What's your (for now) deal? And what can you hop into next?

Gone are the days of pensions and cushy retirement guarantees. The gold standard of security and status, the pension promise, started to dwindle in the 80s and beyond. One factor could be the creation of 401Ks, which shifted the financial responsibility onto the employee.

As mobility among employees increased - as well as less desire to stay in the same job for 20 or 30 years - the long-term concept of earning a pension started to lose its practicality.

So, what now? Does this loss of a hefty retirement fund promise hurt us? Are we doomed to scrimp and scrape through 40 or 50-hour weeks with little to no long-term gain or joy? Or can we capitalize on a less restrictive work life, finding a joy/money balance on our journeys?

No one wants to be a labeled as a job hopper. A job hopper is a generational term targeted to those who move around if they feel unappreciated or undervalued. It sounds lazy, but if done strategically, could be a lucrative way to move through life.

How? Start with CURIOSITY. What are you interested in? Can that thing pay the rent and pad your savings? An article on the flex jobs website called curiosity "your job search secret weapon." If you're curious about a job you don't yet have, ask someone who does it. Show interest.

NETWORK. After you ask that first person, ask another one. If you're already in a position related to your next goals, network with a conscience and without jeopardizing your current gig. Look at your time in the current job as an opportunity to expand your experience.

EDUCATE. Learn all you can in the meantime. For all the "pension promises" lost for this generation of workers, access to knowledge has expanded immensely. Tap into newsletters, knowledge bases, contacts, classes and online workshops. Do your research and never stop learning.

TRUST YOUR (FORMER) INSTINCTS: Don't discount your current situation while planning your next move - if you're restless remember once upon a time you were interested in THIS job too. Take its lessons to heart. What have you learned? What skills have you gained?

CONSIDER THE STATS. Baby boomers, the former pension kings/queens, generally stayed at one job with a company promise of a big retirement. Compared to Gen-Z (born 1997 & later) of which 76% say they feel they are responsible for driving their own careers. Hence the hopping.

Lastly, on this journey of learning and earning, remember that with freedom comes responsibility. SAVE UP to finance your freedom and your future and pay yourself first.