1. Life is short, don’t postpone.
Accomplish your goals while you’re still young enough to do them. You never know what life may throw your way later: medical problems, family emergencies, worldwide pandemics, stock market crashes. If you have the opportunity to pursue a dream now, do it.
2. Try new things.
Expand your brain. Fully immerse yourself in your interests and hobbies. Try out different lifestyles. Become more well-rounded. Cultivate your identity outside of your career.
3. Take a break.
Breaks are critical to good work. Breathe, reflect, reset. Return to your career refreshed and with new perspective.
I took a mini retirement in 2016 when I was 30. It totally refreshed me for the next phase of my career. I was able to get perspective on why I was doing what I was doing. When I started, I gave myself permission to totally blow up my life and start over – where I lived, what I did, everything. In the end, I went back to almost exactly what I’d left. I learned that it wasn’t the place or the job that were “wrong,” it was some inner work that I needed to do.
Hm… how often can one justify a mini retirement?? 🤣
Thanks for the comment! One thing I’ve seen a ton in my military career is people blaming their unhappiness on their job. I’ve certainly been guilty of it too. Granted, the military is more of a life commitment than many jobs, but it becomes an easy target to place your discontentment on. For me, I think my 2-year mini-retirement will be an interesting experiment. Without my job, which problems follow me and which disappear?