Eat Your Career

risk

By Leave a Comment

Career Success A to Z: Q is for Quit

Career Success A to Z-Q-Quit

This article is part of a series. Learn more about it and access links to other articles in the series here.

Today’s topic is a deserving one. However, some may wonder what it has to do with career success. After all, winners never quit and quitters never win, right?

I despise that old cliché because it’s flat out wrong in the working world. It creates a stubborn, hardheaded sense of commitment—the kind that inspires people to stay in bad jobs for decades.

Sure, at its heart, this old saying is meant to encourage persistence and discipline, but it often reaches a point of diminishing returns.

Everyone has experienced a time when, regardless of the desire for tenacity, you simply have to stop the bleeding. You have to escape the terrible relationship. You have to quit the job that’s making you miserable, or cut the budget of the project that’s going nowhere, or close the doors on the business that’s proven unprofitable.

Quitting isn’t always a bad thing; often it’s a useful and necessary part of growth. [Read more…] about Career Success A to Z: Q is for Quit

By Leave a Comment

Career Success A to Z: I Is For Initiative

Career Success A to Z (2)

This article is part of a series. Learn more about it and access links to other articles in the series here.

This week, I want to talk about one of my favorite topics: Initiative. This is a critical part of being proactive—another topic I’m passionate about.

In fact, my book, The Proactive Professional, discusses the importance of taking initiative in-depth, and it also addresses how to do it appropriately in the workplace. I believe I’ve actually covered the topic completely in the book, so today, I want to share a short excerpt here.

As you’re reading, it’s useful to understand that I reference a skill called “Intentional Action” which is one of six key components in the Proactive Skillset, a key concept discussed throughout the book. In short, Intentional Action is all about taking timely, deliberate action to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for.

Taking initiative is a big part of that. If you want to be successful in your career, you need to step up and act—without waiting for others to push you, offer direction, or hold your hand. [Read more…] about Career Success A to Z: I Is For Initiative

By 1 Comment

Being Clumsy, Taking Risks, and Shifting Your Story

I’ve probably never mentioned this before (for obvious reasons)…but I’m a little accident-prone.

I’m very good at breaking things, including the occasional body part. I’m awkward and clumsy and inelegant. If something can go wrong, it most likely will when I’m around…and I’ll probably be 100% responsible for the situation.

It’s a real curse, I tell you.

So the other day, I pulled a classic Chrissy and it upset me. I was embarrassed. I felt stupid. I felt defeated by the cruel, cruel world.

I, of course, told my boyfriend as much in a moment of self-hatred and humiliation. And, being an incredibly wise soul, his response went something like this:

“Well, sure, you could be annoyed and embarrassed. Or you could look at it like this: You’re always willing to try things, even if you’re not perfect. You’re willing to take risks. You’re willing to look like an idiot! And that’s awesome!”

I mean…what a great guy, right?? (Even the idiot part made me smile…)

And what a great reminder! We ALL have to shift perspective from time to time. It’s easy to get stuck in your usual “woe is me” point-of-view. It takes effort to think differently. Sometimes, you need a good friend in your life who is willing to help you shake things up a bit—pull you from your narrow, one-lane focus and help you see another path.

Of course, there’s a trick here too: YOU have to be a willing participant. YOU have to be able to see that other perspective as a real option. And yes, that can be hard. REALLY hard. Like kicking-and-screaming-and-“you must be crazy”-hard.

You have to be willing to admit that what you’re seeing isn’t TRUTH. It’s merely your interpretation. You see, there are no “right” perspectives or “wrong” perspectives. There is no single indisputable truth when it comes to interpretation of facts.

The facts are true—and out of your control—but the story you create around them is your own doing. The story is fully within your control.

That means you get to CHOOSE the perspective that works best for you—the one that leads to the best conclusion for you in that moment.

For me, the story that I’m clumsy and accident-prone and inelegant is old news. I’m over it. It doesn’t serve me. So instead, I’m choosing to embrace a new story. The one that says I’m adventurous, a risk-taker, and willing to try new things even at the risk of being imperfect.

That story feels good.

What stories are you creating? What perspectives are you choosing? How can you shift the meaning of the facts you face to create a new story and a new point-of-view that serves you better?

