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the side job: expressing your passions

January 31, 2016 by

A young college student asked me this week, “Should I study what I like or what will get me a job?” She earnestly wanted me to say, “Study what you love”. Which I did.

Didn’t you start out that way? Picking a path that was calling you. Youth is a time for risks. It’s a time to learn more about yourself. Perhaps along the way you realized you needed skills and experience that would finance you and possibly family in later life. So you found work that paid for housing, food, clothing, fun. But maybe you miss the love you left behind.

That passion or great interest that you experience at one or many times in your life feels almost like play. It is of such significance that you want to experience it endlessly. Maybe it’s in the fields of art, music, writing, history or science. For some reason you react differently when you are in it. It feeds you. You may wonder how did this happen? Other people don’t seem so compelled by my love.

But you are. Maybe for a short time or maybe the fascination stays with you forever. And what if you ignore it? What if you brush it aside as if it’s silly, impractical, not important to your future or survival.

The hard truth is if you ignore it, you’ll rob yourself of an opportunity to express a piece of yourself. You’ll shut off the chance to voice your spirit. And your life will become less because of it.

Many people find a way to have both: they work to pay the bills and also emerse themselves in something they love. Or if you are really fortunate, your career may be something you love. In her book ” The Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear” Elizabeth Gilbert encourages us to answer the call of curiosity and creativity. “Creative fields make for crap careers, but creative living can be an amazing vocation”.

Often it takes maturity and experience to turn a love into a career. Gilbert herself had many writing jobs before her fourth book was so successful she could support herself. Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, discovered a way to do both while in college.

“Curiosity is what keeps you working steadily, following that scavenger hunt of curiosity can lead you to amazing, unexpected places”

Elizabeth Gilbert

Another model is to have a main career that provides for your material needs and a side job that fuels your soul. Geneva is a ceramist. Her fine art work is unique and valued by a wide audience including galleries and museums. At one time she supported herself by showing her work at national art shows.The economy was booming and people were decorating their homes and offices. Today is different. Older people are downsizing and younger aren’t spending on art. In order to make a living now Geneva is teaching high school ceramics. She receives satisfaction in mentoring young students and still does her art on the side. She advises her classes not to expect to make a living making pots, but to express their creativity and discover their passions.

Brad is a writer working on his third history book. Since sales of his books don’t support him, Brad works for an association doing technical writing. Both Geneva and Brad continue with their loves of art and writing and have created related careers. Perhaps when their financial resources grow, they can turn their paying careers into the side jobs and give their passions their main attention.

Other people jump into volunteer positions or take classes to have an opportunity to do what they love or to determine what fits. Some choose to use their talents on issues or populations they care for in order to feel a special contribution. The essential point is to feed the part of your soul that puts you in flow. That part that is so intriguing you don’t ever want to stop, the engagement that transforms you.

Find your Side Job:

Identify your interests
Make time to express them
Ask if they can support you
If not find additional work
Continue to grow in your passions

Take the leap and see you on the path!

 

Filed Under: Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , ,

reasons you work: career evolution

December 28, 2015 by

Retirement here I come! Are you longing for the day when you don’t have to work anymore? When you can retire? This concept of retirement is changing dramatically. Previously, retirement usually occurred around 65 and most entered a life of rest and relaxation. That’s no longer the template.

Many people are working for pay way past 65. Either because they need funds to survive or because they have uncovered a reason to keep working. And most are doing some form of unpaid work. Whether it’s caregiving parents, partners or grandchildren, serving their communities or volunteering with non-profits.

Why do you work? Looking over your work cycle, note how the reasons you work change over time. You probably worked during high school and college. These were spending money jobs, money for books, tuition money or internships that introduced you to various fields. Some jobs were paid and others you did for experience or to give back. Maybe through volunteering you earned credits or good references or a place in heaven.

Remember your first real job after graduation? Were you working because you were driven or because it was expected? Were you hoping to live independently and become successful in a chosen field? Or were you testing the waters, making relationships, learning about yourself?

