Tag: career
One of the greatest ways to tell if you’re aligned with your Professional Destiny is simply to check in and see if your 9-5 day feels like a struggle, or if the time passes by before you know it. When you’re fully engaged in an activity, you enter the flow. You feel strong, alert, effortlessly effective and satisfied. You’re at the peak of your ability and become unaware of time. When you’re not well matched with what you’re doing, it’s the opposite—you’re feeling out of sync, less motivated, less productive, disengaged and more prone to watching the clock. Needless to say, it’s far more satisfying to find a way to be in alignment with your gifts, interests, values and creative abilities in the work environment—especially if you’re like most people and tend to spend so much of your time there.
How to do this? It all starts with awareness. The following is a passage from Professional Destiny that describes in more detail what to look for and what to avoid…
“Notice what you enjoy doing and what you are good at. Make some time to do these things and rekindle your creativity. Concentration, or being in the flow, means total absorption. We can only be masters of something that interests us greatly. Great leaders and great inventors are not bored with their work. If you pay attention, you will notice that you are experiencing moments of joy when you are creating, working and learning. You forget about the world around you and lose track of your surroundings, fully experiencing the joy of what you are doing.
You come into flow in your life when you awaken your sense of destiny. You fall out of flow when you renege on your gifts and potential, or when you ignore your deepest calling and settle for mediocrity. Our tasks cannot be too simple for our abilities or we become bored and less creative. Whether things are “seamlessly clicking” or “rapidly combusting” is a sign of whether you are in or out of step with the flow.”
In other words, when you’re in step—and in your gift—things tend to fall into place. You’re motivated and more effective. What you do is easy for you, although it may be far more difficult for others. When you’re not in your gift things tend to be more of a struggle or even worse, spiral downward.
Simplicity is a sign of being in the flow. Usually if something is simple, elegantly efficient and practically effortless, it is a wonderful indicator that you’re on the right track.
July 14, 2010
A few weeks ago in my blog post about How It Starts, I promised a summary of the five key steps to following your Professional Destiny. In between then and now, I admit to being diverted by that fantastic Elizabeth Gilbert talk about overcoming fear and the timeliness of the Graduation message. But, here we are… better late than never… with a discussion of the five things you need to do when making a significant change.
- Get clear—Go within and remember what your unique talents and interests are. Your Professional Destiny is something that you are good at and love to do. Fill out the three-column exercise included in my book (Love to Do, Naturally Good At, Loathe to Do) and draw the parallels. Then set your vision and develop three to five simple, but powerful commitments.
- Do something toward your goal every day, even if you can’t see the whole picture—Write a “to do” list each morning and include a least one thing that will help you move in the direction you want. Even if you can’t make a full transition right away, push yourself to make a little bit of progress toward your interests, even if it’s only for 30 minutes each day. If you don’t see where it all leads right now, that’s okay, just take the first step and new possibilities will open up. The next step will be revealed.
- Actively weed out self-doubt—We all have a fear of failure, but refuse to give it power. When you find yourself thinking sabotaging thoughts, notice them and change your thinking—quickly! The journey can be unfamiliar and challenging, so be sure to have a support system in place. Many people will express their fears for you… to you. When they do, shake it off, avoid the naysayers and seek out the support of friends and coaches instead.
- Show up and have discipline—Show up at least five days a week and put some time in toward the interests you’ve identified in step one. Having discipline means that if you need to make three calls a day, and don’t really want to, you make the three calls anyway. Discipline also means prioritizing and trimming down to the essentials to fund your dream. For more information on this, see The Freedom Plan.
- Enjoy the journey—Go full speed ahead and be sure to notice the progress you’re making. Appreciate the small things along the way because they will lead to the big.
Remember, anyone can make a change at any time. We all have gifts and they are meant to be expressed and shared. It’s immensely fulfilling to put our unique talents into action and feel like we’re making a difference. When we do, we’ll soon notice that we’re on the path to discovering the career we were born for.
May 5, 2010
It’s about time to don the cap and gown. Starting next month, many new graduates will receive their diplomas and venture out from campus life to pursue their Professional Destinies. But do they really know what to do? And what to expect? For most graduates, the answer is a big, resounding—no!
Some, if they’re anything like me, compromised and picked the wrong major (I chose economics, and promptly disregarded almost everything I studied to become a marketer and author).
Some picked a major they’re actually interested in, but don’t have a clue how to apply it in the unfamiliar, grown-up working world.
And some—the lucky ones—got it completely right and can’t wait to start their perfect new career (yes, they have to make the rest of us look bad!).
