ABC of your career: Q is for Quest

Website design By BotEap.comUsually, when one thinks of going on a quest, one can imagine a romantic or adventurous expedition. However, when some think about his 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-looking way?

Website design By BotEap.comMany research studies claim that we tend to pay more attention to negative thoughts than positive ones. For that reason, it makes sense for us to focus more on what we are doing wrong in our jobs/careers than on what is working well for us. To combat this, we need to change our perceptions and more importantly our attitudes and look at our life more holistically.

Website design By BotEap.comTo start with, 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 give yourself time to really think about how hard this was to get through and what obstacles you faced? Or did you just move on to something else instead?

Website design By BotEap.comIf you look at your processes, mindset, and even your motivators for how you were able to achieve this goal, you may realize that you can apply this same drive and resilience in other situations. Instead, many of us examine what went wrong or how it could have been done faster, cheaper, etc. Stop being so hard on yourself! It won’t help you in any way.

Website design By BotEap.comSuccessful 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 must identify coping mechanisms to minimize these emotions.

Website design By BotEap.comPracticing gratitude can also help you in your professional career. While most people seek new challenges and in turn greater rewards in their careers, they should also be thankful 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, it’s about good health, a wonderful support system of friends and family, a helpful boss, etc. In turn, they should also show gratitude towards other people who have helped them. When one of my coaching clients has an informational interview, I always tell them that the last question to ask is “you were kind enough to spend time with me today, what can I do to help you?” It’s surprising what the answers to that question are, but it makes you memorable and more importantly, it makes you feel good.

Website design By BotEap.comLife is not stagnant and if it is, then it is boring and unfulfilling. Instead, she sees her career as an exciting pursuit that she has the ability to truly succeed in and enjoy.