Careers are confusing. Whether you’re a mobile app developer or an accountant, everyone aspires to be the Michael Jordan or Tom Brady of their field. But the reality is that most people end up like Jon Koncak: A great career on the hardwood with 3,520 career points, but no rings, no All-Star games, no Hall of Fame, and nothing really worthy of accomplishment.
It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with a Jon Koncak career. A Jon Koncak career is great and worthy of aspiration, in fact. The man got to play at the highest level in his profession, competing amongst the best in the game. Even though he might be forgotten behind MJ, Shaq, and the greats of his era, very few in any profession are able to do that.
This is why career perspective is so damn important. When you’re a couple years out of college and grinding your ass off trying to make something of yourself, it’s so easy to feel lost and wonder if any effort you put forward at work is actually worth it. You start to question yourself and what you’re doing with your life: “Should I quit and use my savings to backpack South America? Should I leave my job for a hot start-up? Is making didgeridoos and selling them at music festivals my true calling?”
Hence this sound advice from Goldman Sachs partner Joseph Mauro. According to Business Insider, today he sent the following e-mail to every junior partner at the prestigious investment bank. It’s pretty long and filled with financial charts, but the message applies to every millnnial just starting out in their career, not just investment bankers.
Keep running.