MBA Research

A friend of mine recently emailed me, saying that he's doing research for an upcoming assignment for an MBA class. He requested that I send him a paragraph or two telling him my career aspirations for the next five years. This is my response... (Yeah, it's more than a paragraph or two. So what?)

What are my career aspirations for the next five years? In order for you to understand my answer, we need to look back at my history as a working stiff. Funny how I need to look back in order to answer a question about the future, isn’t it?

Earlier this year, I lost my job. This job loss created a lot of stress, and a couple of great opportunities. The stress was a result of wondering how I was going to make ends meet… the mortgage… the car payments… making sure that my children had what they needed. With one pink slip, I was instantly forced to cut expenses and tighten the proverbial belt. Between unemployment benefits and my wife’s salary, we could cover our financial obligations, but with the drastic cut in income, discretionary spending was reduced to zero. I gained something far more though… time and peace of mind.

You see, while I was in the rat race, I made good money, but I gave up opportunities to watch the grass grow, paint and play music, and interact with my family. Don’t get me wrong, I was there for the events that society considers important… school plays, parent-teacher conferences, birthdays and such, but I missed out on many mundane moments. When the kids would call me at work to help them resolve a fight, I was annoyed. When they phoned wanting to know when I’d be home, I was irritated. Didn’t they realize that calling me postponed my departure from work? While I was on the job, my children – my entire family – was a nuisance. They derailed me from the task at hand.

While I was unemployed though, I gained a deeper understanding of what was truly important. I didn’t have a family in order to work; I worked in order to provide for my family. When I was between jobs, I came to the realization that raising my family is my career… my life… what brings me fulfillment. Since losing that well-paying job with all of the benefits, I became employed elsewhere. On an hourly basis, the new job pays better than any of my previous employers. Since it’s part-time work though, I don’t have the benefits of paid vacation, health insurance or a retirement plan. But my wife has all of those perks, so it’s not as important that I have them . What the part-time work does allow for though, is the opportunity for me to take my kids to school when they miss the bus, to be there after school to make sure their homework is done, and to play with them.

When I was entrenched in the rat race, I was always cognizant of the need to balance home and work. I always thought of myself as a good dad, and all of my friends and co-workers agreed. Looking back though, I now understand that the aforementioned balance tipped too far in favor of work. There will be plenty of time for the rat race after the kids have grown. Yeah, I’m sacrificing some future financial security for the sake of time with my family, but it’s a small price to pay. After all, I may not live long enough to enjoy my golden years, but I know for sure that a day will come when the kids have grown up and moved away. I don’t want to look back and wish I was there. With money, you can make up for lost income by working overtime or spending a little less. Time with the family however, is an irreplaceable commodity. (Yes, I know that’s an oxymoron… great turn of phrase, eh?)

This brings us to the main question… my career aspirations for the next five years. You see, I’ve already achieved my career goal of spending more time with my family. Instead of amassing wealth and material gains, I’m spending time. I’m cooking meals, washing clothes, shuttling children, and enjoying a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with my wife. Spending time is far more rewarding than earning a paycheck.