Stop trying to build your career without a complete vision

(fair warning - this post will be long and personal)

When I finished college, I had this fabulous idea, get my MBA, become a chief information officer, and then end up the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Nowhere in there did I consider the details of needing and wanting autonomy, freedom, harmony, work I loved, or a family. Things that were important to me.

I was too busy doing what was expected to be “successful.” Everything we’re trained to do - get good grades in school, go to college, graduate, and get a good job.

In September 2017, I left my six-figure corporate job because I wanted to be happier and control my own destiny.

(I know you’re probably thinking Bianca is crazy; I can assure you that I am not.)

I just realized there was more to life. I could get rid of the nonsense and start dreaming and doing big things.

I didn’t want to be stressed out anymore, reliving each day stuck in an episode of The Office, worrying about traffic, stuck in meetings that could have been emails, and talking about stupid memos and reports.

I had enough.

Instead,

(1) I wanted to be married with children,

(2) living on or near the beach,

(3) doing work I love from anywhere in the world,

(4) working with clients I wanted,

(5) while deciding if I was going to work 8 hours or 8 minutes a day.

(6) no work on Fridays unless I wanted to do it.

(These are my non-negotiables)

In five months, I got #3-6.

Still working on 1 & 2. (Since it's Valentine’s Day, if anyone knows of a single bachelor with a beach house feel free to reply to this message, haha)

Yesterday, a coaching client posted this on LinkedIn (it was a complete surprise):

“Have a seat.

There are so many people telling you what to do on LinkedIn and how to do it. Trying to get your last dollar. It happened to me.

Few are telling you to sit down, take a seat and think about where you are going.

Everyone wants to help you FIND a job, but Bianca J. Jackson, MBA, PMP? is literally telling her network to have several seats and ENVISION their future/career/needs/non-negotiables.

I know that seems like a waste of time when bills might be piling up.

But if you don’t pause/dig deep and search for your values, or ignoring your values and settling for anything, might mean meaninglessness, un-productivity, a drained spirit and lot's of good ol’ rejection.

Trust me.”

When I read this, it made my heart smile.

Finally, people are starting to get it.

I’m not telling you to quit your job like I did. But…

Have a seat and figure out what you ultimately want for your life, and then find work that naturally fits.

Most people do this backwards.

Find a job and deal with the consequences of how it affects your life after the fact.

I’m sorry, but that’s wack. Especially, if you have a spouse, dependents, and pets who depend on you.

I’m a big proponent of people helping themselves.

You can sign up for more information on how to access exercises, I've created and used myself, to get one step closer to the life and career you envision for yourself: https://bit.ly/BiancaDailyEmail