Career Intertia

Every minute you spend working at something that you do NOT want to do for the rest of your life, something that does NOT inspire you, something that is NOT your life's purpose makes it harder for you to pull away and do that, once you discover it. Why? Simple economics. First, you're getting a paycheck. Second, if you spend 10 years working for a corporation, then you are developing deep expertise at that particular job. Third, the opportunity costs of that job are all the other things you could have been learning during that time (working 40 hours a week leaves little time for learning other things). I call this "career inertia". A body at rest stays at rest, unless acted upon by an outside force (like the company laying you off).

Eventually you'll get bored and frustrated, and will look for something else to do. You'll start by examining your skill sets, you'll find that, by far, you're overwhelmingly qualified to do what you're doing right now, and nothing else. You will probably have started putting down roots, accumulating friends, perhaps a family, schools, lifestyle, and stuff, like car payments, rent, and mrotgages. And if you're like most Americans, you haven't saved much (or any) money. This makes changing jobs harder, because now you'll need immediate income when you quit.

So, by doing something you don't love, you are sacrificing the ability to become expert at what you do love. It's easier to avoid this in your early years (18-30) than in your later years. To avoid career interia:

1. Avoid debt as much as possible, and live beneath your means.
2. Work all the time at achieving your ultimate goals. Even a little work is okay. Push that acorn up the hill.
3. Be prepared to go where your goals take you, even if you leave behind some friends. It's easier than ever to stay connected.

CONCLUSION: Keep narrowing your "career cone" by moving towards your goal, even a little bit, all the time. Don't get stuck in jobs you hate.