Sital Ruparelia

When I’m working with clients who want to make a career move, I usually ask what they want to do in terms of a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.

What’s Plan A?

- The answer is often similar to what they were doing before – give or take 10%.

What’s Plan B?

- Is often something slightly different. Maybe a similar role in another sector. Maybe a slight variation of a role they’ve done in the past.

What’s Plan C?

- Is *that thing* you really want to do.

The thing you’d do if you knew you couldn’t fail. The thing you already do when no one is looking. The career or job you’d happily test drive for a week if you had the time and knew no-one would ever find out.

The job or career your gut and intuition leads you towards. It’s the thing you’d do for the love if it, instead of the ego driven need to ‘look good’ or a financial need. The thing you’d do if you had the courage and confidence.

For some people, their Plan C is a business start up. For others it’s a role or career that provides lots of flexibility or part time opportunities. For some, it involves doing meaningful work or activities that allow them to express their creativity.  For others it’s the thing their most passionate about. Or maybe they have a unique talent that they don’t get a chance to utilise and their plan C involves tapping into that.

I don’t agree with the barrage of coaches and ‘experts’ that tell you to run off and ‘follow your dreams’ in pursuit of  Plan C. Such an idealistic approach is foolhardy.

But I do think everyone should:

1  Know what your Plan C is

2. Explore and research Plan C so that you know specifically what you are drawn to

3  Find ways to tap into Plan C NOW instead of  waiting until ‘some day’

Have Your Cake And Eat It

By tapping into your ‘Plan C’ elements now and weaving them into your current career and lifestyle, you enjoy the security and financial stability that comes with sticking to what you know (a plan A or B career), yet still have the opportunity to do elements of what you really want to do (Plan C).

I’ve been giving career advice for years before I set up as a professional in this business. Thinking back, what I should have done is started delivering career workshops and talks on a pro bono basis or maybe started writing a career blog and articles much earlier.

I’d have been able to hone my skills and build my confidence whilst also still doing a ‘day job’. I would have gained testimonials, client stories and developed a range of tools that would have accelerated my progress when I eventually did make the transition to my Plan C career

So don’t make the same mistake I did. Tap into your Plan C NOW – be it a new business idea, a new career or new way of working. You’ll get a chance to figure out what you like and don’t like whilst gaining valuable experience with low risk.  Effectively, you’ll be able to have your cake and eat it.