Clearing The Career Fog Without Overdriving Your Headlights

Career direction not quite clear? Friend of the Blog, Michael Scott offers this wisdom:

One of the most common frustrations I hear from transitioning professionals is about their lack of clarity relative to a career path. In acknowledging the saying "If you don't know where you're going, anyplace is fine," many of us find ourselves stuck with our emergency brakes on, unable to proceeed forward in a meaningful way towards our highest goals and endeavors.

A number of years ago I driving late at night through the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, scared out of my whits by a dense fog that had literally cut my visibility to zero. It became acutely aware to me that my headlights were of little use, particularly as I attempted to pick up the pace in hopes of finding a convenient exit sooner rather than later. It's here where I began to realize that I was engaging in a practice affectionionately known as "overdriving ones headlights" or driving too fast in the dark. Basically, because my headlights only shined so far ahead, I was frightened by the prospect of not not being able to see dangers ahead in time to react.

All of this speaks to the dilemma that many of us face when confronted with an uncertain career direction. On one hand we recognize, particularly when there's an urgent need to earn a steady income, that forging a path in the shortest amount of time possible is vital for one's survival. Yet we simultaneously recognize that making a decision in haste can have adverse consequences in terms of our long-term career trajectory.

Below are a few of my ideas on how to address this quandary

1. Pump The Breaks: Mashing on the proverbial accelerator in order to clear through the career fog faster can have dire consequences. It's better to be deliberate and thoughtful in pursuit of your options. This may involve employing the help of a career coach to keep you accountable and grounded amid the process. Reading, journaling and quiet contemplation are also valuable activities. To this point, consider picking up the book Unique Ability by Catherine Nomura and Julia Waller. You'll find it a must read for forging a sense of clarity in a deliberate yet productive way.

2. Try Out Multiple Gears: The overriding message here is to try on multiple hats or options for determining what might be the right fit. Identify your perfect picture opportunity and work backward. Vary your experiences by attending Meetup Groups focusing on topics or experiences that are unfamiliar to you. It's through this latter idea that I discovered the Colorado Bitcoin Society and a subsequent gig writing blog posts for Bitcoin. Go Figure!

3. Relax: As was the case with me on that foggy evening in North Carolina, uncertainty can cause one to stress out and clench up behind the steering wheel. So find ways to relax, have fun and clear your brain. Putting your career pursuits in neutral from time to time can reduce strain on your bodily engine. Another Tip: Be sure to maintain peak energy levels by drinking copious amounts of water and through Glutathione supplementation. A healthy body results in the fuel to proceed forward with clarity. 

4. Maintain Your Line Of Sight: While it's OK to look in the rearview mirror of life from time to time, your primary focus should be centered on what's in front of you. Like a good mindfulness practitioner, stay present in the moment with what's right in front of you versus getting distracted by the past. In the same way that proceeding too rapidly can create pileups, driving your career ship too cautiously and in a distracted way can cause it to aground. 

5. Embrace A "Forward Thinking" Attitude: Navigating through career fog can be grueling and lead to negative thoughts. Whenever you find yourself headed down this path, be reminded of the fact that thoughts play a key role in determining your outcomes and direction. So avoid or limit the time you spend with those friends and family members who moan and complain about the life struggles mode they're experiencing. Watch what you are listing to, viewing, or reading--avoiding those things that run counter to a positive state of mind. As was the case with my trek through the fog, self talk focused on my intended direction was much more productive than a "woe is me" mindset that could lead to smaking into the backend of a semi. 

Michael Scott's passion is in helping emerging professionals become profitable, productive and strategically aligned with the New Economy. For a complementary 30-minute discovery session with Michael, feel free to connect with him at either neweconomyiq@gmail.com or on LinkedIn  http://www.linkedin.com/in/orgbrain?_mSplash=1

Where Did My Confidence Go? I Know it's Around Here Somewhere

Monday Morning Pep Talk--July 30, 2012

Sometimes in a long career, you begin to lose your confidence. It starts around the time you can't remember where you put your keys. A misstep or two may make you believe it is time to get out of the game. Your co-workers and managers are decades younger, and you begin to minimize your accomplishments and focus on your flaws.

