What happens when your career becomes your identity? This Happens to so many of us? Here are 3 of the Questions HBR’s contributor Janna Koretz suggest asking yourself.
1. How do you think about your job outside the office?
2. How do you describe yourself? How much of this description is tied to your job, title, or company?
3.How would you feel if you could no longer continue in your profession?
Great questions. Read the article for the full analysis.
You may also listen to tips as I chat with Patricia Reid-Waugh or get a copy of my book ‘Your Career’ Ditch It? Switch it?’ Both provide a deeper dive into how you can ditch it and gain the identity that brings lasting satisfaction.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Life changes. We evolve, make decisions, choose careers, relationships, and enlarge our own space to embrace and create our own circle of influence including nuclear families. Recently I came across the common question about life and pondering the changes you would have made if you had the chance to advise your younger self. In deep thought I decided to ask professionals what their thoughts were. Most reflected. Here are excerpts of those who quickly chimed in:
Stop and smell the roses. Life passes by in a flash. Children grow up. Relationships mature, evolve, change. Enjoy life. Appreciate the little things.
Take more adventures. Let go of traditions.
Enjoy life more along my journey. To be fearless and take more risks.
Slow down, travel, start a business, invest, read more.
Busy is good. That’s my favorite response to entrepreneurs who express that they are busy.
You see, we have all been there when there is nothing to do. No job. No contract. No financial inflow. What frequently follows is sadness, apathy, boredom, inability to meet financial obligations and the list goes on. For sure that ain’t good for our mental state and wellbeing.
Among Others
An 80-year-old grandmother was busy going to the gym, church, shopping, Medical visits to the doctor. Those activities kept her busy. It made her feel alive. Then suddenly her husband also retired. Now they both sit at home watching golf, tennis, jeopardy and wheel of fortune on TV. This past weekend she spent time in the hospital. Latency had stepped in.
The Deal
That’s what happens when we are not busy. It happens to entrepreneurs, workers, student or retirees. There’s no respect of persons.
Is Your Organization Selling what employees want to buy? The question Gallup posed most certainly creates a pause for both the employer who is searching for top talent and the job hunter who comes with his or her own fair share of what they will or will not accept.
9 Reasons Employees Accept Job Offers
Here are a few things that top talent seek in their next career move:
Great Pay and Benefits (duh)
Environments that are respectful, diverse and inclusive
Great Cultural fit to bolster a sense of belonging
Work in a location that is safe, easily accessible, and aesthetically pleasing
The desire for flexibility –remote or hybrid work
Work/ Life balance. Fast disappearing are those days of long working hours that when they get home they are no use to family or themselves
Financial Stability. People want to work where they don’t have to worry about the business viability as well as their own ability to cover expenses and save for their future
To work with great people (stress-free) and build key relationship with others in the industry
The ability to learn and grow that fosters self-actualization
If you are providing these things as an organization, you are well on your way to attracting and retaining top talent. Seeing gaps? Lets connect to get you you started on the road to improvement.
Likewise, as you reflect on the 9 reasons, what stands out to you? Is there anything you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear.
Get an education. Become a lawyer, doctor, get a cool career! Marry Prince/Princess Charming. Buy that nice big house. Have the perfect kids. These are some of the wishes that moms and dads often want for their children to Jolt them to success or to Restart. But I have always stressed that you should not let anyone define what success means to you. It’s entirely your decision.
Brian Tracy asked the question “What Does Success Mean to You?” Responses came in Opaque forms including:
Doing what I want when I want and helping others so that they can to help themselves
The highest level of success is happiness
Do the right thing and be a great person or human being
Not caring if it is Monday or Friday. Loving every day of the week the same. Having a good relationship with people. Making a difference. Continuously learning and…
The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.
J.P. Morgan
The Regret Minimization Framework is a simple mental model to minimize the number of regrets in the long run. Jeff Bezos after a conversation with his boss asked himself what he would regret more when he was 80 years old: Trying to build something he had strong conviction in and failing, or failing to give it a try? He realized that not trying would haunt him every day (Utkarsh Amitabh HBR).