As you grow, so do your reasons for working. There is often the need not only to support yourself, but also a growing family. There is the societal pressure to accumulate material possessions and experiences, like cars, homes, vacations. But there is also the drive to move up the ladder. Take on more responsibility and leadership, and produce results while becoming an expert in your profession.

Samantha is in her 50’s and was just appointed full professor at the state university. She worked very hard to get there, teaching, doing research, chairing committees, earning grants. Samantha is often tired and overwhelmed with her work load. She always thought being a professor would be something she could do forever, slowing down gradually as she aged. And yet as she rises through the ranks, it seems people expect more from her. And the system she entered no longer looks the same. She is teaching less and grant writing more.

While Samantha questions what is ahead for her, she hardly dares to ask why she continues in her position. What does it provide her? Is she fulfilled?

Samantha’s friend Harry is retired and his life seems so simple to Samantha. He appears to have no pressures and his time is his own. Harry retired because he could afford it and was no longer finding work satisfaction. Harry thought he accomplished everything he desired, but now often finds himself adrift.

Harry is 70 and society accepts that he is retired. No one asks him why he isn’t working. In fact if he found a new career or started his own business, people might wonder why. Now if Samantha retired at 55, she might have to explain herself to family, friends, society.

As long as we believe there is a prescribed place you need to be based on your age, we will have people who defy those norms. As people age, most seek work that has meaning and purpose. Meaningful to you and meaningful to others.

How will you decide when to work and when to retire? How will you answer that question: What do you do? Who are you? How will you design what is best for you?

George is 85 and still works for pay part time. His sister is 88 and working also. This wasn’t the norm with their parents, but it is their way. If you ask them why they still work, they will tell you they enjoy it. It stimulates them. They are making a difference and choose to be involved. Who are we to say what’s best or right for someone else? How can we acknowledge all the various life designs that people create?

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

Henry David Thoreau

You can benefit from these diverse role models as you chart your course. There is no script to follow. You have the freedom to make life fit your desires. A second, third, fourth act await you, if you wish. Your legacy will comprise all that you create and the lives you touch.

Why work:

List your current reasons for working
Make a work history time line
Identify your current legacies
Imagine how your future could be different
Take one step toward your vision

Happy drumming and hope to meet on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design Tagged With: , , ,

the audition: testing the waters to a new career

November 30, 2015 by

A 16 year old American girl in an impoverished Haitian neighborhood is interviewing sick people attending a clinic run by U.S. volunteers. How did she get there? Instead of texting with friends, learning the latest dance steps or writing an English paper, Claudia found herself in a totally unfamiliar environment. An invitation from her uncle turned into an experience of a lifetime.

Think of those incredible times when you experienced a unique experience. An experience that shaped your future. An experience available to you because you took a chance.

Claudia was open to seeing a new country and to taking on a new responsibility. From that short exposure, Claudia received an up close view of medical work. By trying on that environment, she now has more information about what it’s like to work as a doctor, nurse or medical assistant. Claudia loved being part of the team, loved seeing people get help and was intrigued by what future roles will be open for her.

By emersing yourself in diverse occupations, you can learn a great deal. Is this for me? Do I have a fit? You either are propelled to discard and move on or to delve deeper. Claudia is interested. She wants more experiences like this. She is on track to get medical training.

When you were young, it was expected that you would “audition” in various settings to gain information about your interests and aptitude. Your family arranged opportunities, as did the scouts, your schools and faith based groups. You experimented with many types of work and activities which helped you chose a focus.

But you aren’t 16 anymore. How do you make a career change when you long for something different?

At the end of the day, your life is just a story. If you don’t like the direction it’s going, change it. Rewrite it. When you rewrite a sentence, you erase it and start over until you get it right. Yes, it’s a little more complicated with a life, but the principle is the same. And remember, don’t let anyone ever tell you that your revisions are not the truth.”

