Thoughts
Bringing clarity to your career isn’t about luck—it’s about intention.
When you:
Know your why
Define your micro identity
Commit to lifelong learning
…you create a career path that’s not only clear, but deeply fulfilling.
If you want to take the next step, I invite you to join The Accountant Hub—a growing global network of accountants and finance professionals learning and growing together. You can join us here or connect with me on LinkedIn for daily career insights.
Thank you for reading, listening and for tuning into The Accountant Show. If this podcast gave you even 1% more clarity in your career, let me know in the comments or share it with a colleague who could use it.
Remember: Clarity builds confidence. Confidence fuels growth.
Until next time—keep learning, keep growing, and build the career you truly deserve.
Divyesh Dave
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