The "O.R.P." Principle Explained, Part I
Ryan W. McClellan, MS
Senior Marketing Manager | Digital Marketing Specialist | Entrepreneur | Author | Public Speaker | Business Consultant
As a member of an elite few in Cohort 9 at Florida International University's Chapman School Of Business (and as someone with missing fingernails), I wonder about the future.
What will my career be?
Where am I headed?
What does the road ahead look like?
Well, lucky for you, before college, I was a Career Consultant and a Directive Coach, and I can tell you this: 75 percent of all college students have no idea what they are doing.
Before We Get To The Good Stuff
I am often an outspoken critic on the topic: how could you not have this planned out far in advance? I knew (knew!) I wanted to be a businessman when I grew up.
That sort of happened, but not fully in depth.
I knew (knew!) I wanted a career in writing, and my success at that is a given.
I knew (knew!) I wanted to rule the world, and though that day has not yet come, it will.
(Be on the lookout for "Skynet" from CyberDine Systems, i.e. Judgement Day...)
How Can I Know All Of That...
Now, how can I "know" all of that, and yet not know which path to take?
When did the question move from: "What will I do after I graduate?" to "none of us truly know the answer?" Why do college students, among most, suffer from "Career Paralysis?"
The ORP Principle/Profile is an introductory, albeit, rudimentary topic.
But it may help you out a bit.
This is a new concept, albeit, a forefront for all recent and upcoming college graduates.
My plan for the future?
I hope I have the courage to send this to my school to see if this can be studied further. Here we go, into the heart of the dragon and into the warhead of its solution.
You Have Three Options
As a student, you have three options, and I would requisite that these be formulated the first year: optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic (i.e. "O.R.P.").
Optimistic careers are those we strive for, fighting off waves of unrealism and sanctity of emotions and logic to achieve, i.e. your goal is that you wish to save the world.
Realistic careers are those we are most likely to obtain, i.e. if you cannot save the world, will you settle for a simple career path in a push-pull system? This is realism.
Finally, pessimistic careers are those you would "settle for," i.e. rather than being a Marketing Manager, you accept that you may have to be a Marketing Associate first.
In my advice and merit, it is best to have three ideas for each.
I know, school is tough, and the notion of "getting out there" is hard, but as students, and as human beings, we have a duty to ourselves to demarcate a career choice. Follow among.
My ORP Profile
As an example, I will give you mine.
Optimistic: I have three major companies and projects I would like to accomplish.
Realistic: I have three major career paths I could possibly go down via hiring channels.
Pessimistic: I could remain where I am and live sustainably as a for-hire Content Writer.
But How Do You Figure Yours Out?
Unfortunately, that is a question only you can answer. I will try to mark the belly of the beast for the sake of argument, but remember that it is your duty to figure this out.
Part II of this series will explain that in more detail. For now, settle in. This is the ORP Principle/Profile explained in full detail, per the mind of a bored entrepreneur.
Optimistic Careers ("O")
To many, these come in the form(s) of dreams.
You want to be something you can achieve, but most likely will not. Depending on everyone's financial liveliness and level of dedication, this may vary.
As an example, you have an idea for a startup company. These "optimistic careers" should be tried first, but only if you know you can survive while doing so.
If you need money quickly, your best bet is to put the "optimistic career" off for a later date. Rather, stick with realism. Your best bet may be a job, but what about the dinosaur?
By that I mean, we all have a dinosaur.
The Dinosaur Theory
领英推荐
In the movie: "Step Brothers," Will Farrell's father says something to him that shakes me to my very core every time I see it. It goes something as follows:
"I always wanted to be a dinosaur. But then one day, my father came in and said: 'Randy, it's time to throw away childish dreams and accept reality...'
"...but that is not really what he said. He actually said: 'Stop being a f**king dinosaur and get a f**king job. But my point is, don't lose your dinosaur."
This may be your "dinosaur" project.
If you have student loans to pay, consider writing these down in a notebook somewhere, or on a notecard. It is perfectly okay to accept a job due to financial contingencies.
