5 myths that control you if you leave your profession
Myth #1: You can't make a livelihood doing something you genuinely enjoy.
The assumption that you can't have a "practical" job doing something you're passionate about is the granddaddy all professional myths. Either way, it's either one or the other.
Fear is at the basis of this misconception. Fear that in order to make a livelihood, we will have to forfeit our happiness. Don't believe the idea that you can't make a livelihood doing what you enjoy.
Many people told me when I initially started coaching that it would be tough to make a livelihood doing this profession. I just resolved to seek out great instructors and learn from them (easy, huh?).
If you accept this myth, consider this: What will you regret the most when you reflect back on your life?Which is more important: following your heart or your fears?
Myth #2: The employment market/economy is tough.
Do not trust what newspapers and other news sources say about unemployment figures being stable, job growth remaining stagnant, or a delayed economic recovery, not to mention downsizing and outsourcing.
It's a myth because it doesn't provide the complete story, including the reality that the work market has changed. The economy is shifting. Transitioning from one job to the next is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.The way people are hired has changed. So the employment market has changed, but that doesn't mean it's become more difficult. It's made more difficult by the fact that we've been sluggish to adapt. We've clung to old habits and ways of thinking. That isn't to argue that the old methods don't work; they just aren't as successful as they once were.
So I dare you to just think that the employment market is ideal for you. I've had many of my college students attempt this for a week, and some of them have found job leads or made critical contacts during that period.
Myth #3: Changing occupations is dangerous
What could be riskier than abandoning your familiarity in order to chase the unknown? Changing occupations entails letting go of a piece of your identity: your "I'm a lawyer" response to the inquiry "what do you do?" It might include acknowledging to yourself that you made a mistake in your first professional decision. It might also mean admitting that you're not sure what's next. And, after all, smart people always know what's coming up next, right?
Nope. Many successful career changers don't have a strategy in place. Herminia Ibarra demonstrated in her book i>Working Identity: How Successful Career Changers Turn Fantasy into Reality/i> that waiting until you have a plan is riskier than just doing and trying.
Nothing is more dangerous than ignoring a strong urge to change careers. This is why: The yearning is unquenchable. It will always be there, lurking under the surface, waiting for you to act.
Myth #4 in the Workplace: Always Have a Plan
It is often prudent and prudent to have a backup plan. Back-up plans are so responsible and mature. What happens, though, if you stand with one foot in and the other out? In my experience, we usually close the door and leave. We are hesitant to commit to ourselves, and as a result, we deny ourselves the pleasure of going all out and becoming messy and sweaty. We're left with sorrow and the nagging wonder of "What if?"
Our energy is diffused through contingency preparations. Diffused energy produces diffused outcomes. Give all you have to your dream/passion/risk, and you'll have a higher chance of succeeding.
Career Myth #5: There is a perfect job for everyone.
Have you been on the lookout for yours for a while? You just have a gut feeling that there's an excellent job out there waiting for you. It's a perfect fit for your personality, talents, and interests. It also pays nicely. If you could only figure it out. You'd know what it was if you only knew what it was.
Is there an ideal job for you out there? No. And here's the good news: there are more jobs that would be "ideal" for you than you can think. Chances are, you've already come close to landing a number of those ideal jobs. So, what went wrong? And how can you spot one of these ostensibly "ideal jobs"?
Have you ever seen the ideal present for someone but it wasn't their birthday for months? Then you can't locate it later when you go looking for it. Another missed chance, and you chastise yourself for not buying it the first time you saw it.
So maybe you've come across a fantastic job in the past, but you didn't take it because of the time. Maybe you were too preoccupied with something else to see an obvious indication. Rather of concentrating on what you can't alter, make a commitment to keep your eyes open and look beyond the apparent.
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