Hi Peter,

Thanks for writing to us! We have received your question and sent it over to our career coaches who will be in touch soon. Taking on projects when you're not completely sure of the timeline can be daunting, but it sounds like you're asking all of the right questions of yourself and evaluating a lot of the details of such a decision. Our career coach will be in touch soon!

Best,

Nicole

Peter:
I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you seem to be coping with it well. Good for you.

I too am a solo practitioner, so I know what you’re going through. Most advisers tell folks like us to create an organization that can be sold when we are ready to retire. That’s what your original plan was.

I chose the path of staying an individual practitioner as I never wanted the headaches that come with managing a six or eight person practice.

I’m now 66 and am gradually scaling back on my consulting and coaching practice. But, I want to stay active, so I’ve begun teaching in the MBA program at a local university. This has been the perfect answer for me. I still generate some income. I don’t have to travel extensively as I used to. And I enjoy the teaching.

It sounds as if you are fortunate enough to be in a similar position. From what I gather, you could close up shop and move on to doing something else. That has worked very well for me. I will not presume to advise you on what’s best for you, but I will tell you that I took a similar path and that it has worked out very well for me.

Best of luck as you go forward with your treatment and in your career.

Bud

Hi Peter,
I am very sorry about your diagnosis and can only imagine your shock. And yes it is true that learning that you have cancer definitely causes you to think about what is really meaningful to you and your family.
I do think that it is important to ask yourself some thoughtful questions before pursuing a different path. Here are some things to think about to help you make your decision:
How long is your treatment for bladder cancer?
What will be the long-term ramifications of cancer? Chemo brain, decreased stamina, diminished interest in architecture, etc.
Why have you been thinking about growing your practice and have those reasons really changed?
What are your financial needs now and moving forward?
After being on your own, could you honestly handle working for someone else? It may not be the same kind of pressure or challenges however there are always other challenging things that you would have to deal with.
If you move out of the field of architecture, what skills do you have that are transferable and how long would it take you to find a different type of job or career?
If you did look for another job, how long would it take you to find one?
Can you consider just taking a sabbatical for a while rather than making a monumental decision?
Do you actually know what is meaningful to you? In my book I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This, I identify ten types of meaning. They are:
1. Rewards and challenges
2. Interesting field or industry
3. Expressing ideals or values
4. Contributing/making a difference
5. Solving problems
6. Changing your lifestyle
7. Feeling passionate
8. Supporting a cause
9. Innovating/creating
10. Learning

I think my key message here is that it is a big decision as you are well aware, and sometimes making this type of decision in the throes of cancer treatment isn't the best idea.

At the same time, your cancer diagnosis has given you significant pause to re-examine your life which I applaud.

Take good care,

Julie