Tyler Jones

Susana is in transition. She has practiced law successfully for 20 years. But something is off. Susana is reluctant to go to work in the morning and, once there, is often irritable and dissatisfied. She knows she wants to make a change, but she doesn’t know what or where. Susana needs exposure to some different environments. She needs to shake things up. Just like Claudia, Susana is eager to be amazed.

But how do adults test out alternate careers? You are working and handling life’s responsibilities with little free time. How do you carve out time for “auditions”?

Claudia was also busy. She petitioned her high school to take time off and agreed to write a special report on her Haitian trip. You too can be creative with your time. You can use vacation hours to volunteer or intern in an intriguing field. Organizations, domestic and international, look for people to teach, build, create and solve problems. Instead of a beach, perhaps an orphanage or wildlife preserve is calling you.

With free evening and weekend time you can take courses, volunteer in your community, serve on a board. Designing a detailed plan to investigate a new career field through part time emersion gets you in motion instead of misery. It also allows you to enter a community of people who are bursting with knowledge and enthusiasm about their fields.

The parts of Susana’s job she loves are mentoring new employees. They are eager to learn and ask probing questions. Susana wonders where she could do work that focuses on mentoring. She finds a Saturday volunteer position where she tutors students living in a domestic violence shelter. Her plan is to do this for 6 months and evaluate her aptitude and interest. While doing so, she is investigating part time adjunct law professor positions in local universities.

By trying on and expanding, or discarding, Susana is creating her own decision tree made up of experiences and answers. Some she will leave behind, some may become hobbies, and some may lead her to dive deeper into a new direction.

Decide it’s your time to make a change:

Dare to dream
List your interests
Investigate one
Create an internship
Interview the community
Evaluate your experience

Shake life up and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , , ,

mudslide: unexpected obstacles that derail life/career plans

October 29, 2015 by

Have you ever had a plan that was interrupted by something outside your control? Often you do the work, keep the deadlines, get the information, use your skills and wham, something stops you in our tracks. “This isn’t fair”, you cry. “Why is this happening to me?” you ask. “I did everything right”.

Recently while vacationing in California, I had a family reunion scheduled. All was in place to arrive with time to spare and then, the unexpected occurred. A mudslide closed the road I was traveling. Now I don’t live in a place that has mudslides. This was a total shock after enjoying two weeks of dry, sunny California weather. But it happened and the resulting detour added 7 hours to the trip and caused me to miss the initial event.

Was I disappointed? Yes. Was I devastated? No. This was a minor loss with minimal cost in the scheme of life. I adjusted, did the extra work needed and recovered a partial victory.

All of us have far more serious challenges over our life span: personal illnesses, family loss, divorce, unemployment and financial ruin. Life seems to roll in waves with ups and downs. Good times and bad. Your career is one major part of life that can be rocky and confusing. Other areas are relationships, finances and health.

How you develop your skills to meet these challenges impact the results of the tough times. When you appreciate your good times, build resources for the bad ones and show up strong when you are knocked off base, you can lesson the negative repercussions of unwanted change.

Barry is sailing along in his favorite job of 8 years. He came in green, but has worked hard to advance his skills and professional relationships. Barry can see himself doing this work until retirement. He loves his co-workers and clients. He feels he’s making a difference in the lives of others.

One day, suddenly, the owner of Barry’s company dies. Being a family owned business, the son and daughter step in. Times are rocky due to this calamity. After a few months, the family decides to sell the business. The new owner makes significant changes putting his mark on operations.

Barry doesn’t recognize his company anymore. His position is re-designed and his supervisor is replaced. Barry is unhappy and thrown off kilter. His satisfaction disappears and he questions his future with the company.

Now Barry has choices. However, when your desired direction is taken from you, you feel angry and stuck. The faster you can “grieve” what was and begin problem solving next steps, the faster you can find a resolution. Barry can stay and cope or leave and seek a more appropriate fit. Sorting out the actions needed for “Plan A” vs “Plan B” involve brain storming, consultation, information gathering, and heart searching.

My resolution was simple. I had two other highways to choose. Or I could wait out the mudslide clean up. Career, health and relationship challenges are much more complex. The complexities in life test our ability to be flexible and creative.

