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Posted over 11 years ago

What is Your Natural Next Step?

We all have one; that natural next step.  The issue is choosing where to focus our steps; our attention, our mental energy and resources.  Then there is balance; balancing personal and professional endeavors for a meaningful life.   The best of all worlds is to make progress in our journey without fooling ourselves to assure that  "activity" is not automatically perceived as progress.   


There.  Now that we have the self-help mambo jambo out of the way- let's talk.  So.  Question?


Whatta ya wanna do next?  And where?  With whom?  And for how long?


The Where.  Part of determining your natural next step is determining the "where".  Geography, weather, commute times, costs of living, costs of housing, schools, medical, etc.  One of the outgrowths of our recent economic meltdown (and pending continuance) is that fewer people are moving from one metro to another. 

The primary driver of picking up and moving is a job change.  Not much of that going on in the last few years as people have been content to maintain.  Further, with fewer jobs and millions of under-water mortgages there is less incentive to make a serious move without deep, sometime tortuous thought.  Sorry folks, no answers on this front.  Just questions.   


With Whom. Professionally speaking, its more fun to work with people you like.  We hear all the time "you don't get to choose your family". Does the same hold true in the workplace?  When my wife, Dr. Della, is speaking to college kids about career options she always says "remember  to interview the employer while they are interviewing you- ask questions and meet potential colleagues".  That's good advice for anyone job hunting.


How long
.  A career track, anymore, will include five to eight jobs.  The probability all of these jobs will be with the same employer is very small. 
People change jobs for all sorts of reasons; advancement, moving closer to family, a change of scenery.  Some people plain get bored with their position, other's have no place to move up within an organization.  Give some thought as to how long you want to stay in a position. Give your self permission  to consider other options from time to time along your career path.


I think when you find your "natural next step"... it just feels right.  You have that positive gut check thing going on.  Yes, it's hard to measure warm and fuzzy.  But this is much deeper.  Look at the headings above.  If you are in a geographic area you want to be in,  working with people that care about the work and you can sketch out about how long you want to stay... then I think you have touched on three points to build a quality decision towards a self-selected, and balanced, quality of life.   


Please comment on the following questions:

  • Question: How do you decide where you want to live, where you want to work?

  • Question: When searching for a new job, what attributes are you looking for in colleagues?

  • Question:   What are the determining factors in how long you stay with your employer?

 About This Blog
Multifamily Insight is dedicated to assisting current and future multifamily property owners, operators and investors in executing specific tasks that allow multifamily assets to operate at their highest level of efficiency. We discuss real world issues in multifamily property management and acquisitions. This blog is intended to be informational only and does not provide legal, financial or accounting advice. Seek professional counsel.  http://www.MultifamilyInsight.com


Comments (2)

  1. Cross-pollinating is great, isn't it? Everyone has their own "vocabulary". I"m around a lot of social scientist who have no interest what-so-ever in real estate matters- but yet we have a good time together. While on-line social networks are great being around "real people" in different fields hopefully assures we avoid being myopic. And when it comes to the people we may spend 40 or 50 hours a week with its a good idea to know more about them than what degree's they have on the wall.


  2. I really like the advice you said your wife gives to college kids. I like RE investing because I mainly get to choose who I work with. And I guess I always take note of a potential mentors personality. In a way I interview them, I just never thought of it that way. Very good advice.