How To Develop a Plan B
This article is a follow-up to a previous article I wrote called, “Man, You Must Have a Plan B”.
But, if you are still asking, “Why do I need a Plan B?” The answer is, because you need another option when your initial plan (Plan A) does not work out. See “Man, You Must Have a Plan B” for more information.
So what is a Plan B?
If you remember from the previous articile, I indicated that a Plan B is, ”A secondary option that you have put together, which can be executed, if something or someone interrupts or interferes with your initial plan. The interruption may come in the form of a change in your management, a change in your health, a change in your financial situation, a change in your employment status, etc.”
What if you realize you need a Plan B, but you don’t have one in place?
Or you don’t know where to start in developing a Plan B?
What should you do?
First of all, start by assessing one of the main resources you have available to use; your current skills. In other words, look at your current job to see if you can use your skills to start a part-time business.
For example: if you are a CPA, you can start a business preparing individual and/or business tax returns during your spare time. If you are a web designer for a corporation, you can develop websites for individual and small business clients during your spare time.
Secondly, what if you do not like what you are currently doing career wise and definitely do not want this occupation to be your Plan B option. But, you do not know what you want to do.
There are several resources available to assist you:
1.) Go to your local community college and ask them to give you an aptitude test, which will provide you a list of fields you may want to consider, based on your interests and personal preferences
2.) The Myers-Briggs Career/Personality Test is a resource used by many corporations to match employees’ talent to job responsibilities
3.) Marcus Buckingham has a book, “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, which is a good resource to help you identify your strengthens and what fields may be a good match for you. Buckingham offers some online tools to help you with your personal assessment.
Buckingham’s book is based on the premise that if we focus on finding a career that matches what we like to do (strengthens), then we will enjoy it and will be more successful, instead of the more traditional approach of trying to get individuals to improve in areas they are not as strong in (weaknesses). See Recommended Resources section to order book now.
Thirdly, what if you are tired of what you are currently doing, you may want to consider a brand new career, based on a personal “passion or burden” you have.
In other words, ask yourself, “If money was not a problem, what would I like to do?”
For example: If you always wanted to teach, but settled for another profession because of the money, now you may want to consider an alternative teacher certification program, which will allow you to do what you love; teach. Or you may have always wanted to start a non-profit to help at-risk youth; this may be the time to do it.
Depending on your age and financial situation, you may be able to start a business or get a job to now do something you really enjoy!!
Fourthly, you may consider going back to school to earn that degree you started but never completed, or get an advance degree, or a certification in an area of interest.
Finally, you may want to consider starting a home-based business.
I hear some of you saying, “Say what?” “I don’t want to sell greeting cards, newspapers, magazines, etc.”
If these types of business ideas come to mind when you think of a home-based business, you need to take another serious look at this area. There are a number of very viable options available today, with the improvement in technology, which a lot of individuals are utilizing to supplement or replace their income.
Also, the home-based business option provides a lot of tax advantages, even for those who are still working in corporate America. And this option can provide a means for a smooth transition, after retirement or after a job loss.
Regardless of which option you choose, you must develop a Plan B. When you have a Plan B in place, it provides you more confidence and control during those uncertain days that follows an interruption in your initial plan.
If you would like more personalize assistance in developing your Plan B or would like more specific information on some Plan B options, feel free to contact me via the email address below, personal coaching and consulting is available in this area.
Please provide me your comments on this topic. If you have additional topics you would like to see us discuss, please send me an email or post a comment.
Also, refer this site to other men you know, so we all can journey together!!
For the woman in your life, my wife (Sylvia) has a personal development site focused specifically on the needs and concerns of women. The site is called, www.thedashlady.com.
Also, we have a joint site focused on the needs and concerns of couples (i.e. married, engaged, and seriously dating). This site is focused on helping couples to grow together through personal development. The site is called, www.marriagerhythm.com.
Please visit these sites and leave us a comment about the current posts.
Again, thanks for visiting this site.
Randy
The “DASH” Guy
