A641.9.3.RB - Becoming a Resonant Leader

Dear Mike,

A lot can happen in five years. Five years ago from today, you weren’t married, you didn’t have a kid, you didn’t own a home, you didn’t have an MBA, you’d never been out of the country, you still had school debt, and your salary was literally half the amount that it is now. I say all this to remind you that change is possible, and that it can come quickly. That seems important to point out because, let’s face it, when it comes to the future, you've been indecisive, and you tend to focus on imagined downsides as a reason to avoid taking risks. You want your big life decisions to be logical and serve a grander plan, and that’s great, but you never planned to become a step-father or get your MBA. Those things happened because, regardless of plan, life happens. Things change. Opportunities arise. And you’re not only kidding yourself if you honestly think you can control exactly where you’ll end up down the road, but you’re missing out on potential changes that might actually make your future better.

So, that’s my vision: to maximize your potential. You’ve never wanted to simply tolerate your job — you’ve wanted to love it, and just because that hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean that you’re fated to repeat that pattern for the next 30 years. But you already know that — it’s why you got into this MBA program in the first place, to open up your career options. Don’t forget that. If you continue to play it safe, though — stay local, look for jobs that sound good but don’t excite you — a future of only “tolerating” your work is exactly what you’re going to get. You’ve put a ton of effort into getting where you are right now — don’t blow it. Ride the wave of this momentum and turn it into a future you’re proud of.

To that end, here are your goals:

1) Figure out if flipping houses is a career you really want to pursue, a hobby, or neither.

a. Milestone: Read at least one book on the business

b. Milestone: Talk to someone (people) in the business
  • Check out/join the National Real Estate Investor Association
c. Milestone: If you’re still into it by then, get your Realtors license

d. Milestone: Then learn about the business hands-on by getting a job at a real estate firm/builder

e. Milestone: Flip your first house
  • Save/secure financing 
  • Find a deal 
  • Sell the property for profit
2) Figure out where you want to live.

a. Milestone: Come up with a list of cities you’d want to experience life in
  • Research lists of best cities for young families
  • Don’t let cost of living drive the conversation 
  • Don’t undervalue the “fun” factor 
  • Prioritize natural/cultural elements 
  • Remember: You want to love where you live
b. Milestone: Apply to jobs in those target cities
  • Apply to many companies/positions — not just a few in select markets
c. Milestone: Relocate


3) Don’t settle for “good enough” or just “a step up” in your next job.

a. Milestone: Identify what you want to “be” long term.
  • Research postings for jobs in consultative sales, IT startups, real estate, and business operations. Explore what emotions you feel reading about each.
  • Follow the enthusiasm
  • Define what “ownership” and “creativity” mean to you 
  • Lean on Rebecca for support and learn from her openness to change and adventure 
b. Milestone: Quit your job — by no later than the end of 2019
  • Search for job opportunities in the cities highlighted in Step 2 (and be open to big moves)
c. Milestone: Accept a new job
  • Develop short-, mid-, and long-range timelines to measure success and help you stay on track
  • Remember that the next job should be on the path to your Ideal vision of the future 
  • But keep in mind that, even if you try something and hate it, that’s a good! Because it helps you learn about yourself, cross an option off the list, and gets you closer to finding your true calling 
  • Remember that you’re vetting the companies in your interviews as much as they’re vetting you. Listen to your gut.

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