Loss of your confidence as an employee, entrepreneur or job-seeker in your 40s, 50s, and 60+ is the beginning of a downward spiral you have to address and reverse. Losing your confidence at work feels like rejection, paranoia, and excessive worry. You may have seen this in others on the job. As a human resources consultant, I have worked with clients that have lost their confidence and lost their way (and almost lost their businesses). While coaching was never a primary line of business in my HR consultancy; loss of the leader’s confidence had a disastrous affect on the workplace (and that was my focus). Well-meaning business professionals turned into tyrants. It showed up as micromanaging, bitterness of the business owner/leader toward their staff; lack of trust in their team; poor business results and increased turnover (of the wrong employees).

If your confidence needs a boost, try these three things this week:

(1)  Watch what you say when you talk to yourself. Admit it—you do have those private internal conversations. We all do. As self-confidence wanes, our imagination runs wild. We begin to speculate instead of waiting for the facts. Every time disruptive negative thoughts enter your mind or internal conversation this week—counter it with a positive thought or affirmation. “I have done it before; I can do it again.” One of my favorites, “When you are young, you learn; when you are old, you understand.” (I am not calling you “old” think of it as wise).

(2)  Give Yourself Credit for What You have Accomplished. The 40+ crowd is a lot different from the group I call the “T-ball generation.” In the “T-ball” world everyone was a winner, they played sports where no one kept score (except parents/grandparents on the sidelines) and it developed a sense of entitled narcissism—they have now moved into management jobs-hiring 40+ workers. We, on the other hand, easily forget our successes and dwell on our failures. When faced with this dichotomy, remember the accomplishments of your past are the foundation of your future. So lighten up, already!

(3)  Get Support if Needed. Confidence at work is essential and if you need help looking for yours, don’t be shy in reaching out. Whether is it calling that positive, affirming friend, joining a job club or hiring a licensed, certified professional (psychologist, life coaches and career coaches do this type of work)—do it this week.

Reclaiming your confidence is like re-igniting a fire inside you. Confidence fuels your energy. The boost you feel will increase your effectiveness as a leader, entrepreneur or in your job search.

You’ve got 168 hours! Make it a great week.

Re-Inventing Your Mid-Life Career

While you are at work, do you ever think "is this all there is?" Do you wonder if you could perform the job you have right now until you retire in 10 –15-20-25 years?

After a week off pursuing work-life balance, I was reading the July 4 issue of Fortune Magazine with the title, “Reinvent Your Career!” As I flipped through the pages of More magazine's July/August issue, their feature article was, “Give Your Career Some Oxygen.” Since Oprah left her talk show after 25 years, the media has focused a lot on mid-life career reinvention. We might not all go out and start a television network, but it is worth considering your next career moves before you have to make it.

There is almost a perfect storm of volatility in our 401(k) accounts, an economy refusing to recover and minimal job creation. What does that grim picture mean to you and me? It means we may be working a little longer than planned. And the jobs we have today— there’s no guarantee they will be there tomorrow. There’s no guarantee the company will be there tomorrow! Remember: TWA? MCI? Sharper Image? Circuit City? Gottschalks? Mervyns? Pontiac? or Wickes Furniture? Who could have thought Montgomery Wards, ATA Airlines or Enron would not exist today?

Here 5 quick thoughts that can help you generate some ideas about how to re-invent your own career if you choose to or if you are forced to:

(1) What is it about my job that I love? Is it a transferable skill another company or industry will value?

 (2) If my job ended today-who are the 10 people I would or could contact immediately to get the word out on my behalf? When was the last time I connected with them? Collaborate. Communicate. Share. Network.

(3) What is my hobby or past time I enjoy and is there a way to “monetize” it while I am still working? Monetize= my new favorite word, it means “generate income from it”

(4) Is there a new skill I can learn or improve on during my current job that will make me more marketable in the future? Marketable to your current company or to other businesses or industries?   (preferably eligible for tuition reimbursement).

(5) What are the companies hiring people in their late 40s? 50s? 60s? What types of jobs do they have available for people in these age ranges? Could you work for a smaller company?

So we need to keep this idea of Reinvention in our minds. I know so many of you have done it, and I hope you will share your stories in the comments section. Don’t be shy—you can do it anonymously.