"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
– Steve Jobs –
Dare to be extraordinary.
You were put here to do something great, and frankly, cubicle life isn’t it. Most people spend their entire lives climbing the corporate ladder and following a traditional career path. But you’re different.
You have big dreams and an insatiable hunger for learning new things. You think outside the box, and you’re on a mission to make an impact.
Your career path is anything but typical. You’re not in this just for the promotions and the paychecks. You feel a pull toward something greater – your soul calling – and you’ll stop at nothing to ensure that you discover and live out your higher purpose.
You, my friend, are not on a typical career path. You are on an “uncareer” path – something few people understand and even fewer dare to try.
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
What is an "uncareer" path?
Following an uncareer path means you let your interests guide your journey, not your degree, or even your last job. Perhaps you went to law school, but now you’re passionate about baking and want to open a cupcake shop.
Uncareering means you allow yourself to continually evolve and follow your passions, rather than following a single career path your whole life and being restricted by your previously chosen direction.
Is an uncareer path right for you?
Creating an uncareer path takes a lot of courage and is not for everyone. You need to know yourself and know where you want to go. You might constantly question your decisions.
But with each new role, you’ll learn more about yourself, expand your network, discover new work cultures and ways of doing things, and gain clarity on who you are, what you love, and what you were put here to do.
Will an uncareer path prepare you for the future?
There’s no doubt about it – the world is changing before our eyes. Very few people work at the same company their entire lives, and remote work makes it possible to work from anywhere.
Forging your own uncareer path means you learn to be nimble. You don’t need to rely on any single job or career path. You are extremely flexible and will always land on your feet, no matter what the world throws at you.
Famous examples of "uncareering"
Ina Garten
Believe it or not, Ina Garten used to work in nuclear energy policy. She left to buy a specialty food store called Barefoot Contessa, then went on to write several cookbooks and host a Food Network show.
Brandon Stanton
Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton never imagined he'd be a photographer. After losing his job as a bond trader, he decided to "forget about money" and follow his true passions. Humans of New York now has 18M+ followers on Facebook.
Vera Wang
Before becoming one of the world's top fashion designers, Vera Wang was a figure skater. When she didn't get a spot on the US Olympics team, she became an editor at Vogue and eventually a designer.
Ken Cheong
Ken Cheong grew up wanting to be a doctor. It wasn't until college that he discovered his passion for acting and later, his love of standup comedy, which eventually led to his big break.
Andy Weir
Did you know that bestselling author of the science fiction book The Martian started out as a software engineer? Even though he always had a passion for writing, he initially chose to become a software engineer because it's a more practical career path.
Sara Blakely
Billionaire Spanx founder Sara Blakely got her start selling fax machines door to door. When she stumbled upon the concept of slimming footless pantyhose, she decided to launch her own business.
Ready to blaze your own trail?
Forging your own uncareer path won’t be easy, but it WILL help you discover more about yourself and become who you were meant to be.
To get started, check out our growing blog, full of stories, ideas, and resources to help you launch your uncareer path journey.