The 10-Year-Plan

I had a new ream of business cards printed about a month ago, but today was the first day I broke the seal and passed along my newly minted card - with my not so newly minted title.

Almost three-months ago now, I got a promotion at work. It’s was kinda a shock to me, being that I had only been at the company for six-months, but I loved the new responsibilities and change of pace.

Only, it came with a catch.

The Boss has had a bit of a history with assistants lately, managing to go through quite a number in the last couple years. When I first started the job I was told by more than one of The Boss’ friends and colleagues that my best title was “The Boss’ CURRENT Assistant.” Yea, that’s a good way to scare the new girl.

Luckily, The Boss and I hit it off great and not only did he keep me around - he promoted me! But in fact, he wanted to do both. My title switched to Client Coordinator - I now handle all the communication between our clients and the company, as well as (!) Coordinating all the shoots we do out in LA. But my pay remained the same, and my job responsibilities didn’t change - they doubled.

So now, I’m juggling both the assistant job and the coordinator gig, for the one low price of an assistant. The money woes are frustrating (that’s another blog entirely) but I’m ecstatic to add Coordinator to my title - it’s one GIANT step closer to where I want to be long-term. (Which actually IS as a Coordinator - only in a much larger role.)

Of course, the assistant gig continues. I’m still on hold with Hertz and managing The Boss’ appointments, and there are days where 5:30 hits and I still have a stack a mile high teetering on my desk. There’s points where it gets overwhelming, but I love my new title.

Originally, I had very short-term goals for this job. I figured I’d hold the assistant job for a year or two and then try for bigger and better things. But now the slightly bigger and slightly better things have found me, which again throws a huge spin on Twixter One’s set-in-stone life plan. Suddenly, I find myself working in a place I never thought I’d want to work (small office in a very niche market) but working on the first step towards my dream job - a step that should have taken at least a couple years post-grad to reach.

Throughout high school and college, my profs emphasized the need to have a “life plan.” The 5-year-plan / 10-year-plan assignment came up on more than one semester. Now, when I’m only 1-year out in that 10-year plan, nothing has gone the way I planned. It’s not better - not worse - but different entirely. My dreams change every year, my goals change every year, and my circumstances change by the month.

So what was the point of my 10-year-plan again?