“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined”
Deepak Chopra

Rhonda is nearing her 20th year of work. In those 20 years she has blossomed from an intern to chief of a department. Rhonda loves mentoring others and continues to make clinical contributions. One day, out of the blue, Rhonda becomes ill and is diagnosed with cancer. She is blown away.

Rhonda can take a leave from her job and undergo treatment or continue to work as she is able and live out her time. Rhonda decides on treatment and creatively carves out a reduced work role for herself. One that keeps her engaged, helps her have meaning and is intriguing to her.

Surprises and change are part of life. Not much is predictable. You can appreciate what you have today, hone skills that allow you to adjust, be optimistic and land on your feet. You can face the unexpected with preparation. If you hesitate and fall, you can pick yourself up with humility and accept the future bravely.

Meeting the Unexpected:

Release your current plan
Grieve the change/loss
Gather options
Review possibilities
Take action and engage

Be aware and meet you on the Path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design Tagged With: , ,

taking shortcuts: career transition options

September 26, 2015 by

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon we kayaked from the Pentagon to Georgetwon, sharing the Potomac River with various water enthusiasts. The views were breathtaking and the exercise devine. Paddling farther than ever before, I began to think about the way back. Would it be possible to take a different route? One that was shorter, easier, quicker?

So I proposed that we leave the river and enter a creek that was a parallel shortcut to our launch site. We’d gone this way before and it was peaceful, solitary, and filled with birds and turtles. It seemed like the perfect plan.

However after a short distance, the creek became filled with green, seaweed-type plants. Was this hydrilla that had spread since our last visit? Once we had taken this route and the low tide required us to portage. This time we had sufficient water, but the vegetation stopped our boats cold. We were about halfway in and couldn’t see our destination yet. “Perhaps it will get better,” I thought. “I’d hate to turn around and go back.” So we stroked very hard, trying to rid our paddles of the accumulating green plants that hung on everything.

If we stopped, we stayed stuck. It reminded me of stories about quicksand disasters…no way out. We tried to make paths for each other. The first one clearing a way for the second. All the while I’m thinking, “this really wasn’t a smart move, Candy. Why did you think you could cut corners and make it back easier and faster?”

Once home safely with aching arms, I began to see the parallels with decisions we make in life. And especially with times when we want to change our work. Perhaps we yearn to join a new, more evolved company or more radically, we envision switching to a completely new career. Once we decide to make the change, we want it to happen fast. And even easy would be great.

So we search for the shortcuts. Veronica is a counselor who works with homeless families. She loves helping her clients, but the work is often challenging and the resources are scarce. As Veronica ages, she would like shorter hours and easier work. The field of Life Coaching is making news these days. Veronica doesn’t know much about it, but some of her colleagues are talking about a switch.

Veronica attends a workshop on coaching and is intrigued. She would love to work with people who have sufficient resources to create desired changes in their lives. Veronica signs up for a coach training course and starts to plan her job exit. Veronica is thinking that with her background and this training, she’ll have a coaching practice up in less than one year.

Many people are attracted to changing their field of work. However, they are reluctant to spend time and money on a new degree or certification and training. They worry they are too old to spend a long time “starting over”. They want the destination, but hope to avoid the journey. These obstacles can result in remaining in a dissatisfying work environment or jumping into something new with little preparation or thought.

Avoiding what you view as a challenge can bring greater impediments. Without proper information and planning, Veronica may have unrealistic expectations of her proposed career as a coach. One way to get the inside facts is to interview people who are doing work you admire. It’s important to get current information on the trends, opportunities, salaries, skills needed, demand, and competition.

What if I had asked someone about the current conditions in the creek? If I had known the path was overgrown and had compared the effort required with that of the river route, I would have had greater knowledge to make an informed decision. Instead, I impulsively tried the “easy” option. Sometimes what’s best for you isn’t the quickest or the easiest. Sometimes the harder path takes you to where you really want to go.

