The only person we can never run away from is ourselves, so why not pause and think about what our future self wants, instead of looking for hacks and tricks?
I strongly believe that people who are constantly hunting for hacks miss the joy of figuring things out. And guess what? Successful people who make money focus on building hacks, not chasing them. You'll find this trait in any successful person.
If you are serious about creating a lifestyle that you will love, this simple 2 step structure will help you design your version of a rich career. This is the exact same approach I took to design my lifestyle.
Step #1: Visualise your lifestyle at the age of 25, 35, 45 & 55
We all have hopes and dreams when we are growing up, but we forget them as we grow older. Let's bring our inner child back and dream of a lifestyle that builds a happy career.
To make this exercise structured, we will focus on four main areas. These areas make us rich and successful: Skills, Network, Resources, and Reputation.
I am 30 now; this was my goal at 25:
- Skills: Sales and negotiation to land high-earning jobs.
- Network: Top Sales leaders in fast-growing companies in London.
- Resources: Buy flat within 20 min train ride from London and invest in my growth.
- Reputation: Have a can-do attitude. Start to build thought leadership in my area of interest, like career development.
Reflecting back, I achieved all of these goals, but I had incredible support from my best friend and wife Christina on this journey.
Now, here is what I want at the age of 35:
- Skills: Go-to market leader for tech scale-up.
- Network: CRO and start-up founders in London, Berlin, San Francisco, and NYC.
- Resources: Buy a 5-bed home near London and £500k+ diversified investment.
- Reputation: Sales and negotiation thought leader in high-growth industry startups.
Action for you: Write down milestones in these four areas and then move to the next steps.
By the time I am xx years old I want to have:
- Skills: [insert skills you want to gain]
- Network: [type of people you want in your network]
- Resources: [how much income or investment will fulfil your goals]
- Reputation: [which area you want to be known for in the next coming years]
Step #2: Pick an industry and job that will allow you to achieve your vision
People complicate career decisions. Ultimately, three things matter the most: Income, Location, and Work Type.
Let me give you my example of how I am planning to fulfil my vision of when I am 35 years:
Income: To get a 5-bedroom house in the London region, it will cost at least £1m, and to build an investment of +£500k, I need a role where I have uncapped earning potential. That's why I am in Enterprise SaaS Sales, so I can close deals in the millions and earn six-figure commissions. This confirms that I am moving in the right direction to achieve my desired lifestyle.
Location: I like the city life because of the option to eat out, watch live concerts, and network. So, living max 20 mins away from central London works for me.
Work Type: I want to work where I can have an impact and help businesses grow. Sales allows me to make an impact in a tangible way and get a financial reward in return. I will gain more power to influence by bringing money to the business. Facts > Opinions.
Action step for you: Define these three key areas which will help you live the lifestyle of your vision.
By the time I am xx years old:
- Income: [I want to earn $xx amount] & [this industry + role matches that]
- Location: [I want to live in X city because of ABC]
- Work Type: [I want to do a role where I can do XYZ]
Now block 30 minutes and start writing down what comes to your mind. Then go and conduct informational interviews to validate that.
You will gain clarity by taking action, not by overthinking.
Until next time, Gaurav
If you want to work with me to help you build a successful career: Join the waitlist for the Career Change Accelerator .