This tool works whether in the workplace or at home so start practicing.

By 1 Comment

What Are You Willing to Risk?

This article is the tenth in a 10-part series on the topic of overcoming career-limiting habits.

I have to admit: I was thrilled, though somewhat surprised, to see “risk aversion” show up on the list of top career-limiting habits a while back. It seems that risk often gets a bad rap in the workplace. But it’s an absolute necessity.

Here’s the hard truth of life: Anything that’s worthwhile is almost always a little risky. There are very few certainties in life that lead to greatness. Growth, success, accomplishment, love—these things require risk. They’re not guaranteed. In order to ever attain them, you have to step out on a limb.

Moving forward almost always means taking a leap of faith.

And I’m talking about faith in yourself.

I think the thing that really holds people back—in their career and in life—is that they don’t have that faith. They’re risk averse because somewhere along the line they stopped believing in themselves.

So they hide. They shrink back. They take the well-worn path, even when it doesn’t lead exactly where they want to go. They settle. Whether out of fear or simply laziness, they sacrifice what they could be and what they could do for what they know.

Risk aversion comes at a very high price, indeed.

That idea of sacrifice is pretty significant when it comes to risk. If you aren’t willing to sacrifice certainty, comfort and safety, you could end up losing so much more.

You sacrifice possibility. Is it worth it to you?

Risk aversion is, by its very nature, limiting—whether we’re talking about your career or anything else. When you’re able to stare risk in the eye and forge ahead, you experience limitless opportunity.

Yes, that includes the opportunity to fail.

But you know what? You’re okay with that. You’ll survive. A little failure never broke you. In fact, it only made you stronger.

So what’s there to be afraid of? What’s there to hide from?

Why settle when you have limitless possibility inside you? Don’t give that up. Don’t sacrifice what could be. Don’t let the world down.

By 8 Comments

Managing Risk During a Career Change

In 1967, two psychiatrists named Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe performed a rigorous study to better understand the correlation between stress and illness. Ultimately, they created the Homes and Rahe Stress Scale, a comprehensive list that ranks the 43 most stressful life events. (You can see the list here.)

While much of the scale is predictable (death of a spouse ranks at the top of the list), there are several surprising things that stand out. One of the most fascinating is that the word “change” pops up in 15 out of the 43 listed events. What’s more, the scale doesn’t indicate whether these changes are good or bad. For example, change in financial state, change to a different line of work, and change in living conditions are all listed. Regardless of outcome—positive or negative—the stress associated remains the same, at least according to this scale.

Why is that? The reason revolves around the very nature of change. As human beings, we are creatures of habit. Any change—good, bad, or indifferent—comes with the potential for danger. We are evolutionarily wired to fear the unknown. After all, when our caveman ancestors disrupted the status quo, their lives were often put in jeopardy. Survival depended on consistency.

So it’s no surprise that career changes are stressful. Regardless of how dramatic the change may or may not be, there is inherent risk. It could be the best move you’ve ever made; it could be a disaster. No matter how well you plan for it or how certain you are that it’s the “right” move, there’s just no predicting the future.

Many people let this inherent risk scare them into staying stagnant. Change—and for that matter, GROWTH—of any kind requires confronting fear, weighing the risk against the reward, and taking a leap of (intelligent) faith. Yes, you may land on your butt once or twice. But it’s all part of the process. You take what you learn, pick yourself up, and try it again.

The best you can do is understand the risk you’re facing. Go in with eyes wide open. Do you have the time, money, capabilities, support, etc. needed to make this change comfortable for you and your family? If not, what’s missing? What are the potential consequences? What can you do to fill the gaps and reduce the risk?

Figure out exactly how much risk you’re willing and able to endure. What’s acceptable? What is too much? What goal are you trying to achieve? What will you give up (or put up with) in order to earn the potential rewards of this goal?

Lastly, manage your attitude toward risk. Know that anything worth doing will involve some level of potential danger. If things don’t work out exactly as you dreamed, you will recover. Shift your perspective and look at change as an adventure, an opportunity for growth. Don’t dwell on the risk.

Photo Credit: ClickFlashPhotos