Evan has a good job by conventional standards. He earns good money, has a solid title, and job security. He also has a fifteen-minute commute to his job in East Lyme, CT, reasonable hours, and decent bosses. Due to his general abilities and work ethic, he is a success.
But his 30th birthday made him reflective. He was not happy at work. He didn’t like talking about his work. He . didn’t even like telling people what he did as he didn’t want any follow up questions that as he said “made them think my job was my identity.” He had concluded: “I’m not meant to do this work as my career.” He also concluded – as I have counseled many career seekers – that not liking his work would eventually lead him to not being successful. He already felt he was beginning to plateau and knew he didn’t want to do what was necessary to get to his boss’s level.
Like most, however, Evan feared a drop in pay/title. I explained that he would likely work to 75. So switching now to a field where he had more potential would pay off in spades. He switched fields in late 2018 into a lower paying, lower title job. But he had found what he was meant to do or at least far closer to what he felt was a fit.
Evan e-mailed me on Labor Day to tell me of his promotion. He is now poised to surpass his income/title from the previous field. Do what you are meant to do. It will make you happier and lead to greater success.