“It shouldn’t be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It’s the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something’s difficult to come by, you’ll do that much more to make sure it’s even harder-or impossible-to lose”
Sarah Dessen

Design your route:

Determine your end goal
Interview role models
Identify the steps needed
Examine the cost/benefits
Begin or re-work your plan

Full speed ahead and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions Tagged With: , ,

beginning a new job: demonstrating your value, part 3

August 31, 2015 by

You were hired to produce results. As basic as that sounds, achieving results early in a new job can be a challenge. You may be entering a role that is familiar. Or perhaps, you are moving up to one of greater responsibility and authority, either within your organization or elsewhere.

This new role is one you sought out and thought about for a long time. Now that it’s yours, how will you demonstrate your value to your employer? You seek to be recognized for the good work you do. In order to insure success, here are some principles to keep in mind.

You aren’t in Kansas anymore. What worked in previous environments may or may not work here. To enter a new organization with a pre-conceived solution may set you up for failure. You can bring your previous skills, knowledge, values, and experience, but a solution is developed over time.

Often you lack extensive time to prove yourself. Michael D. Watkins talks of the “break even point, the time when you contribute as much value to the organization as you consume”. To create that value it helps to establish a 90 day work plan which includes priorities, goals, strategies, and deadlines. This is accomplished in collaboration with your supervisor and team. Regular feedback on your progress will keep you on track to become successful.

Maria recently was promoted to head the department where she has worked for 10 years. Maria holds many ideas of improvements that can benefit her former peers as well as streamline results. She is an expert in her previous role and respected in the company. However, Maria has never directed a unit nor partnered with management.

Maria’s 90 day plan needs to include her personal learning objectives as well as early wins that matter to the organization. Maria and her supervisor need to establish realistic expectations for her first 90 days. Maria will accelerate her transition by focusing on the company’s stated priorities versus her preferred ideas for change.

As time goes by, Maria realizes the view from the Manager’s office is different than where she stood before. She now has more information: input from other units, contact with clients, and competitors. Maria feels more invested in the organization’s success. While she hasn’t lost her former perspective, Maria is building on it to function effectively in her new position. She finds this both exciting and challenging.

While theses first 90 days in a new job are filled with learning, growing, producing, and building new relationships, they can be exhausting. The self care you were able to manifest before the transition helps some, but this care needs to continue in order to fuel your development.

How many times have you begun a new job only to say later, “What have I gotten myself into?” The pressure and uncertainty can become overwhelming. Therefore, another “must do” is creating a unique self care plan.

“We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we’ll also have a lot more joy in living.”

Thich Nhat Hahn

Stress is a huge factor in our work lives and even more during transitions. Having a plan to combat stress includes exercise, eating whole foods, adopting a support network, and having an outlet for fun. Pick an activity that brings you healthy joy with people you trust and care about. Some possibilities are: a hiking club, dancing, painting, or acting. We all require an outlet and social interaction outside of work to relieve pressure.

Maria is now three months into her new position. It’s been a tremendous learning experience and she’s fortunate to have a supportive boss as her mentor. People want Maria to succeed. Her perspective of “new eyes” is bringing innovative strategies to increase the company’s bottom line. There’s more growth to come, but Maria is off to a promising beginning.

Establish your 90 day plan:

Align it with the organization’s priorities
Develop necessary skills
Demonstrate early wins
Evaluate your progress
Practice self care

Enjoy your transition and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions Tagged With: , , ,

beginning a new job: alliances & credibility, part 2

July 31, 2015 by

Many people hire a Coach to help them determine what kind of career to pursue and to obtain employment in that field. But what might be just as important is having a Coach or peer support when you start the new position. This time is critical for maintaining the job, adjusting to the culture, building credibility, developing new skills, and feeling successful.

And yet people often start a new job alone with no assistance. A call for help happens later when a crisis occurs or when enthusiasm evaporates. But what if you had gotten off to a better start?