Still, many because of the economy may be tempted to take the very first job that comes their way. Here’s why that might not be the best life choice.
Steve Jobs (who we must say has experienced a degree of success in his profession) told students at his commencement speech address at Stanford University:
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”
This is great advice, but can be downright unnerving. What if you don’t know the right next step? What if the whole thing just looks daunting, overwhelming and formidable? How do you gain the self awareness, confidence and plan of action to move forward?
Almost every day I get a note from college students and recent graduates who have benefitted from reading Professional Destiny (and some who give it as a gift to their parents!). They say things like:
“Thank you for writing this book and for explaining in a concise, organized manner the jumbled mess inside of my head. I feel as if I can now move forward. Eureka! Sweet victory.”
So in the spirit of helping our new grads relieve career anxiety and make the big transition into adult life, we are offering a special Professional Destiny Graduation promotion—
Order Professional Destiny between now and May 31st direct from the publisher and save 20% using this discount code: 4BH9PQ56. (Also available through Amazon at retail price of $14.95)
Enjoy!
April 28, 2010
The following is a post that I contributed to the Pink Magazine blog about how setbacks in this economy may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
For many, there comes a point in our life when we stop in our tracks and ask ourselves, “What is the meaning of the work we’re doing?” It might be because we’re feeling unchallenged, unfulfilled or unmotivated. Or it might be because external events—like losing a job—force us to rethink our options. Rather than look at such a circumstance as a challenge, you can see it as a golden opportunity to reintroduce joy and creativity into your professional life.
Years ago, I became fascinated by the idea that, for each and every one of us, there is a “career we were born for.” Only a small percentage of us manage to find it, and oftentimes our discovery only comes after some period of disappointment or disenchantment. I experienced this personally when I became increasingly dissatisfied with my 9-to-5 life as leader of an advertising agency. Looking around me, I saw dissatisfaction as an epidemic, and it prompted me to write the book, Professional Destiny.
During my research, I questioned people to see if I could find common traits among those who displayed a real passion for their work. I discovered that the most highly motivated and fulfilled really did have something in common—their profession allowed them to make full use of their natural gifts. For these people, work isn’t about money or title—it’s about satisfaction, empowerment, feeling energetic about what they do, making an impact, fully exercising a talent and inspiring others.
As I wrote in Professional Destiny: “A job is something we do to earn a living. Oftentimes it is too small for our spirit. Our life’s work is a mighty undertaking that challenges us, taps into our creative energy and reawakens our spirit. It is our work with a capital W. Once we start on the path, the urgency of this work is bigger than us. Our passion and creativity are ignited.”
Given the current economy, this may be the perfect time to assess the gifts you were born with and rethink your goals. You may well see an opportunity to pursue a different career, one that will make you feel energized and alive. A time of uncertainty can become our time of greatest opportunity. This is when new doors and new possibilities are open, and we have that added incentive to venture out and try something new. You can emerge from this on a path headed for true happiness and satisfaction for the rest of your professional life. Seize the moment and get clear on what you really want to do—you’ll likely look back at it as one of the most satisfying decisions you’ve ever made.
September 25, 2009
As I wrote in the first post of the “Business Best Practices” series, a person’s gift may be “spiky.” Meaning they are incredibly good at one, two or three things as opposed to being well-rounded in many things. What exactly does this mean?
Well, there may be someone who is brilliant in one specific area, let’s say marketing, and that’s exactly what they want to do. It’s their passion. Now suppose this person works for a typical, large organization—it’s quite possible that he or she may skyrocket up the corporate ladder for a period of time. Then comes the danger point—the potential homogenization. This person’s boss may recognize the incredible talent and put them on a leadership fast-track. To do this, the misguided leader may insist that the world-class marketer become well rounded (uh oh!) and highly develop other skills, say operational expertise and management expertise. In many cases, but not all, becoming well-rounded is quite uninteresting to the marketer and their unbelievable gift becomes marginalized. They spend their time on things like reciting operational statistics and creating PowerPoint presentations and pretty soon 60% of their time is spent outside their brilliant gift of marketing.
This concept of spiky skills applies outside of the corporate world and is quite noticeable in sports. For example, no one would ever think of telling Tom Brady or Peyton Manning (and I’m not even a football fan!) to play a defense position and develop more well-rounded skills. The key is to encourage them do what they do best and build a team around them.
My argument is if someone is spiky, and wants to stay spiky, let them. Be glad for the gift they have and value it. Help develop their skills in other areas just enough to keep them “in the game” and let their brilliance flourish. Build an organization of people who are the very best at what they do. If you are a world-class leader, your gift will be innovative organizational thinking and knowing how to maximize the talent you have. Just one warning… it may require new, non-homogenized job descriptions!