Walking away from a great job is not an easy decision. I know that because I did it. I walked away from a great career in the pharmaceutical industry. Naturally, this decision came with it’s fair share of ups and downs but when you decide to make a decision based on purpose, all you need to do is weigh the consequences. Like Bezos did, he considered himself at age 80 and thought about it in the context of regret. If you know Amazon, then the rest is history.
As a Certified Professional Coach who specializes in career transitions and people management, I have help many leaders become clear on the next step in their career journey. It may not mean that you want to venture out into entrepreneurship. It might very well be that you want to shift into a new career in the same company or another. I reflect on a client who left his career in the financial industry to venture into a new career in social work. Hmmm, pretty drastic change, right? But the change proved satisfying.
So what’s your plan? What’s your purpose? What’s your passion? Can’t figure it out? Let’s connect.
Have a success story? Do share, we would love to hear.
The most beautiful things are not associated with money; they are memories and moments. If you don’t celebrate those, they can pass you by. – Alek Wek
I love challenges. I set goals, and do everything to accomplish them. Then when I do, I move on to the next goal. As the head of Head of Human Resources for many years, I relentlessly celebrated the achievement of others on the job, but I never stopped to celebrate my own personal achievements. In recent years I came to value the importance of celebrating life’s triumphs. I guess it comes with maturity. There is something gratifying to it. Besides, it leaves a lasting legacy on those close to me.
Oh how to celebrate? The question was asked and many Bravely Expressed and jumped in. But I found Sarah Starrs list of ways to celebrate insightful. Here I share my top favs!
Culture. Dance. Dancehall music. The Study? How does that connect? Curious, I reached out to young 23-year-old filmmaker, Joelle Powe. She shared the intriguing story of her own curiosity that led to her Anthropological Journey through Culture and Dance. A journey of success which exposed her globally to becoming a documentarian. Even before then, she was recognized in Washington DC for her work done in the Caribbean and globally.
Listen to the interesting and delightful conversation. No doubt it will motivate and inspire you.
You get the job of your dreams. They said yes! You’re thrilled. Life’s meaningful. Hmmm but what if it’s terrible challenge? What if I can’t do it? Then fear steps in.
You engage in a new entrepreneurship venture. You’re excited. All seems well with your business idea. Plans go into place. Then you begin to wonder… can I do it? What if I fail? Then fear steps in.
By chance you met the person of your dreams. You date. Get to know each other. Then comes the decision of marriage. A lifetime together. The prospects of little Mini ME’s running around. Oh what joy! But then…what if he/she changes? The questions start mulling around in your head. Then fear steps in.
When Fear Takes Over What Do You Do?
When fear takes over what do you do? You face it head on, that’s what. Don’t let it sweat you. Do what you have to. Think positive. Gain knowledge. Build your confidence. There will always be good times and yep …bad ones too. Enjoy the good. Don’t fear the bad. It’s called life. And life has its ups and downs. But it’s your resilience that will help you get through–that will help you survive. If you are religious, pray. It will quiet your spirit. Exercise. Release those endorphins. Whatever you do face your fear head on in faith.
I procrastinated. Year after year I’d say …I’ll do it next year. But then in my early 20s, during a heated conversation about salary increase my boss shouted “you don’t even have a degree!” That hit me like a ton of bricks. I promised myself that I’d never ever let anyone say that to me again. I was not only gonna get a first degree but also a second.
That’s How You Do It
Today, I have two Masters and a Doctorate.
That’s how you do it. I’m one for a challenge to not only achieve but also exceed. So even though at the time I had several diplomas, certifications and had never stopped studying, I fell short of that industry’s ultimate standard. I limited myself and did not go after the best.