What constitutes a successful beginning? Think about examples of your great career starts. Or so-so or horrible ones. What were the defining features of each? It’s easy to blame a poor fit, a terrible boss, lazy co-workers or a declining industry. But what if you take responsibility for the outcome?

Negotiating well the transition to a new job provides you with confidence, skills, and self understanding. Maybe in time you discover this career path doesn’t bring you enduring satisfaction. But you can leave knowing you did your best to bring value to the organization and to grow your skills.

Let’s look at some tools for getting a good start. Michael D. Watkins in his book “The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter” identifies 10 action steps to ensure a great transition. We’ll explore creating early relationships and building your reputation.

Entering a new job or even taking a promotion at your current employment can be similar to the first day of school. You don’t know what to expect, you feel alone, and you wonder if you’re up to the challenges. That anxiety can be used to energize you for the work ahead. Being in top shape can make the first weeks more manageable. Entering with a curious, positive mind opens you up for learning and growth.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”
L. Frank Baumen

Bill has a new position with a company he has respected for years. He can’t believe his good fortune in having this opportunity. He negotiated a start date that allows him to take two weeks off to rest, relax, and prepare between jobs. He will use that time to recharge, mentally let go of his previous responsibilities, and to do further research on his new company. Bill will enter his position clear headed and eager for work.

Even before you begin a new job you are building your reputation through your resume, your interviews, and your interactions with human resources. Once you enter the door on your first day, all eyes will be on you. How you handle yourself and your early communications can seriously impact your success on the job.

Being able to demonstrate confidence, curiosity, and clarity will go a long way toward leaving a positive impression. Take time to meet everyone from administrative staff to executives. Show an interest in them and their roles. Be approachable. You can be the listener in this phase. You don’t need to prove yourself yet or offer an opinion.

While you are getting introduced, you can begin identifying the people who will be crucial to your success. They may be peers, or superiors, or specialists. It’s important to determine who will become your teachers, allies, and fans. Other staff can work with you or sabotage your results. So it’s important to build trusting relationships and distinguish where the power and influence lie.

In the initial days of a new position, you are a learner. You may have been hired to do an existing job, take on a brand new role, or to make organizational changes. While there are expectations that you produce results, take some time to secure the information and relationships needed to implement wise decisions. You may feel overwhelmed and in a foreign land. This, in fact, is a new culture to navigate. It does get better, but true comfort many not come for months.

“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
Steve Jobs

Continue to take care of yourself. Next month we will look at following through on expectations.

Have a beginner’s mind:

Prepare well for the first days
Communicate an attitude of learning
Express your enthusiasm
Find your tribe
Make sense of the culture

Relish your opportunity and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions Tagged With: , ,

beginning a new job: visions & goals, part 1

June 30, 2015 by

So you got the job. Congratulations! Now what? How do you prepare for the new environment and responsibilities? You may think that all the hard work is over once you accept a new job offer. You’re partially correct. You probably survived a difficult process of identifying opportunities, submitting applications, interviewing, and negotiating your benefits.

It’s time to appreciate your efforts and success and take a breath. Celebrate. But, there’s more work ahead to become ready for that first day and first six months.

Thinking about these changes before you begin a career transition is wise. You don’t have to wait until you secure a new position. You can plan while you are in a job search and even before. If you prepare now, you’ll have more space to acknowledge, relax, even vacation between transitions.

The reasons people change jobs vary tremendously. Knowing your reasons or what adjustment you seek is essential. There could be too much of something in your current job. Like too much micro management or bureaucracy, or too many administrative tasks. Or there could be too few growth opportunities or leadership roles or a chance to mentor others.

Creating an expanded career vision along with goals for your new position ensures getting more of what you want. Image how you want your ideal day/week to be. What skills do you want to use and develop? What role do you want to play in an organization? What do you want to produce, create, or improve? What mark do you want to leave? All of these answers are revealed on the job as you grow. But starting with a vision of what you value and seek allows you to be proactive and aware.

