Many of us want a better future.However, to determine that you need to ask yourself this question is there a future in your job or business? Notice, how I include both job or business. Some of you either work for someone, have your own business or combination of both.I decided to ask myself this question, when I was 18 in my first true job.In other articles, I had mentioned how I became successful at selling clothes at a retail store.About a year and a half later, I asked myself what is my future in selling clothes at a retail store?I realized that they were very limited.I could of become a store manager or maybe a district manager. Thereafter, scaling up in corporate America would have been slow. Also, from a financial perspective there was only so much money that I cold have made.That’s when I decided to take a different route.That route was to go to college to become an attorney.
Changing paths
After, graduating with my bachelor’s degree I asked myself that question again. Not that I could of have been an attorney, but it is highly saturated. I felt that there was something else I could do other than becoming an attorney. Luckily, I had a shot in working in finance with John Hancock from Boston. Once again, I saw myself in fortune 500 company. Not that you can climb the corporate ladder, but it takes time. Many veterans at that company told me, you are young. The veterans at that company told me, you should go work at a small firm or start your own firm.
That’s exactly what I did. But, I failed at my first financial service venture. Thereafter, I went to work for a small finance firm. I did very well. I went from being a broker to becoming Executive Vice-President. I wanted to grow the company but the owner did not share the same vision. Once again, I asked myself the question “what’s my future here”? When I realized that there were limits, I decided to once again venture off on my own.
Taking risks in your career and in business
As a result, I started my own finance company. I felt there were no limits. However, with the recession of 2008 – 2009, I lost it all. From 2009 to 2013, I tried many things. I kept asking myself the same question, what’s my future in this business? In 2012, I had a chance to work at corporate America. A cousin of mine, indicated to me that he could get me a job at a well known medical distribution company. However, I asked him a question. I asked “two or three years from now, can I make more than $250,000 per year? He replied, no way. It’s not that easy in corporate America. He said, you may make $100,000 per year and have great company benefits, but I don’t think you will make $250,000 per year. His advice was, if that is your goal no matter how hard it is right now, stick to your goal. After, trying several things I decided to start once again a finance and technology firm in 2013. I realized that the future was limitless.
Today, I believe that there is a future in anything you do. One of the most important things is not only if there is a future in your job or business, more important underlies the question, “Do you enjoy what you do?” If you don’t enjoy what you do, you will not be successful at it.
By: Gil Zapata