My parents never thought of …nor encouraged me to get a degree. They never had it themselves…
I got the most devastating news. A close friend lost her 15-year-old. She had died of a massive asthma attack. Another friend lost his battle with the dreaded virus after months of organ failure. Yet another suffered as a result of multiple injuries to the body. Luckily she survived.
The media is filled with sad tales like these daily. It becomes harder to bear when it’s those close who are affected. Then there are the tales of things of joy! Weddings, births, graduations and those that warm our heart. These life events are customarily planned with huge anticipation.
And so it should be at regular intervals. For essential self-leadership it is important to pause and reflect. Something necessary to everyone at year end. We should take into account the past year’s success and plan to do things different… a necessity to improve your best. I am a firm believer in the fact that if you don’t look back you can’t move forward (well at least) not strategically. So I have always looked back on the path of my own personal journey and professional growth. As the sayings goes:
To stand still is to be left behind
Oh What A Pandemonium
So in 2021 we could not stand still. Deep reflects brought on innovative thinking to get things done safely as in the midst, many lost loved ones or were stalled by lengthy hospitalization. Work-from-home became the norm and association meetings had to continue. Death-by-zoom set in. It became necessary to find ways to bridge the two…in-person and virtual events. Enter the flexibility of the hybrid model and shared office spaces combined with robots to help ease the so-called labor shortage as employees took flight to become their own boss and take control of their time.
The health system seemed to have lost sight of its purpose. We don’t see sick patients. I was shocked when a doctor’s office said this matter-of-factly. No remorse. Then there was travel. On an unavoidable international trip, time ticked away as I spent days to get the mandated round-trip tests. Naturally, flights were missed. Being vaccinated meant nothing as tricksters began buying and selling fake vaccine cards. Sigh… the tricks never fail.
Oh What Fun it is to Ride
Driving is what I did too. Relocation is fun but getting used to a new area is even more enticing. But when you link the two to get things from the old while simultaneously slowly dragging the new across distances, a merged network becomes essential. Time to make a decision.
Book Signings & Events
Book signings at events such as Miami Book Fair, Keiser University’s Fall Festival, Car Show, Island Space Museum, New York Mets and more were the norm for networking and my coaching prowess. Again merging the new with the familiar and faraway must be faced as myriads of travel ensued.
Interviews With Powerful Women In Reggae
Organizing a Women’s History Month talk with Powerful Women in Reggae was one of my favorites. Matriarch / VP Records Founder Miss Patricia Chin launched her book My Reggae Music Journey and Dr. Claire Nelson of the Institute of Caribbean Studies thought it a great opportunity to bring these well-renowned women together. All in one place to discuss success and their journey. A delight indeed. Missed it? Grab your popcorn or a cup of tea and listen in.
Another fave was presenting to graduates of the Northern Caribbean University. An occasion when I presented on the topic Bust The Fear. Students leaned in and listened while anticipating their personal copies of the books Motivational Quotes for New Entrepreneurs and Your Career: Ditch it Switch it. Nothing brings me more joy than helping others develop and be recognized for their hard work as with the annual 30 Under 30 Recognition of young changemakers in Washington DC, where I serve as Chief Judge.
YouTube Interviews
My natural love for interviewing others around my research topic of Success and leadership continued in 2021. Don’t miss out on the top interviews. You can binge watch for personal growth here
What’s Next For 2022?
The inspirational GreenLight series will find a new addition in the form of new book RedLight, as I continue my writing love. My Safe Place was launched earlier this year with reviews that it has provided hope and meaning to many who use it as a daily devotional especially at this trying time of pandemic woes.
Helping aspiring authors publish their book for the first time is also a passion and will continue into 2022. Don’t hesitate to connect if you are interested in writing your own book or if you or someone you know is interested in a mid-life career change and is afraid to take the first step.
Looking back on the past 12 months, the memories made and the goals tackled, I am again thankful. I now look forward to the future and the expectations ahead. Can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Here’s to you and your family as we wish you health, peace, and hope that all will be well in 2022, and beyond.