“Build your own dreams or someone will hire you to build theirs”
Farrah Gray

Lynda is starting a new job in two weeks. She will remain in the same field, but will gain more managerial responsibility and have program development duties. She’s excited and somewhat exhausted finishing out her old job and preparing for this one. She has an initial idea of the company’s mission and the role she will play, but figures she will learn more once she arrives.

Is Lynda as prepared as she can be? What is her game plan to hit the ground running? What actions does she need to take?

Often before we can look ahead and be ready for a career change, we must say goodbye to the past. Giving yourself time to grieve the relationships, roles, and parts of the old job you loved will prepare you for the future.

Since transition time between jobs is often scarce, it will benefit you to think about these things in advance. Immediately or as soon as you decide to make a career transition, you can start envisioning and letting go. It may sound premature, but trust me, you won’t have enough time to process during the weeks of wrapping things up and getting ready for the new.

One valuable guide for starting a new job is the book, “The First 90 Days, Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter” by Michael D. Watkins. Watkins outlines the steps and tools to help you get off to a successful start. A start that will ensure you will bring value to the organization. These tools can be sharpened as you make many transitions on your career path.

Workers aren’t staying 10-30 years with the same company as in the past. You will be moving around, which necessitates rapid adjustments. Imagine if you could begin each new chapter refreshed and focused on the fusion of your goals and those of the organization leading to a mutually beneficial outcome.

In next month’s blog we will examine some of Watkins’ guiding principles, such as building early relationships and alliances and planning timely wins or accomplishments to demonstrate your usefulness.

Prepare now for your next career transition:

Develop your career wish list
Constantly revise it
Create your professional growth plan
Identify environments where you thrive
Determine your unique purpose in working

Start your homework and see you for Part 2!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , ,

wake up call: time to take action

May 29, 2015 by

Hvar, Croatia

Think of times when you really wanted something but discovered you lacked the preparation for it. This month while hiking in Croatia, I found myself in that situation. I had dreamed of coastlines and sun, great seafood and interesting companionship, new vistas and learning.

While I experienced all that, I also received a huge wake up call. My training fell short of what was needed to thoroughly enjoy the adventure. Instead, I labored up the inclines and stepped gingerly over the rocks. My attention was on my safety versus the view. I was surprised by this peculiar experience. Previous hiking situations were manageable. What was different this time? What do I need to change?

So my wake up call pertains to conditioning and health. Other wake up calls may reflect work or relationships. They catch your attention and bring you up short. But do they really need to surprise you so much? What initial signs are you ignoring? What short cuts are you taking?

What keeps you in a job that no longer fits or a relationship that is broken? A wake up experience can hit you in the face and prevent you from hiding in the dark. You can’t make excuses and push things under the rug anymore. It’s time to address what is standing in your way of happiness, success, or accomplishment.

These tipping points serve to force a choice. Either you address the problem or you change your vision. Facing the fact that your success requires more work and/or knowledge leads you closer to your dreams. Giving up because it’s difficult results in disappointment and shame.

I didn’t give up. I kept going, even though it wasn’t pretty, even though I was the last in line. But perhaps if I had prepared harder before, my vacation would have been easier and more enjoyable.

Marion is extremely unhappy in her job. She dreams of more responsibility, meaning, and autonomy. Her efforts to find new work are falling flat. She’s unsure what else to do. She’s angry and frustrated and, if truth be told, wants something fantastic to fall into her lap. Rarely does that happen in real life.

Instead the breaks come after a great deal of hard work and preparation. Marion can feel a victim or become empowered to take action to make something happen for herself. She can acquire relevant skills, get more experience through volunteering, network aggressively in her field, and/or hire a professional guide.

On one day during my hiking trip I had a personal “sherpa guide” Jasna to help me over the rough spots. We laughed and joked and became acquainted. It made the path much easier and fun for me.

A wake up call allows you to take action to get back in control. When you establish a plan to address what is needed and begin working that plan, you become invested. No longer are you hoping for a miracle, but you are helping yourself for today and tomorrow.

