Usually, when one thinks of going on a quest, one can imagine a romantic or adventurous expedition. However, when some think about their career path, they can only imagine a quagmire. So how is it possible to see and, more importantly, act in a more positive and forward-thinking way?
Many research studies claim that we tend to pay more attention to negative thoughts than positive ones. For that reason, it makes sense that we focus more on what we are doing wrong in our jobs / careers than what is working well for us. To combat this, we must change our perceptions and, more importantly, our attitudes and look at our life more holistically.
For starters, what are some of your accomplishments in the last 3-5 years? Think both personal and professional. Maybe you landscaped your property, finished a difficult puzzle, helped a friend through a crisis, completed a project on time and under budget, and / or landed a new client. Did you take time to really think about how difficult it was to overcome this and the obstacles you faced? Or instead, did it just move on to something else?
If you look at your processes, mindset, and even your motivators on how you were able to achieve this goal, you can realize that you can apply this same drive and resistance in other situations. Instead, many of us scrutinize what went wrong or how it could have been done faster, cheaper, etc. Stop being so hard on yourself! It will not help you in any way.
Successful people work on their emotional intelligence. EI (also known as EQ) is how we identify, understand and control our emotions. By acknowledging our emotions, we can better deal with them and hopefully overcome the ones that are holding us back. For example, certain emotions such as fear and frustration can paralyze us, so we need to identify coping mechanisms to minimize these emotions.
Practicing gratitude can also help you on your career path. While most people seek new challenges and, in turn, greater rewards in their careers, they should also be grateful for what they already have. The problem is that most are never satisfied, so by changing that attitude, they recognize that they really do have abundance in their lives. It’s not just about money and material goods, but about good health, a wonderful support system of friends and family, a helpful boss, etc. In turn, they should also show gratitude to other people who have helped them. When one of my coaching clients has an informational interview, I always tell him that the last question to ask is “Have you been kind enough to spend time with me today, what can I do to help you?” It’s amazing what the answers to that question are, but it makes you memorable, and more importantly, it makes you feel good.
Life is not stagnant, and if it is, it is boring and unsatisfying. Instead, view your career as an exciting pursuit in which you have the ability to truly succeed and enjoy yourself.