Your career, like your life, is the sum of all the decisions (good and bad) you make along the way. That means you must be diligent about understanding what you want out of life and how you’ll get there. Having a road map is always a good start.
As the son of immigrants, I was determined to go to a four-year school and start working as soon as I graduated. I believed higher education was a gateway to prosperity. Like most college graduates, I believed I could make money quickly and change the world in the process. I learned over the course of my career, this wasn’t always the case.
I offer my experiences as a guide to help you create your own road map to your purpose. The hope is it will guide you to a more direct career path that allows you to prosper financially while also fulfilling your God-given potential.
Step 1: Work backwards
If you want to live and work on your own terms, take time to figure out what you want to do with your life. Then work backwards from there. In my early years, I was determined to give back to the country that had given me so much. After 9/11, I decided the best way to do that was by working in government. While that did not enrich me financially–government work rarely does–it gave me an incredible amount of experience. Over the span of a decade, I worked in various roles at different governmental entities. At times as a public employee and at other times as an appointee. With my goal of giving back I learned that large entities (like the government) move slowly towards change. Being diligent and patient is what helps create change.
Step 2: Understand that choices have consequences
While it’s good to ask family, educators and others you trust for their input, ultimately you live with the outcomes of your choices. For example, in high school I wanted to learn French and asked my counselor whether it was a good idea. He discouraged me and told me I should take an automotive class instead. I went against that advice and now I’m doing business with a French company in French.
At the end of the day, the responsibility to find a rewarding job and make a good living falls squarely on your shoulders. Never give that power to anybody–not your parents, teachers or friends.
Step 3: Put in the work
Don’t be afraid to work hard or reinvent yourself along the way. Keep tweaking until you find the thing that will allow you to achieve your potential.
Also, where you go to school—if you want to pursue education beyond high school—is less important than what you ultimately do with what you learn. Your success depends on the skills you gain, how you use them, and their value in the job market.
I was eager to move things along and build financial security for myself. This led me to the private sector. At CKE restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, I worked as the VP of government affairs for nearly six years. There, I used my public sector experience to make it easier for my employer and franchisees (small businesses) to deal with government at all levels. I enjoyed bringing value to our customers and helping them grow.
Step 4: Choose your friends wisely
Pick people that will challenge you and who will bring out the best in you. If you’re not being challenged to grow, then you’re not fulfilling your potential. When I was younger, I dreaded writing essays and papers. I saw it as work, not a way to tell a story and move people to action. Thankfully, I worked for a former trial attorney who is a great writer. His style, which breaks down complex ideas and is easy to read, forced me to improve my writing. Without his help I wouldn’t have learned to love writing.
Step 5: Never Compromise
No matter what you do for a living, never compromise yourself, your integrity or your values. Be honest, loyal and hard-working. This will help you achieve your true potential on your own terms. Seeing how companies were missing a huge opportunity to reach Latino consumers, I decided to work independently to assist companies in connecting with the growing Latino population.
I would say this is where my true passion lies. It is where I feel I can make the biggest difference. Working on your own gives you the freedom and the ability to work on the things that matter the most to you. It lets your talent and passion be your road map to take you as far as you’re willing to go.