Hall of Fame and legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi started the 1961 preseason by gathering his players and announcing, “Gentlemen, this is a football” as he held up the familiar pigskin. There must have been some strange looks in the room.
It seems like an odd way to greet professional football players since they’ve played the game since they were kids, but he had their attention.
What he was saying was - let’s not leave anything to chance and rethink everything, no matter how basic. As it turns out, Lombardi was giving some pretty good career advice too. Are you happy with your professional path? Will it lead you to your personal goals? And maybe most importantly, is there enough pain for you to do something about it?
So as we enter a new year, do yourself a favor and do some self-reflecting and forecasting.
We have moments in our lives when we’re hit with adversity. These events, and how we respond to them can change our destiny. While you cannot control every variable, you can influence your fate.
In December of 2021, just 18 days before Christmas, 900 people with Better.com were laid off hearing the news from a 3-minute Zoom meeting. Unfortunately, many of those people were caught flat-footed, without another source of income or plan.
It’s not unheard of. The median tenure of employees working for the same employer is just 4.1 years. Nothing lasts forever. Your last day may or may not be your choice. Other people can make that decision for you. If you find yourself in the same situation as the Better.com employees, you’ve got to act fast. Many will get back on the hamster wheel and start the clock ticking with their next employer, yet others will decide they’ve had enough and start their own business. It all comes down to what you are willing to do to secure your future.
Last year, more than 4.4 million new businesses were created in the U.S., the highest on record. What’s driving this economic boom? The reasons are many but can be summarized as people escaping their pain or seeking happiness in the pursuit of pleasure. Ultimately, it’s the only two factors that cause someone to start a business.
“The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life.” - Tony Robbins
2022 is coming; how do you want to play it?
If you like your job, and things are going well, then good for you! In that case, there isn’t enough “pain” for you to resign and start your own business. However, there may be enough motivation to get involved in a semi-absentee business. That’s the trend franchise matchmaker Marshall Reddy is seeing. “I work with people that have a comfortable life, but they’ve seen enough and amassed enough experience to know that diversifying their income and leaving themselves options is a good thing. They’ve reflected on their professional life and have a plan to work a few more years at their corporate job, and then transition to owning and running their own business. It gives them something to look forward to. By starting up now, they can make a smooth transition when the time is right.”
It all comes down to priorities and risk mitigation. Take a minute to think, channel your inner Vince Lombardi, and map out the future you deserve.
