|
It’s a new year and time again to refocus on the contribution you want to make through your career. Are you living your dream career? If not, maybe you have career interruptis, which thankfully boils down to curable states of being. So let’s discuss what doesn’t work.
Insufficient self-discovery Have you reflected on and written about your deepest desires and most important values? Have you matched those with how you most like to spend your free time and favorite activities from former job experiences? If not, then return to GO and begin the game again. Make those important correlations. If you don’t have a strong conviction you’re on the right career path, then it’ll be hard to move ahead.
Lack of presence You may say you want to achieve a certain career objective, but you repeatedly engage in other interests. It’s time to question your sincerity. For example, if you say you want to be an entrepreneur and increase your client base, but the majority of your time is spent in activities other than courting those relationships, then you aren’t telling yourself the whole truth.
Poor or ineffective information You may have had misdirected career guidance or weak career resources. John Naisbitt, futurist and author of Megatrends, says, “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.” Recruit a coach, use your local librarian, form or join an existing mastermind support team to hone in on exactly the information you need to support and clarify your career choices.
No time/money You may be one of the unfortunate who was unexpectedly downsized and you don’t have sufficient savings, or your entrepreneurial budget is tapped out. Focus on getting on even ground, not on dream goals. First law of priorities is taking care of your survival needs and then building from there.
No time/money excuse Everyone knows excuses (a form of immunity from liability or justification for actions not taken) are common. But achievers don’t look for outs…even a lack of time or money. Question the legitimacy of your complaint and self coach, “If I need more time or money, how might I do that?”
Gypsy style If you have many things going on and it feels like you roam a bit, then you probably do. No specific destination + no plans to get there = random arrivals, or endless roaming. Even if you’re not a planner you have to set clear, written objectives, if just to let you know when you do arrive. But if you prefer the gypsy style because you enjoy multitasking and being spontaneous, understand that about yourself and be patient with your progress towards goals. You may trade larger achievements for many smaller wins along the way.
If you’re “dissatisfied with your career,” then stop generalizing and get down to the specifics needed to identify and remedy the problem. Go after your dream career because you know what you want, how you’ll get there and why it’s right for you.
Laurie Sheppard is a master certified Life Coach/Career Strategist and founder of Creating At Will® coaching programs for women professionals. 2009 © To publish, use the complete article and enclose the identifing information. Send a courtesy copy of where it's been published to info@creatingatwill.com
This article was also published in Dena Crowder's Della Arte Jan. 2009 newsletter.
|
