Seeking signs is often connected with discernment, but seeing that quite often one can plead discernment so as to put off action, it is worth consideration apart.  

place of discernment 

Discernment is necessary, because without it our actions would not have the consistency reason can give them. 

Discernment must take place in a climate of faith. It is the perception of God's action and his call. I believe discernment is, in itself, a grace. It is definitely more than a fruit of mere intellectual examination and reflection.  

Discernment is, therefore, more subject to the pattern of grace than to the laws of pure reason. For example, God can in one moment enlighten a soul and let him see his call, much like a person can receive the grace of faith from one moment to the next with no apparent natural explanation. People can study the Catholic faith for years, argue with the best of theologians, and still not believe; then in a visit to a church, God can do in a moment what that man had been fruitlessly seeking for years. Discernment is not always a laborious process grinding to inevitable results. Sometimes it is a flash of recognition, which we test, but we know it is true.  

It is extremely important to remember that while discernment is an act of the mind it is principally a fruit of grace.  

Discernment should be a prelude to action. Of itself we should say it has no value unless it leads to action: not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom; but only he who does the Father's will. Endless dawdling will only waste the precious time you have to serve God.  

discernment is not enough 

If our vocational search is focused solely on discernment, the final result may be in jeopardy. If we think that once we discern our vocation there will be no more problems, we are deceived. The interesting part comes after we have discerned, and this is where the whole challenge is.  

more important than discernment 

If you are searching out your vocation, I would say that the least of your worries should be discernment. It does not take much faith or common sense to conclude that if God wants you to do something he is going to let you know. Give him the opportunity to speak to you and he will, eventually. Or rather, you will eventually hear him. 

The important question is will you heed him, will you do what he wants, will you do what you hear? 

the real task at hand 

It is much more important to prepare yourself for your vocation than to discern it. God can give you in a flash the awareness you need in order to see it. But what happens then? Will that knowledge remain sterile? 

Following your vocation requires your cooperation. It requires strength and stability of character; it requires generosity, the ability to sacrifice. It requires perseverance and overcoming the other attractions that pull at our hearts. You have to learn to love others more than yourself, and to be open to the needs of others and of the Church. You have to go out of yourself and see beyond yourself.  

All of these are difficult discipline, but they are things you can and need to start on right now so that when God's light comes you will be ready to say yes.  

Most importantly, when you are in the right disposition and not afraid of the call, you will be able to see it more easily, your discernment is more likely to be successful.  

So we have to cultivate the right dispositions, no longer be afraid of what God might call us to, but tell him he can ask anything of us and we will do it.  

Once we tell him this sincerely, it often happens that discernment comes much more easily, almost as a matter of course, for we can see more easily our human respect, our fears, our vanities. It is not unusual to discover that we were tending towards the right thing but for the wrong motives, or that our struggle was not really one of discernment but of generosity. 

There is nothing like the peace that comes from seeking first the Kingdom of God.