by Mj Ferruzza

Created on: January 01, 2009   Last Updated: December 11, 2010

Get a pad of paper, a pen and an envelope! Do it! I can wait! What? you ask! Someone is going to have to give it to you straight, you haven't been able to straighten your career path out yet, it might as well be me.

First page: Draw a column down the middle of the page and list your pros and cons on either side of the the column. Pros list are things you can do well and can even excel. Cons list are things you can't or won't do. These aren't necessarily negative because with some effort or training, you can change some negatives into something for your Pros listing. Got that? That is Part I.

Second page: Your current resume! You will save this for future reference, but usually a good laugh for later on. That is Part II.

Third page: List everything you want within the next 10 years. These can include a house, belong to a country club, a pool, church affiliation, join a Board of Directors, stock portfolio, wife, kids, etc.... Nothing is too big or too small if you can think it! That is Part III.

Fourth page: Your 5 year goals. More condense than above, but just as practical. These are things you really can see and achieve. That is Part IV.

Fifth page: Lay down your writing utensil and go outside. You need a think break. Have a soda, or coffee, maybe a cigarette if you haven't started to quit (which may or may not be in your 5 or 10 year plan). Back to Part V.

Fifth page (continued): Write down your 1 year plan. Immediate things you want and want done. Make these all conceivable. Put yourself out there without putting yourself on a limb. These are things like take a class, join a gym, stop smoking, write a better resume, meet new and enthusiastic people. Quit the negative thinking in your life, etc... Change your karma to the positive! End of Part V.

Place all of these in the unsealed envelope and put it in a drawer, like your sock drawer. You will read these over from time to time just to solidify that these are really things you want or want to do. Be sure to check off all that you have accomplished on your list.
Now... your career! You must have 3 jobs:

Job #1 is a job you love like artist, or musician, or actor, or working with kids or animals. Whatever you are really into and would do even if you were not paid a dime. Stay on top of this job. It is important.

Job #2 is a job that makes you money to pay your bills. Don't fall in love with this job! 9 out of 10 times you will be working for someone else and you can be fired at anytime, even if you think you are indispensable.

Job #3 is a sideline job. Something like a garage sale coordinator, Ebay seller, lawn maintenance engineer (you mow lawns), etc... These jobs pay a lot less than Job #2, but more than Job#1. But sometimes that "just a little" can get you through down times.

No one ever retires they just reduce their career from three jobs to two and then maybe just one. Does it work? A Harvard study on successful Harvard grads found that most of their alumni who went on and became millionaires listed that goal setting was the #1 thing they all had in common. So? Get a pad, a piece of paper, and an envelope! I can wait!

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