Some of my coaching clients complain about developing a career strategy. If they are conducting a large-scale job search, they are even more distraught. Some get completely overwhelmed by the process, while others just procrastinate and hope for the best. My role is for them to see what the end result will be, which is to be in a more fulfilling career where they feel appreciated and happy.
Life is a journey and part of that journey is your career. If you close your eyes and try to imagine what would be the ideal role for you, what would it be like? Are you working in an office or virtual? Do you lead a team or are you a sole contributor? Do you make presentations or instead create the content for others to talk about? Are you part of a team where collaboration is the norm?
By defining the next role in detail, you can free yourself from all the other things that were blocking your career path. As an example, many of my clients seem to think they “have to do this” or my spouse/partner/parent/etc. “He told me that I should do that.” When you get rid of all those thoughts, it allows you to focus on what you want to do. Yes, you may not make a lot of money in the short term if you change industries or roles, but you’ll be much more productive and earn a higher salary in the long run if you’re passionate about what you do in your role. In other words, STOP focusing on short-term problems and instead focus on long-term gains. It works for those who invest in the stock market and it can work for you too.
The twist to all this is people who want to do several things; I am one of those people. I have many interests, so I want to have time to do them all. However, it recently came to my attention that if I want to create a brand for myself so that others can correctly identify/promote/recommend me, I need to choose a few that are most important to me. These may change over time but I have to keep in mind that no one will be able to remember, much less recommend me for ten things! At first I admitted it was frustrating to cut back, but once I did it was a huge relief. I could also promote myself more effectively.
Once you clean a room, you cut your very long hair, you throw away the useless garbage of years, etc. most people will tell you that it feels great. That detachment from the old creates an environment now in which new ideas and opportunities can flourish. My motto is “less is more”. Do the same with your career path and I can guarantee that you will be on the right path to success.