1358: [Part 1] 5 Different Options by Jillian Johnsrud on Starting A New Business & Entrepreneurship

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Work Daily, Episode 1358. Five Different Options, Part 1, by Jillian Johnsrud of JillianJohnsrud.com. And hey there! I am Dan, I am your host here, and welcome to Optimal Work Daily, where I read to you

[00:00:15] every single day from these great blogs on work, productivity, and a whole lot more. And today's post is on the longer side, and if you're a regular listener, you know that

[00:00:24] that means we break it up into two different days for you, so I'm going to read the first half of the post now, and then finish up the rest in the Thursday show. So let's dive right into Part 1 as we optimize your life.

[00:00:39] Five Different Options, Part 1, by Jillian Johnsrud of JillianJohnsrud.com. Should I take this new job offer or should I stay at this job I don't like? My client was stuck in a mental holding pattern between these two options, and no matter how

[00:00:54] much she mulled over the choice, clarity was elusive. It's a common challenge I see with people trying to make big life choices. Here are the two options. What should I do? I always start by asking, what are the other options?

[00:01:09] The question is met with a pause and a bit of confusion. There seem to be only two options, option A or option B. Door number one or door number two. In reality, in any situation, there are a dozen different ways things could play out.

[00:01:23] There are a variety of ways that we can accomplish a goal or meet an intention. Instead, we get stuck in a binary trap. What are five different options? The trouble is, we often don't see a better option right away.

[00:01:36] Maybe the other options seem less likely or more complicated. So instead of bringing them to the table, we focus on two options. When you go to think about adding five new options, focus on the main intention or purpose of the change.

[00:01:50] For this client, I asked, what are you hoping to achieve by changing jobs? She was very burned out and her environment at work was adding to that ongoing stress. This was the intention we started with, finding a path to recovering from burnout.

[00:02:03] In this brainstorming process, don't rule out the options that seem less likely. Now isn't the time for that just yet. The goal is to expand your vision to see all the things that could be possibilities.

[00:02:14] It's also not the time to cross off the list of options that might not be as effective. We aren't narrowing down in this step, it's brainstorming. Usually when you have been stuck between two choices, it takes a little push to widen the vision.

[00:02:27] So I kicked off the process. What if you took unpaid leave to rest and then came back? What if you switched departments to a place with better management? Would finding a new type of work in the company help the burnout?

[00:02:39] Is there a way to set better boundaries with your boss and communicate your needs? Perhaps you take six months off with the intention of coming back to this company. Then we explored options for a new company. What if you took a month off between jobs to rest?

[00:02:53] Or could you work a reduced work schedule at the new job? What if you worked in a contract position for a set number of months to test it out? Maybe you commit to a year and then take a mini-retirement.

[00:03:03] Perhaps you turn down this job and take a longer mini-retirement and then find another job entirely. After this type of brainstorming, we looked at which options would meet the intention best. It seemed clear staying at the company or returning wasn't going to help her recover

[00:03:17] from burnout long term. Next up, you filter the options by what is possible. This is an investigative process. It takes asking questions, having conversations, and doing some digging. In the end, she ended up getting almost a month off between jobs, starting the new job

[00:03:33] at 80% hours with an extra day off for the first six months and the option to adjust from there. It wasn't an overnight process. It took a bit of back and forth and crafting the story in a way that was helpful for her new company to understand.

[00:03:46] But she found a solution that was possible and made progress toward her goal. This is part of the art of flexible thinking. Imagine all the options and then sequence them into various plans. I visualize it like lining up various building blocks.

[00:04:00] Each shape is an element of an option, and then you line them up in different patterns. For example, a frequent goal of my clients is to build up a business that gives them the lifestyle they want and is meaningful work that matches their skill set or interest.

[00:04:14] Some of the options for building blocks could be Save up six months' expenses Work part-time for healthcare and some money Go back to the old career full-time Go back to the old career part-time as a contractor Reduce expenses by renting out the guest room

[00:04:29] Build the business up on the side of the regular job until it cash flows 25% of needed income Or take a new job in the field you're interested in growing your business. Now with all those building block options, you can create various plans.

[00:04:44] We will number the plans with letters. In this example, let's say you want to start a cut flower farm. You've done it for two seasons and know it should be able to cover your expenses at 25%,

[00:04:54] but if you could dedicate a full growing season to doing it full-time, you think it might work. Plan A Save up six months' expenses Build up the business alongside your regular job until it cash flows six months' expenses. That would be the most ideal option.

[00:05:10] Again the goal would be at the end of six months, the new business covered the rest of their expenses. But what if it doesn't turn out that way? Well Plan B kicks in. And we'll hear Plan B in tomorrow's episode.

[00:05:25] You just listened to part one of the post titled Five Different Options by Jillian Johnsrud of JillianJohnsrud.com And thanks so much to Jillian for sharing this post which as I mentioned I'm going to wrap up for you tomorrow. And a little bit more about her.

[00:05:40] Fifteen years ago when Jillian and her husband were married, they had $55,000 in debt that was credit card, student loans, and medical debt. They also had big dreams. They wanted to take many retirements. They wanted to travel the world. And they wanted to adopt.

[00:05:54] They wanted financial freedom to never worry about having the money to put food on the table or pay the bills again. Jillian grew up poor and never ever wanted to feel that way again. Well in the last 15 years they paid off all their debt, traveled to 27 countries, lived

[00:06:08] abroad for four years, took five mini-retirements, adopted four kids plus had two biological kids, and they paid cash for their very first home and bought two rental properties that they fixed up themselves. The couple has also served on boards of non-profits, mentored kids from tough situations, and volunteered

[00:06:26] in all sorts of roles. At 32 Jillian became financially independent. And now it's her mission to help others build a life that perfectly lines up with their values, passion, and purpose. So come by JillianJohnsRude.com for more and a big thank you to Jillian for letting us

[00:06:41] share her work. Alright, that brings us to the end of our episode for today, but not the end of the post. We're going to wrap up the second half of this post for you tomorrow.

[00:06:50] So come on back and hear the rest in the Thursday show where your optimal life awaits.