The practice you gain through effort teaches you that most things can be solved or attained through learning and hard work. You can achieve your dreams and reach your goals. No matter what your circumstances, fighting for what’s important is the process of creating a well-lived life.

So I took the easy route before my trip and now I’m addressing it with hard work. My fellow travelers gave me a glimpse of what’s possible. Older, fitter hikers gave me hope. If they can do it, I can too. I remarked to one guide Lea that she was very fit. She replied, “If I don’t take care of myself, who will?”

Who will indeed? What dreams do you have that require a plan of action? When will you begin? How hard will you work? What deadlines will you give yourself?

“It’s always a wake up call to get beaten”
Usain Bolt

Steps to take before a wake up call:

Identify your vision
Outline the steps needed to get there
Begin now, prepare yourself
Ask for the support you need
Appauld your progress

Enjoy life and see you on the mountain!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , ,

your guiding star: creating principles to live by

April 23, 2015 by

Sunset/sunrise above the Earth on a starless sky.

Sometimes you feel lost, directionless, confused. It can happen in your work life, your personal life, or your family life. It’s as if all you believed in and counted on has changed. Bethany felt that jolt when her husband wanted a divorce. Owen fell into a tailspin when he was laid off.

Think of times when you lost your way. Perhaps it was due to external circumstances or instead a deep change within. What follows is a sense of unease and questioning. You wonder: what happens next? Where will I go? What do I want? This state of instability can occur quickly or creep up on you.

Expecting life to be smooth and predictable is futile. As living organisms, change is constant. Nothing in your life, outside or inside, will stay the same. If it did, you probably would stagnate and become dissatisfied.

“The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards, but we have to play those cards the best we can. And we can play to win. This was one lesson I picked up when I was a teenager. It has been my guiding principle ever since. When I wanted something, the best person to depend on was myself”

John Gokongwei

Some things in life are changed for you and some you change yourself. By making thoughtful decisions and choices, you increase your chances of creating a life that is satisfying. But what aids you in making the appropriate decisions? You can ask for the opinions of others, gather information, and hire experts. But how do you know you’re heading in the right direction?

Eons ago our ancestors relied on the North Star to guide them and to guard against becoming lost. Currently we have technology to blaze our paths, but our confusion comes more from the lack of an internal compass. Many fail to ask the one who is most “expert” in what will work…oneself.

Instead of a North Star to point you in the next direction, you can establish guiding principles to shape your actions. Guiding principles are rules that influence the suitability of your actions. They are highly personal. Based on your values, self-awareness, and lessons learned, your guiding principles become the North Star you can consult. When faced with a dilemma or change, you have criteria to determine your precise direction/orientation. Without personal guiding principles you can become adrift in the life you design.

Just as companies and corporations outline their principles, individuals require them to stay on a steady path. Individuals uncover their guiding principles through self examination. Principles are ever evolving. As we grow and experience, they show up as guideposts for work, family, and personal life and demand effort to create.

Melanie is at a crossroad in her career. She studied biology and pursued a degree in research so she could work in a laboratory. After ten years on the job, she is dissatisfied. Rules and regulations interfere with desired discoveries. Melanie lacks the reward of seeing the results of her efforts. Instead, Melanie feels depleted of energy and frustrated.

What Melanie knows about herself is that she requires certain elements in order to be engaged. These include: connecting with people, teaching others, and making a contribution. Using these uncovered principles, Melanie decides that becoming a high school biology teacher would more meet her needs.

Knowing what guides her purpose and passions, allows Melanie to find a new direction that is a better fit. If she fails to heed these guidelines, Melanie will fall into greater disinterest and despair.

As I meet with others, I often hear their guiding principles: learn and grow, be in nature, connect with others, be happy, share your voice, be creative and active.

While you create opportunities to express your guiding principles in your career, you can also practice them in your personal life. The more you utilize your values and guiding principles, the more authentic and satisfying your life will become.

Steps to take now:

Review your lessons learned
Outline your guiding principles
Employ them whenever you can
Review periodically
Savor the results

Full speed ahead and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , ,
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