By Aaron Miller
Each semester some Ivy Tech students will tell me they are working on their “Plan B” in life.
They are taking a chance, changing their careers, their trajectory. They are studying to become nurses, welders, pilots, photographers, IT professionals, and teachers.
I tell them not to worry about being on Plan B. After all, I’m on about Plan X.. I’m not an astronaut and I didn’t make it to the NFL. I didn’t go to law school. I left a job in business at an internet startup. I quit a job in state government to return to school.
I went back to what I loved from the beginning — studying history. The entire time I was working somewhere else, I kept reading books about history. (Mostly when I wasn’t actually at work.) I might as well get paid to do what I love. It wasn’t a new dream. It was just one that I had left on the shelf for too long.
I decided I’d rather fail pursuing a career I love than spend a lifetime working a job that isn’t my passion. I wouldn’t want to spend decades wondering “what if?”
In April, four million people quit their jobs. That is an unprecedented number. That is a trend I expect will only accelerate.
They left for any number of different reasons. Some were close enough to retire or looking for better pay. Others left to reduce their exposure to COVID. The pandemic compelled many people to reexamine their life and their priorities. We all want to feel that our work means something. We want to feel like we are making a difference. I think most people quit their jobs to find something more satisfying. I understand that; I’ve been there.
I certainly don’t have all the answers. But before abruptly leaving a job, maybe it’s a good idea to have a plan. Instead of fleeing something you hate, go toward your passion.
And while pursuing our dreams, we still have to pay our bills. So maybe it’s a good idea to keep the job you have now while planning for the next step. Or perhaps there are opportunities for advancement at a current job. That advancement will take more credentials or education.
Only you can decide when it is the right time to make the leap. You don’t have to jump into the deep end without a lifeguard. The path to a new career might be a long journey, so cut it into easy, manageable steps. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. (I learned that during a seminar on Roman history in grad school.)
You could start a new career direction as a side hustle or part time job. Talk to someone who has a job in the field. Ask them to be honest with you about the profession.
Take a few classes to make sure the new career path is right for you. Due in part to the pandemic, colleges have developed a fantastic array of virtual and online classes. Now you can dabble in whatever you want while sipping coffee from your own kitchen. They are also pretty inexpensive. I could end this with any number of cliches on plans and planning. Skip that. So if you’re ready, let’s go.
