4 Ways to a Fulfilling Editing Career

Be as specific as you can be about your goals and how to go about accomplishing them. Write them down, even if they’re vague.
If you can, find a mentor. If not, ask the opinion of people you respect.
Be picky about what you work on.
Be picky about the people you work with. You’ll probably spend a lot more time with them than you thought you would.
Break down your financial needs. Decide what compromises you’re willing to make to do the work you want to be doing.
Don’t spend money unnecessarily. It’s easy to make high quality stuff with some basic equipment, and there’s plenty of educational material available for free on the web.
If you start something, finish it. Even if you never end up showing it to anyone, finish it. Everything you finish is a part of your arsenal which, at the very least, will boost your self-confidence.
Learn to be diplomatic, but know when to assert yourself. If you need to work on how you talk to people, practice with your friends and family. They’re already on your side.
Don’t get stuck in a single way of working. There’s something to be learned on every project.
Understand that everything is in the service of making a better product, whether it’s a thirty-second commercial or a two-hour feature film.