September 8, 2009
“Those who recognize their calling early in life and build on it are the lucky ones. Those who gain enough strength or independence to seek a more satisfying path in later life are also lucky. And though they may not feel so fortunate at the time, those compelled to seek change due to sheer discomfort [or change in circumstance] are lucky as well—because despite their own hesitation, events have pushed them in the direction of their true purpose.” – Excerpt from Professional Destiny
In this economy, many are losing their jobs — but for some it may become one of those “best thing that ever happened to us” moments. Although it may not feel like it at the time, being let go could be just the push we need to make a change to finding a profession that is far more satisfying and rewarding. It is a time to reflect on what it is we really love to do and find a career that fully utilizes our natural gifts. So many of us have been in unfulfilling jobs and by viewing a setback as a new potential opportunity, we can use this moment as a “course correction” to reintroduce joy and creativity into our profession. We can move from a “job” (something we do primarily to get a paycheck) to our life’s work (a mighty undertaking that challenges us, taps into our creative energy and awakens our spirit). In the long run, a “setback” can lead us to the career we were born for and make us far more engaged, productive and fulfilled.
Anyone can make a change at any time, whether by choice or not. The current economy is causing many people to take a fresh look at what they are doing. Losing a job might be a tough pill to swallow, but perhaps just the medicine we need to explore what it is we really want to do. This may be the perfect time to rethink our goals, as well as the gifts we were born with, so that we can leave behind something that is less than fulfilling to pursue a new career that energizes us and makes us feel alive. And, if we recognize the opportunity, chances are we will look back and realize that the thing we so feared, was actually one of the best things to ever happen to us.
July 21, 2009
I received an excellent question as a comment on an earlier blog post about the difference between the a job vs. your life’s work. This contributor asked me to further define the terms, job, profession, work and career. It is true that they are often used interchangeably and mean different things to different people. So, it can be confusing. I’ll start by how the dictionary defines them:
Job
1) a post of employment; full-time or part-time position, 2) anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility.
Work
1) employment, as in some form of industry, esp. as a means of earning one’s livelihood
Profession
1) a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science; 2) any vocation or business.
Career
1) an occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one’s lifework
In my book, Professional Destiny, I expand these definitions to reflect the level of satisfaction we feel in what we do. The terms job and work (with a small “w”) are what we do for the primary motivation of earning a living. They can feel like an obligation, a duty or a responsibility. Oftentimes they are too small for our spirit.
I introduce the terms “Life’s Work” (with a capital W) and the “Career You Were Born For” to reflect Work that completely taps into our creative energy and reawakens our spirit. When we are so engaged, we feel energized, challenged and productive. We feel that we are making a difference to someone or something—and that feels good. Once we start doing this Work, the urgency is bigger than us and we feel that there is simply not enough time in the day to do what we can’t wait to do. And, while we may be well compensated, our driving force is purpose and contribution above money. When we are engaged in this way, we are pursuing our Professional Destiny.
For more detailed information on discovering and living your Professional Destiny, you may order the book at: http://tiny.cc/prodestiny
July 15, 2009
—The following is an excerpt from Professional Destiny—
“A job is something we do to earn a living. Oftentimes it is too small for our spirit.
Our life’s work is a mighty undertaking that challenges us, taps into our creative energy and reawakens our spirit. It is our work with a capital W. Once we start on the path, the urgency of this work is bigger than us. Our passion and creativity are ignited.
Some people know at a young age what they love to do. Unfortunately they often bury their desire due to conflicting outside influences or a bad experience early on—such as being rejected, humiliated for being different, or having a passion outside of the norm.
Those who recognize their calling early in life and build on it are the lucky ones. Those who gain enough strength or independence to seek a more satisfying path in later life are also lucky. And though they may not feel so fortunate at the time, those compelled to seek change due to sheer discomfort are lucky as well—because despite their own hesitation, events have pushed them in the direction of their true purpose.
Anyone can make a change at any time, whenever they feel strong enough. It may be when they reach a financial level that provides a sense of stability, allowing them to feel free. Or when they’ve reached an emotional point when they’ve had enough time to know who they are, and have enough distance from early influences (parents, teachers, religion) that may have sidetracked them. It might also be when they feel they have met their primary responsibilities after raising children and fulfilling other obligations. Some people reach a point of frustration in which continuing along the same path becomes unbearable, and they finally decide to do something different.
At that point, you decide to engage in your life’s work…”
Please share your perspective: Are you currently in a job, in transition or in your life’s work?
July 8, 2009
