Move over, traditional career guides. In an era where jobs can involve managing virtual economies, designing sustainable cities or programming artificial intelligence, the classic career path isn’t kids’ only option. For the next generation navigating a world of limitless career possibilities, the well-meaning advice to “follow your passion” can feel overwhelming without a map. Now, a wave of adults with truly fascinating jobs are throwing that map wide open. They’re stepping out of their labs, studios and field sites to share the real, unfiltered career advice they wish they’d had – not just about how to land the job, but how to build a life of curiosity, resilience and purpose. This is more than career day; it’s a mentorship movement designed to inspire the innovators, problem-solvers and dreamers of tomorrow.
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Tell us your name, and give us the elevator pitch about your job.
My name is Donnie Fan, and I have no boss, no proper schedule. I get paid to travel China, [I] travel the world and get lots of free stuff! And [I] generally enjoy my life on my own terms! I’m a stand-up comedian!
Could you walk me through a typical day or week in your role? What are your primary responsibilities?
I do have responsibilities, actually. Because aside from being a stand-up comedian, I’ve also founded my own comedy club, Beijing’s The Comedy Citadel, and I also work as a writer and director for film, TV and theater. Sometimes I probably put too much on my own plate, but for that reason, I don’t really have any “typical days.”
Some days I spend writing new comedy material. Some days I spend writing or editing a new scene. Some days I’m rehearsing with actors and trying to figure out how to best put on a great show!
The ”standard” day for me, though, when I don’t have any immediate deadlines, I wake up, play with my dogs, do some exercise, go explore someplace new (travel within [the]city, find a new restaurant, find a new activity – I recently did Cyber-Dance) and then hope that something absurd happens that I can write jokes about.
What is the most rewarding or fulfilling part of your work? What problems do you get to solve? On the flip side, what are the most significant challenges or stressful aspects of your job?
When I was in high school I read a book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower. There’s a quote: “I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope that they feel it’s enough, I really do, because they’ve made me happy and I’m only one person.”
When I first started writing. I had always hoped that one day my work would be able to have that kind of influence on somebody. That they embrace the work I put out and feel inspired. Either it lifts their day or motivates them to do something. As a writer/director, that’s where I stand. As a comedian, it’s such a pleasure to have people come up to me after shows and say, “I really needed to laugh today.” Because something had happened in their personal life, and I was able to offer them an escape. All of it is so rewarding!
How did you get to where you are today? You can talk about your educational route, pivotal moments, unplanned detours and any other decisions that you find important.
Sacrifice. I think that’s the main thing. I sacrificed guaranteed work, and I sacrificed time. I sacrificed some relationships/connections. To be able to throw yourself into a life where you are the only one responsible for your success and failures comes with a much greater sense of self-accountability. While it’s freeing in some ways, it makes a lot of other things really difficult. Imagine trying to have a relationship with someone who works 9-5 and you’re working 7-11 at night every day. Not even a romantic relationship. Your friends want to go out on the weekend, and you agree, but suddenly you get a gig that is going to pay for your month’s rent. As a freelancer, you’re constantly being asked to choose between friends and relationships or money. Thankfully, the people in my life understand this. But for a while, it was difficult.
Knowing what you know now, if you could go back and give one piece of advice to your teenage self about work and life, what would it be?
“Nike!” Just do it. God, what a stupid thing to say. I was 31 when I started doing comedy. I wanted to do it my whole life! I always thought you had to have someone backing you to do something in the arts. But nobody is going to back you! Or if someone does back you, it’s going to come with some caveats or conditional requirements. You’re never going to be able to do EXACTLY what you want to do. So, whatever it is you want to do … just go do it. Stop waiting for someone to offer it to you. I had so much help from my friends during a period of time where I was constantly asking myself if the choices and decisions I made were worth it, but now everything is paying off, and I wish that had been happening when I was 23, not now. But everything happens for a reason. So maybe it happened so I can tell someone else to turn their phone off and start creating something!
Images: Donnie Fan
