By Sana Rahim (FEMBA ’19)
When you graduate from college wide-eyed and ready to take on the world, no one ever tells you that one day your career choices will be dictated by a mortgage or daycare payments. Whether we realize it or not, at some point in our lives we are forced to make decisions about our priorities, and sometimes career fulfillment is put at the bottom of the list. We are forced to choose between work that matters to us and work that will pay us what we need to survive. A dream career is not only hard to find, but sometimes it’s simply not feasible.
From a young age, we are taught to follow our dreams and pursue our passions. We are not taught, however, that sometimes our dreams will be put on hold to support our parents, to pay off our student debt or to prepare for future plans of buying a home or bringing a child into the world. Sometimes it feels impossible to find a job that is able to support your financial goals as well as your intellectual and emotional needs for growth and fulfillment.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some strategies that can help you navigate what can feel like an irresolvable conundrum:
- Recognize impermanence and seasonality
Your life and the variables you juggle, to some degree, are evolving. And so should your personal career goals and plans. Be on the lookout for opportunities for flexibility and change. Even if you feel bound by monthly payments, don’t stop searching for jobs that offer comparable if not better pay and benefits. As your kids get older, and you have more time on your hands, pick up freelance work or attend local community meetings about issues you used to devote time and energy to in the past. If you’re not happy, don’t settle in. Your present situation should never mean forever unless you want it to.
- Set trip wires or deadlines when you need to make a change in your life
Don’t let unhappiness persist with no end date. Succumbing to your current circumstances as the way things have to be is perhaps the most fatal thing a professional can suffer. At some point, you must draw a line in the sand and prioritize your self-care and happiness over other commitments in your life. Over time, your unhappiness is not just costing you short-term stress; it is having a lasting impact on your self-confidence and viability as a professional in the marketplace. When you are dreading work every morning, and Sunday night always turns into an emotional break down, set a deadline to quit your job — and prepare for it. Start applying for jobs and begin contributing to a savings account to set yourself up for a smooth transition process to your next role.
It is absolutely true that sometimes we will not have the privilege or luxury to afford a career that we love, but it is critical to remember that through a good plan, anything can be achieved. Unhappiness should never be a way of life. It can and sometimes will be a forced pit stop, but it should never be the long-term plan.
Sana Rahim is sales manager at McMaster Carr. She is a student in UCLA Anderson’s fully employed MBA program and a strategic consultant for social impact at the Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Her post originally appeared on LinkedIn.
You’ve mentioned such important points in such a simple way. Setting a deadline for your unhappiness is great advice…makes one conscious that they’re sacrificing themselves and weigh whether it’s worth it.
Posted by: Lily Thompson | 04/26/2017 at 04:44 AM
Unhappiness should never be a way of life. If you are not enjoying your life then get up and change it!
Posted by: Buy, Hold Long | 04/11/2017 at 04:54 AM