It is a no brainer, people that work towards their ideals to make them reality can make great impacts on society. They can change things. There is proof of this from left to right. Unfortunately, we are sometimes forced to opt for the practical instead of the ideal. It would be nice if we had unlimited power to change things, but we don’t have total control over life.
This is because what one needs to do in a given situation may not always be what one wants to do. We have to have some level headed people that live in reality. This view recognises that often we are not helpless victims.
So it begs the question… is it OK then to put pursuing your dream job on hold?
A Harvard Business Review article calls this “the priority slide”, which means pausing higher-level aspirations to focus on the basics. And, Good news, this does not mean being a failure.
Here’s how you can approach it:
- Practice resilience. An external crisis, like this pandemic, is not your fault. Understand your new reality, take a deep breath and start pulling yourself back up.
- Focus on the basics. It’s OK to find a short-term job, if needed, to pay bills. Be creative and reduce expenses.
- Know that this is a hiccup. Future employers will not judge you for taking a detour in your career path. Employers value people who thrive in tough situations.
- Don’t give up on your dreams. Come up with a new timeline after accounting for the impact of the crisis.
- Stay positive. You’ll be tougher and wiser on the other side.
