Wednesday, January 03, 2024

Prager U Gets it Right on Some Career Advice

Prager U doesn't always get it right. After all, they've posted multiple videos trying to trick men into thinking what we now call marriage is actually a good thing for them.

But they got this one right.

I have encouraged you to Know Thyself. This, below, is also great advice, especially in conjunction with knowing thyself.. It's "Career Success and the Proximity Principle" featuring author Ken Coleman. The video is below, but I'll include much of the transcript below. And, if for some reason, the YouTube embed isn't working, try this link.



From the transcript:

The first step is to seek out five types of people. Each one has an important role to play in helping you move forward toward your goal — your dream job.

One, “the professors.”

I don’t mean actual professors, but people who know their stuff. They are scholars of your desired field; they love to teach, and they are willing to teach you.

Two, “the professionals.” These are the people who have made it. There’s a reason for that. Read their biographies and anything they’ve written. Watch them on YouTube. Emulate them. They’re your model — what you aspire to.

Three, “the mentors.” — individuals who care about you and want to coach you. Mentors are not the same as professors. These are people who will take you under their wing; who will tell you hard truths you need to hear. They will offer guidance and accountability. Whether they say you’re doing great or failing badly, you know they mean it.

Four, your peers. They, like you, are trying to make it. They, like you, are placing themselves in the right places, around the right people. Peers will challenge you to realize your potential. They will push you, and you them. This is healthy competition and it’s good.

Five, “the producers.” They are similar to the professionals, but the producers are builders first. They take risks, start companies, create jobs. More than anything, they produce opportunities. One of them may be for you.

...

One, start where you are. You don’t have to drop everything and move to the big city right away or maybe ever. Everything you need to begin is more than likely in your current zip code. You just have to look for it. Seek every opportunity to track down the people you need to meet. They may be people you already know or people the people you know, know. You get the point.

Two, you need a place to learn. Take the classes, get the certifications, apply for the apprenticeships or internships that will get you closer to the job you want.

Three, you need a place to practice, a place to convert your education into execution, a place to test yourself before you “step out on stage.” This is where you’ll hone your craft. There’s very little risk involved at this point, but there’s also no substitute, no shortcut, for spending the hours necessary to develop your skills.

Four, you need a place to perform, a place where you can gain real-life experience doing the work. Practice is one thing, but you need to be able to perform under pressure. For a comedian, this could be an open mic night; for a salesperson, a tradeshow. Whatever job you’re pursuing, there comes a point when you simply have to do it.

Five, you need a place to grow, a place where you can get better at what you do and move forward in your career. Whether it’s a city, a suburb, a mountain, or a farm, it must be a place with opportunity for advancement in your chosen field.


The things in the video are all much easier to do if you're a Free Man.
The exception can be if your wife or her immediate family members are extremely successful in your target career, but then you're beholden to them and what happens when your marriage falls apart, as will likely happen? So, it's probably best to stay free and do these things without "romance" mixed into it.

Go where the action is. Go where people who do what you want to do are. Get involved. Having a mentor is a great thing. Don't forget the Success Sequence.

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