Deciding on a career in my upper 20's - Spec Ops or MBA?

[Greg]

Hello All,

Let me start by saying thank you to Jocko for all that you do. Seriously dude. You are needed in society.

Okay, so here is my dilemma:

Background:
I'm in my upper 20's with varied job experience as an engineer and Information Technology. I was a D1 athlete in college and majored in engineering. A typical day was waking up at 5:30, 2 hours of practice, 6 hours of class, 3 hours of practice ( swimming / lifting / running) then 3 hours of studying. Sneaking in a few beers here and there on the weekend. Hardest experience of my life, but also the best in everyway. Rewarding, challenging, and fun. 

I wanted to continue this experience and join special operations. In my jobs I'd watch videos and get pumped about joining. I didn't join, however, because I was afraid of the time commitment, not 100% sold, and I had a job lined up that I could go to while I decided. Fast forward 3 years, 4 jobs of dissatisfaction later, and I'm still thinking. 

Since working, I have been extremely dissatisfied with life in general. I'm pretty sure it is because I've hated my jobs, but I'm not ruling out the fact that I could be the problem. The fact that there are many options available (at least that I perceive) is staggering and messing with my mind. I constantly feel like I could be better. 

The Dilemma
I've always wanted to join the Military and do Special Operations (Air Force CRO through new program for Civilians) because I thought it sounded cool and like a good use of my abilities, would be an incredible experience, but not the most fun and I feel like I have waited too long and am too old (I'm still technically young enough at 26). I love the brotherhood, adventure, and mission of that lifestyle though.
 

I eventually want to get an MBA as well, and end up with a decent job making good money. I think the military will prepare me for this by giving me leadership, but I'm afraid I will be too long out of the business world to be truly competitive at that point. What I love about this lifestyle is that it can be fun with the parties, it's potentially more economical, but I have yet to find a business whose mission I agree with and I'm afraid I'd be dissatisfied again. 

The Question:

I'm looking for advice. I have been stuck in indecision for way too long and have come to the conclusion that I need as much outside input as possible here. 

Air Force CRO

Cons: The time commitment, I'm not sure if I can make it, and that I wouldn't be learning any "transferable skills" and that I would be pretty much living a military life and away from home very often.
PROS: The experience, challenge, and the excitement of the actual job, life experience, brotherhood

MBA
Cons: money commitment, not sure if that's what I want to do, might be unsatisfying, 
Pros: lucrative, potentially more fun, probably learn more transferable skills. 


Here's an additional thought: I'm not sure which path could lead to a career that I could GREAT at. Jocko - you not only completed Seal training, but you were GREAT - a top performer. Did you know that you would be? Can you see that in others? Can I figure that out? How does anyone know that?


Has there been anyone out there in the same boat? What did you do??


Any insights into this brain dump would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you all.

[mynewunit]

Hello Greg.
I am not a D1 athlete. I am an engineer, stamp and all, and I am about 10 years ahead of you.

Military: If you are going to join only have a "soft" plan on what you want to do. Even the air force has a huge array of daily jobs. Your opportunities are balanced between what you want and what they need. You can climb fast in military going where they need you. You will have to grind to get to where you want if "everyone" wants what you want. To think you will have no "transferable" skills is not specifically true. Return fire and missile shipping and storage don't look great on a resume, but Logistics is a universal language.
The big thing on military is family buy in. Any wife, girl friend or close family member who is not on-board can create a huge stress.

MBA: This seems like a magic tool but it doesn't top experience. An engineering degree and an MBA is the kind of paring that gets you a good corporate job in middle management. That isn't really comparable to fast roping out of choppers. MBA's are very helpful once you know what you don't know. You may be there being 3 or so years into an engineering career.

I see this as you have hit the wall of 3 years of pretty much the same thing everyday. This is a good time to take a breathe and look around. What are your "life" goals? Are you more concerned about your "daily work", career or retirement? Is the day job just a facilitator for your side project or personal life?
If you want some actual coaching reach out to me on twitter and we could have a phone call and actually flush this out.

mynewunit

[Winedog]

My background includes an MBA from a Well Known Eastern Business School, decades in business and some years as an adjunct in another University's MBA program. Some random thoughts

* Most Marines and Seals are far more effective leaders than their MBA counterparts. The era when David McNamara's band of super analysts changed the direction of Ford, business education and then the Vietnam war are in the distant rearview mirror. McNamara's legacy stands tall today as vast numbers of gravestones at Arlington and many other cemeteries, F-111's slowly decaying in aircraft boneyards. Were it not for the courage of Adm Thomas Connolly who sacrificed his career to prevent McNamara's imposition of the F-111 on the Navy the cold war might have turned out differently. The lessons include that analysis is no substitute for judgement and leadership.

* Leadership is certainly not confined to the Navy and Marines, several of my friends are retired Air Force officers who have undertaken complex projects around the world, under harsh conditions and with little oversight. Twenty years later they are in the civilian world, successful in that world and using both their leadership skills and knowledge gained in the military . Both entered the civilian world ahead of their classmates who took more conventional paths.

* Take a moment and download the USMC Commandant's reading list and ask yourself how many of your contemporaries have read many of the non-military classics, they were too busy watching TV

As others noted it comes with some very real sacrifices, especially if you are married. Only you can make the decision but don't make it on the basis that you will be unable to compete with MBA's when you complete your service.