So often we are careful to have a Plan B in case we need to pivot. People who are skeptical about how the direction in which we are headed might work out ask what Plan B is. Friends and loved ones in particular tend to ask us about those alternatives.
But you know what happens when we talk about Plan B?
We lose focus on Plan A, get distracted from our goals, and make it more likely that Plan A fails.
This is especially a problem when we are trying to head in a new direction. Those who knew us as successful on a different path wonder why, worry that we will fail, and then ask questions like:
- Are you sure?
- Does that really make sense?
- Why would you want to do that?
- What does your spouse think?
- How will that take advantage of the experience and skills you’ve built up?
- How long will it take to replace your income?
- What if it doesn’t work out?
All of which can create self-doubt, and lead to the question, “What is Plan B?”
In a job search, this can lead to a fear to commit to a specific target job, industry and type of company. You will hear people talking about their transferable skills, their ability to bring their talents to many industries, the fact that they are staying ‘open’ to many possibilities.
All of this is code for “I’m afraid that if I focus, I’ll miss out on possibilities.”
But actually, the reverse is true.
When you get clearly focused on Plan A, and all of your attention, messaging and networking efforts point in that direction, you get to continually hone your approach and your story. You avoid confusing your network with ‘alternatives’, get everyone rowing in the same direction, and put them in the best position to help you. You get more effective feedback, more quickly, on what is or isn’t working so that you can continually refine your approach.
That singular focus also demonstrates confidence and passion, to which others will respond. It makes them that much more interested and able to be your strong advocates.
Now I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t actually have a Plan B.
Presumably, before you decided on the new direction, you gave some thought to alternatives. Within those is your Plan B.
But now put those aside as things you will come back to ONLY IF PLAN A DOESN’T WORK OUT. Don’t give them another thought; don’t let them distract you.
Set a goal for Plan A and a time frame for achieving that. Only when you hit that point is the appropriate time to think about Plan B if Plan A hasn’t hit the goal you intended.
(You can read about my own experience with this in my career journey here.)
That’s a good idea, to have a fall back plan in case your original plan fails. What I don’t understand is how you figure out what your plan b should look like. I never had a plan b for exactly that reason. I didn’t understand how I could adapt my skill set to a different career path than the one that I’ve been on.
Sometimes it’s hard to do that within one’s own head. It can help to talk to others, and create a feedback loop that helps you better understand your options.