Not until I became a full time, 6:00 am waking, crowded subway riding, afternoon lunch taking, tax – paying employee did I realize just how much time I dedicated towards my job on a daily basis. It was 2005 and after years of college and more years of law school, I had to adapt to a new way of living.
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I had a daily routine of waking up at 6:00 am, going to the gym for a morning workout, getting dressed, taking the train, grabbing a bagel and an orange juice from the street vendor, working a desk job for 9-10 hours, going to happy hour, going home to sleep and doing the same exact thing the next day. It was a cycle. I was comfortable, I was stable and I was miserable! I was always taught that you don’t leave one job until you have another job lined up, so I was in this state of despair until the recession hit and I was let go.
And do you want to know the first thing I did when I woke up and had no job to report to? I learned the dance routine to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” video and said I would figure this mess out tomorrow.
I know that I am near the full zenith of having the work life I have always envisioned for myself, which is fulfilling, challenging and on my own terms. Whatever you dream for yourself in terms of a job or career that feeds your soul and is what you deem your calling, here are six tips to assist you on your path to achieving it:
1) Know What You Want.
This requires exploration, trial and error. When I started my law practice it was out of necessity and I wanted no parts of it. I wanted what everyone else had and that was a steady pay check, benefits and some place to wear my cute business casual attire. It took years of working for other people, before coming to terms with what genuinely makes me happy and surrendering to what I was “called” to do. After working for other people, I know that I know that I know that I want to continue to work for myself and for my business to be successful. Explore areas of interest and narrow down work opportunities that make you feel like “THIS IS IT !!”
2) Listen to Your Heart and Your Supportive Friends.
My close friends always point out to me what I am good at. This includes writing, organizing, socializing and getting things done efficiently. I learned to listen to their supportive words and their constructive criticism. I also learned that there is money to be made from what comes naturally to me. Your greatest asset is innately connected to your daily successes. Take heed to this and plan from there. I have a dear friend who is also an entrepreneur. We share war stories and encourage each other. We are very protective of each other as well when it comes to our business dealings with others. Find that friend who will be in your corner when you are fighting with tooth and nail to get to the job or career that you are meant to be in.
3) Connect Your Strengths with Opportunities.
If you are great at editing and producing, even if your day job is that of a social worker, connect and network with others who work in the area that comes naturally to you. Once my friends started telling me I should write more, I reached out to the lovely ladies at HelloBeautiful.com and they gave me a chance. I have not given up my day job as an attorney, but this writing outlet brings in both a check and fulfillment in expressing myself through words. Search for opportunities that will allow you to shine naturally and make money while doing it.
4) Pray and Have Faith God Will Direct You.
Now, here is the bad thing about praying for direction from God……HE WILL DIRECT YOU and IT WILL BE FRUSTRATING. I am still not where I would like to be with my practice. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of mistakes to make, but the path from student, to law clerk, to unemployed licensed attorney, to business owner, to full time of-counsel attorney, to unemployed attorney, to supervising litigation attorney, to unemployed attorney, to business owner (again) is not in vain and I use every lesson to propel me to the next level and so should you.
5) Get Into Your Feelings.
Assess each job, client, and opportunity you take on and recognize how it makes you feel. I honestly do not believe there should be “mess” on a job on a daily basis. I also do not believe in working with clients who are shifty or shady. Dig deep into how you want to feel at your place of employment and if where you are now is not feeding you by way of learning and developing positive relationships, it may be time to move on.
6) Do Not Get Complacent.
Complacency is a tool of evil. It will rob you of your dreams and desires because you are comfortable where you are. Challenges are inevitable, but nothing is worse than thinking “I Should Have….” when you have the opportunity to go for it now. You got this!
Rashida Maples, Esq. is Founder and Managing Partner of J. Maples & Associates (www.jmaplesandassociates.com). She has practiced Entertainment, Real Estate and Small Business Law for 9 years, handling both transactional and litigation matters. Her clients include R&B Artists Bilal and Olivia, NFL Superstar Ray Lewis, Fashion Powerhouse Harlem’s Fashion Row and Hirschfeld Properties, LLC.
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