Today I’m home with the flu, which I haven’t had for some 20 years.  I suppose most of us know the feeling when life gets in the way and messes with our plans.  Well this has caused me to reflect a bit about how I came to be where I am today, and why I feel so passionate about Career ADD, and speaking out for those of us who are suffering with these afflictions and may feel helpless to move forward.

I just heard from a client I worked with about a year ago.

Amy graduated from college in Meteorology and worked for a weather department with the state in a job that had nothing to do with her passion.  She quickly realized that the “perks” of this job were her golden handcuffs, and was fairly miserable, not exactly loving the idea of getting up and spending the day with people she did not relate to and a boss who had no clue how to manage people.  She just knew she didn’t want to end up like some of the older employees who watched the clock and counted the days before “retirement.”

Amy came to career counseling determined to change her direction, but at a young age was still tied to what other people thought was the “best” thing for her to do in her career.  She completed her Roadmap with great enthusiasm.  She knew without a doubt that she wanted to work in a field that allowed her to use what she learned in her college major meteorology), and that her biggest passion was to be involved in some way with …. Hurricanes.  I can’t relate to this, but passion is passion.

In a recent blog post I talked about how you can make a Plan B business work for you and get lifetime rewards.  This time I’d like to discuss how my Plan B biz has changed my life and the personal benefits that have made my experience far more than financial.

Distractions of any kind can derail us…right?

Couple those distractions with a diagnosis of Career ADD or living a Career ADD Lifestyle that is leading you down the wrong path.

How many of us are switching activities multiple times throughout the day, and at the end of the day very little is truly accomplished?

Now imagine that the same distractors are impacting your work every day.  Worse yet, imagine that you are struggling with making a career decision that won’t take you down the same path of unhappiness and failure.

Are you stuck?  Does your mind come to a screeching halt when considering job or career options, or does it move on to the next often negative thought and subsequent action that gets you nowhere?

This week I've been reflecting on the importance of everyone having a Plan B Business - a long term financial/work plan to insure that at some point you will make money in your sleep and have the potential to be financially free.

For those of us with Career ADD, long term planning is not something we generally consider - too many distractions and for some, just making ends meet to stay afloat gets in the way.  However...the cool thing about a Plan B is that you can start it and take your time getting there.  And with so many opportunities available at very reasonable price points, there is no reason not to get started today. Just start something. Most importantly, your Plan B Business should be doing something that makes you happy, just as in your primary career, and is simple to manage (for obvious reasons).