How to test drive your dream career

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love architecture! Can't view this email properly? [View in Browser]() {NAME}, If you follow me on [Instagram](), you know that I love architecture! Touring a 300-year old home in Kyoto Touring a 300-year old home in Kyoto Whenever I travel, I love exploring unique buildings and architectural masterpieces. It’s part of my Rich Life and something I’ll spend extravagantly on. For example, when I was in Japan, I stayed in Aman Tokyo, a hotel famous for its design. Ramit in Aman Tokyo Aman Tokyo I also hired a translator so that I could talk with some local professional architects in their home over tea. We spoke about Aman Tokyo, other cool places around the city, and their careers. And of course, I jumped at the chance to walk through a 300-year-old home in Kyoto…which the same family has lived in for generations. 300-year-old home in Kyoto The truth about “cool” jobs I’d be lying if I said I never thought about pursuing architecture as a career. But I’ve done enough investigating — through reading, touring, and talking to professionals around the world — to know it’s not the path for me. I’m perfectly happy enjoying it as an outsider. And that’s the truth about most “cool” jobs: The day-to-day reality is often much different than we imagine. That’s why my advice to people looking to change careers is always this: Talk to someone with your dream job to see if you’d enjoy it. It sounds so simple, but nobody does it! We’d rather pick something, commit to it 100%, and then pursue it for years…maybe taking on tens of thousands of dollars in debt…only to later realize it’s not the job we want. Nearly half of older millennials — 47% — wish they had chosen a different career, according to a [CNBC Make It survey](). So if you feel stuck, you’re not alone. It’s like people who rush into buying a house because it’s a “good investment” and then find themselves drowning in expenses and costs. I talked to a couple about this on [a podcast episode](): [Podcast 111-Jonathan and Shalom]() [Click here to listen to the episode](). But going back to career choices. [Recent employment surveys show that 1 in 2 workers]() are looking for a career change, so chances are high that you’ve been thinking about it, too. Test drive your dream career today How do you avoid wasting years — and potentially thousands of dollars — on a career you might not even like? That’s what we’re going to look into this week. Here’s what I want you to do to kick off this exploration: - What’s your passion? What do you love doing when you have a free day? Make a list of these passions. Which have the potential to be jobs? For example, if you like drawing, animation is a paying job that requires that skill. - Or, what do you think a cool job would be? Most people don’t know what their passion is. That’s okay. It’s not an easy question to answer. So just think of cool jobs that already exist. Forget your ideas of what a “stable” job is, what’s prestigious, or what your parents want for you. TV anchor, forest ranger, nuclear engineer…think BIG and outside the box! - Next, do a quick search about the job. Find out what the job is actually like. But don’t go to a college career site. Their job is to enroll people! Of course they’ll paint a rosy picture of a certain career for you. I love Reddit for this exercise. [Screenshot of a post from Reddit about becoming a PT]() Here’s [a question someone posted on Reddit about being a physical therapist]() — which got several detailed, paragraphs-long responses. They’ve practically done the research for you. - Talk to people actually working the job! This is where you can test assumptions you have and anything you came across in your research. A 15-minute talk over coffee can save you from walking down the wrong path. You often know in your gut if something is not for you. Now, you probably won’t find someone overnight to meet with you in the next few days. But make it a goal over the next 2-3 months to find some people to talk to. (If you struggle reaching out to people, I have a program that can help.) Don’t waste any time — reach out to people today. Tomorrow, I’ll be sending an email about how to stand out and impress all the people you meet as you get started on your dream job exploration. Keep an eye on your inbox. [Signature] [Programs]() [Podcast]() [Netflix show]() [Books]() [Website]() [IG]() [in]() [X]() [YT]() Was this forwarded to you? [Sign up here](). [Unsubscribe here](. 548 Market St #89946 San Francisco, CA 94104-5401