Many of us are enjoying our summer and grateful for the opportunity to be outside after the pandemic. While this can be an exciting time, summertime is halfway through the calendar year and can also be the perfect time to re-examine our career and our finances. As young professionals, we sometimes get so busy in our day-to-day activities that we miss the opportunity to set goals and achieve milestones that may be important to us long term. In order to transition from merely living life to actually thriving in life, we must set some goals and make plans to achieve the things we want. Ask yourself these 6 questions:
1. Do you want to stay in your current career or job long term? Many people are employed and get paid to do a certain job but not everyone has a fulfilling career that they love. Where do you stand? Do you plan to stay at your current job or business long term? If so, what would you like the next few years to look like? Is there a milestone you want to reach? Being able to set some career goals is key. Once you have these goals, you can write down steps to achieve them and may find yourself more content with your life overall.
2. What aspects about your current work would you like to change? While some people may love their job or business, very few people enjoy every single aspect of what they do. What are some things you’d like to change about your work? What would make it even more enjoyable? One key ingredient to career longevity is enjoyment. The more you like and enjoy the work you do, the longer you will do it. Figure out if there are some things you can change about your career right now that would increase your work satisfaction.
3. What are your income sources and how can you grow them? While some people are paid a large salary for the work they do, many others have multiple jobs or revenue streams to boost their income and provide some diversification. Where do you stand? Are you adequately compensated for the work you do, or are you waiting for a raise? Have you thought of ways to increase your income or establish additional revenue streams? If so, what is your plan to grow them? More money tends to give you more freedom and options in your life, so increasing the amount you make is a good place to start.
4. Do you want to start a business or grow an existing one? Most people accumulate wealth by starting, growing, or investing in a business. Having a business you love can not only brings you fulfillment but it can also increase your income and allow you to positively impact others in your own unique way. Do you have plans to start a business or grow a business? If you haven’t yet started a business, think about the type of business you’d be good at or a hobby you’d like to monetize. If you already have a business, think about the next steps you need to take to grow it to the next level.
5. How have you invested the money you already received? It’s not enough to just make more money. You must also be a good steward of money. Do you spend all the money you get or are you saving some of it? Are you planning ahead for large expenses? Are you investing money for the long-term? If you simply spend all the extra money you have then how will you ever accumulate wealth or get out of debt. Think about your money habits and pinpoint which ones need to change.
6. What do you need to do to take yourself, your career, and your finances to the next level? Your life may be fantastic right now, but take a few minutes to think about ways it could be even better. What could you do to enjoy your career more? What habits could you implement to take your finances to the next level? What things do you need to work on personally to make yourself a better person physically, mentally, and emotionally? We should be constantly striving to grow as people. Re-examining ways to make our lives better is a good start.
Find Your Purpose and Thrive
As young professionals with plans for success that include fulfilling careers, thriving relationships, and financial independence, it is critical that we are mindful of what we do and how we spend our time. In order to transform our lives from simply having a “job” to building a career that can become our life’s work, we need a clear vision of our own purpose. We have to determine our mission in life and laser focus on what we were meant to do.
Figure out your purpose. One of the biggest dilemmas you may have as young professional is determining your life’s purpose. Perhaps you got a degree and found a job you are doing well in, but you still don’t feel fulfilled. One way to solve this problem is to spend some time figuring out your purpose. What things do you do well? What activities do you enjoy? What do other people say are some of your best qualities? What would you do if money were not an issue? Taking time to answer some of these questions will get you closer to determining your purpose. Keep in mind that your purpose may change when you are in different stages of your life.
Turn down opportunities that distract you from your purpose. Once you determine your purpose, pinpoint something you want to pursue as a career, or find a hobby you want to make into a business, laser focus on that. It can be tempting to take jobs and agree to things if they pay well or offer other perks, but resist the urge to make your decisions based on money or salary alone. Yes, you need to make sure you can pay your bills, but once that basic need is met, it’s critical that you focus on your purpose and turn down opportunities that take your focus from that, even if they are lucrative. If you truly want to build your business or operate in your purpose then you need to put in the necessary time and energy to perfect your craft, learn as much as you can, and be great at what you do. This requires focus.
Have a sense of urgency. One of the biggest factors that determines whether you turn your dream into reality is your sense of urgency. Is fulfilling your dream simply something you want to happen or is it something you are willing to work towards no matter what? Are you willing to push through obstacles despite the inconvenience, time, and resources they may cost you? You have to be so dedicated to living the life you’ve dreamed and achieving the things you desire that you constantly work towards them. Make timelines for what you hope to achieve and create tasks that you want to complete by a certain date. A dream without a timeline is just a wish. Turn your dreams into reality by having a sense of urgency.
Be Bold and Dream Big. According to William Ford, “whether you think you can or you can’t you’re right.” In other words, your thoughts and beliefs about what you think is possible shape your future. Do yourself a favor and dream big. Be bold about what you want to accomplish. Visualize yourself doing it. Then make a plan (and timeline) detailing things you can do to get there. Don’t limit yourself. Discover your purpose and excel.