You’re the Author of Your Story: Are You Writing the Story You Want?

If you dream of working for a large firm, that’s fine. But if you want something different, there are other avenues off the beaten path. You just have to be willing to take control of your career.

Here’s how:

Ask Yourself: Are You Building the Future You Want?

You can’t build the career you want if you don’t know what you want. Consider these four important things:

• How Much Do You Want to Earn? Pay isn’t everything, but it’s still important. And big firms aren’t the only ones offering great pay. Consider how much you want to earn and which firms may offer those opportunities.
• How Many Hours Do You Want to Work? Contrary to what you may have heard, you don’t have to work crazy overtime to have a successful career as an accountant. Consider what a great work-life balance would look like for you and how many hours you want to work.
• What Kind of Work Do You Find Fulfilling? Do you enjoy the work you’re currently doing, or would you find an advisory role more fulfilling? Finding joy in your work will give you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that is invaluable.
• What Do You Want Outside of Work? How can you make time for these things? It’s important to prioritize things that you enjoy doing that aren’t related to your career. For example, I have a passion for traveling, and I make it a priority. Last year, I traveled during busy season, and my firm kept running. I’m living proof that you can have a successful career and still have time for your passions outside of your job.

When you have a clear picture of what you want for your future and career, it becomes much easier to start realizing your vision. But having a vision is just the first step. You must also create a plan of action to help you achieve your goals.

It’s also helpful to expose yourself to new ideas and expand your horizons through networking.

Expand Your Horizons Through Networking

You don’t know what you don’t know. It’s easy to get stuck in a bubble and get comfortable there. But when you get out and talk and network with other accountants, you learn about new opportunities or ideas that you may have never heard of otherwise.

These ideas and opportunities may help you on your journey to writing your career story.

When I first started my firm, I didn’t know just how many entrepreneurial accountants there were, or that small firms were doing things differently – but better.

It wasn’t until I started talking with other people in the industry and networking that I realized there were other paths and options out there.

Networking and connecting will open your eyes, so don’t underestimate its importance. In fact, 79% of professionals believe that their success is dependent on networking.

You can begin networking in so many different ways:

• Go to industry events where you’ll meet people and speakers who were in your exact shoes in their careers and have done amazing things
• Join webinars and listen to podcasts where hear stories from others and then connect with the hosts after – social media makes this quite easy to do today
• Network locally with other firms and business owners that you admire to get a fresh perspective
• Connect with “Connectors” (as Malcolm Gladwell calls them). You don’t have to know everyone but you can know people that know “everyone.” Becoming a trusted advisor to these Connectors is extremely powerful.

It’s hard to beat face-to-face networking, but online networking can be extremely powerful as well. Consider where you can find others who have been bold with their stories and learn whether that’s something that also piques your interest.

You need to remember that you’re the author of your story. Just because there’s a path to follow in your career doesn’t mean that the road-less-traveled is not the right choice for you – it might be.

Be Bold in Writing Your Career Story

Your career story must be ambitious. Roger Bannister was the first man to run a four-minute mile. An avid runner, he broke the threshold in 1954 and was the catalyst for others to do the same. He wanted to push further than any other runner could in history – up until that point.

He was bold in his ambition.

Two months later, two others ran the mile in less than four minutes.

In your career, you need to be bold and write the story that will give you the life that you envision. Perhaps being bold means:

• Starting your own firm or business
• Working remotely so that you can travel

When your story is bold, you then can work on finding how you’ll reach your goal. It’s 100% up to you to decide what milestones you want in your career and the trajectory that you’ll follow. All too often, I’ve seen partners at big firms who thought this was the only path they could follow in their careers. It’s a clear, profitable path to follow, but it’s not the only path.

When you recognize that you’re the author of your own story, you realize you don’t have to follow in the footsteps of others before you.

Many of these partners could have started their own firms and become an owner as they’ve always envisioned but also had the freedom to build a firm that supports both their personal and professional goals. You, too, may also have the goal of becoming a partner – which is 100% fine. In the end, just make sure that you’re authoring your own story to live a life that is fulfilled and helps you reach your goals: inside and outside of your career.

Annually, review your past year and reflect on what you want your career story to be. You can change pace, revise your story, and move it in the direction that you want. When you have a story written, it will make it even easier to make it a reality.

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David G. Barbeito, CPA, is a Managing Partner at De La Hoz, Perez & Barbeito, PLLC. At David’s firm, they work with entrepreneurs locally and internationally across various industries and assist them with audit, tax, and accounting services. To get in touch with Davi or learn more about the firm, please send him an email to: dbarbeito@dpbcpa.com