Realistic Careers ("R")
For me, this is getting a standard job. I think we can all agree that the "optimistic career" is often time-oriented. It is not wrong to venture down the optimistic path, however.
But sometimes, we have to abide by life's cruel constructs of realism over optimism.
In this case, the best idea is to settle for a career, or a paying position. This allows for you to go about your life realistically, and planning on three career "types" you can utilize:
Primary: Three jobs you would be great at
Secondary: Three jobs you would be happy at
Standard: Three jobs you would accept, but would not enjoy
As you can see, this methodology can have a warrant of deceit. I hear far too many horror stories in yearly Career Coaching sessions of people skipping: "Optimistic" too quickly.
The One I Hear The Most Often
"I always wanted to start a small business. However, because I had student loans to pay, I said to myself: 'I will get a job, and then return to it in ten years....'
"That ten years went by quickly, and then three kids and one messy divorce later, I am now stuck at that same deadend job with only a dream..."
You see, life often leads us to cancerous places, and we can all agree that stagnant time is a vial breeding ground for regrets and wrongdoings.
If you are like me, you may have the financial and literary freedom to try: "Optimistic" careers first. However, many need that job to survive, and thus, you also need a backup plan.
Pessimistic Careers ("P")
Ever dream of working as a garbage truck driver?
Neither did my friend, but he failed at both his a) optimistic career, and b) his realistic career. Rather, he had an optimistic career, but it was based on (you guessed it) Bitcoin.
How many lives Bitcoin has claimed, I will never quite know. But after making (and losing due to poor decision making) a six-figure bounty, he forgot to pull out.
When the bars were dropping, he should have taken out 80 percent of that profit. Yes, Bitcoin was a momentous chance at a better life, but greed often overpowers our morality.
Albeit, our judgement.
Pessimism
So, now he may have to settle for a job such as an Accountant. Nothing wrong with that at all, mind you, but I am just giving a roundtable discussion of what the "pessimistic" is.
It is the Psychology major who gets rejected from the Graduate department, and ends up as a Social Worker. Yes, that pessimistic career may have leeway, but you must prove it first.
You may need to settle for the lowest possible denominator. This is not optimal, albeit, even realistic (you are more likely to become an Accountant than a garbage man)...
...but I will tell you a secret, to be discussed more in Part II: this can be a good thing.
In my own mind, my least favorite outlook is blogging for a living.
You Should Have Three Of Each
You heard right. Three of each.
I have three pet projects I want to accomplish, three career choices I can take that offer a great starting salary, and three backup positions that offer potential revenue.
The Saddest Part Of My Articles...
...I always get sad at the end of writing a great article, but there is hope, I promise. I have one last piece of advice: stay tuned for Part II, and subscribe for its receipt.
I invite you to ignite yourself. Tomorrow we will discuss how to build your "O.R.P." (remember, "optimistic," "realistic," "pessimistic") Profile properly.
For now, remind yourself of your goals, your dreams, and your backups.
That is all an "O.R.P." Profile truly is. It is listing your dreams, followed by your goals, followed by your backups. Tomorrow, I will finish this for you to suffice to.
I would do a favor to yourself right here, right now: comment below with your three dreams ("O"), your three goals ("R"), and your three backups ("P").
Furthermore, I will help you understand the limitations that may come in its conduct. For now, start listing! See you tomorrow! And be sure to Subscribe for tomorrow's ramble.
P.S. Yes, I am aware that there are missing links, but they will be filled in tomorrow when I hit "Publish!" And I invite you to sign up here to reserve the 2023 eBook!
Brand Strategist | Productivity Evangelist | Marketing Educator | Author | Speaker | Creator
11 个月It's true that people often skip their "optimistic" career choices for either the realistic or pessimistic ones. Or, perhaps even worse, they only fantasize about the optimistic options instead of working toward them. Then they complain later that they work in whatever pessimistic options they have left. Some good things to think about in this article Ryan.