Read Time: 4.5 Minutes

Hello Friend,

You know those inflection points in life where it feels your world has done a complete 180?

You graduate, retire, move to a new city, end your career as an athlete, start a new role, upstart your business, etc. etc.

Well, I am at a very important point myself.

I have left the world of athletics (gotta love injury) to focus on my career and identify the path I truly want to pursue.

And it’s a lot. A lot of working, a lot of networking to see what’s out there, a lot of travel to see prospective areas, and a whole lot of reflection. But I’m soaking in every second of it.

And I’ve always seen my 20’s as a trial period to try a few things, stack skills, reflect, and identify what it is I’m truly meant to pursue.

There have been things I love, things I hate, and many things in between.

So, I wanted to share a few practices I have been implementing into my own life as I work to discover what it is I will ultimately pursue. Feel free to take a few for your own use and reflection. I hope we can find our path together 🙂 See my list below…

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• Keep a list of things you love to do & things you hate to do

This has been a great practice for me. It allows me to see a full picture of all the tasks I love and hate in one place. What does this tell me? It tells me exactly what careers to pursue and which ones to rule out forever. It makes things black and white. It makes decision making easier and allows me to say no when I need to. So, I keep that list going 🙂 

• Build a rough 10-year plan for yourself & career

This can be your guiding light when decision making. I have goals, hopes, and dreams I like to keep in one place. Any time a new opportunity presents itself or I am contemplating a new move, I refer back to my plan. You can’t control everything in life, and we don’t know what we don’t know…but a plan can keep you in line for the most part.

• Spend less time alone

Turns out most people in their 20’s are as confused as we are 😅 Spending too much time alone can make us feel like we’re behind or everyone else around us has a perfect life…when you spend more time with others than alone, you understand we’re all in the same boat. Spend time with people in your similar boat to connect and more senior people to learn. A good rule of thumb for myself.

• Write out what an ideal day would look like for yourself…now try to fill in the pieces around that

When you get specific with what your ideal day will look like, you can start to fill in the pieces around it. You can choose opportunities and set your goals based on this structure and build your ideal life day by day. I like to get really specific with it: How and when am I working out? What does my work schedule look like? What kinds of problems am I solving? Who am I spending time with? Where do I spend my time? What does my homebase look like?

You get the point. But it’s important to tailor your questions to your life and your dreams. Build that perfect day.

• Use long weekends to travel to see new cities (you may like another way more)

I recently set off for San Francisco to visit a mentor of mine. And my God was it a great idea. The people I met, the things I learned, the sites I saw were unbelievable. And I would have never known if I didn’t pick up and head out there to see if it’s for me. I will continue to reflect and seek opportunity, but I believe everyone should get out and try some new places. You never know what will hit home for you.

• Find a mentor in your dream career

This one can be a tough one…but send as many messages as you possibly can and try to bring them as much value as you can as well. A good mentor can fast track your progression in life and your career. Don’t be shy. Send that message.

• Schedule connect calls / coffee chats with people in industries you may be interested in

Something I am trying to improve in as well. I think I know where I want my career to lead…but I also don’t know what I don’t know. How can I bridge the gap? Connect with those who are doing the thing you’re interested in and ask all the dumb questions. Grow your knowledge and be of service to them however you may.

• Write daily to reflect on how you’re feeling in your current situation

I journal daily to try and make sense of this hectic mind 🤣 With so many moving parts, questions to answer, and things to unpack, writing helps me make sense of the things I am working to piece together. Writing is thinking with clarity. I’d rather do more than less.

• Set new goals and chase them with all you have

Goals keep you in line. They give you purpose, meaning, and keep you true to your mission. I like to split my life into a few different areas (Spiritual, Relationships, Business Career, Wealth, Health & Fitness, Personal Brand) and write out my main goals in each. I check my progress often and they keep me on the straight and narrow. Goals also keep me sane…if I didn’t have them, there’s no telling where my mind would be.

• Stay in shape

This keeps me confident, happy (gotta love endorphins), disciplined, clear-headed, and all the things that are good. If my health goes, the rest goes. So, this will forever be a priority as I navigate this thing called “life.”

Hope you can take a few items that help you in navigating your transition period. If I can help in any way, shoot me a message. Thanks for reading my friend 🤝 

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@jake_spotswood

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