In the business world, research shows that many professionals do not feel engaged in their current jobs. This could be due to many different factors, but you can take charge of your career. Remember, you are the CEO of your career. No one else will take charge of your professional career for you. You are ultimately responsible for getting yourself to where you want to be in your career and in life.
In order to take charge of your career, it’s important to learn how to control your fears. There are three main tips that I use to control my fears that we are going to share with you:
- Identify
- Manage
- Visualize Success
In the previous articles in this series, we discussed how to identify your fears and manage your fears. This article will focus on how to visualize your success and make your career dreams a reality.
Visualize your success. Visualization is a powerful thing. Both Michael Phelps and Michael Jordan have acknowledged that visualization has been a key to their great success. Visualization allows you to get into a positive mindset conducive to success.
Attitude affects the actions you take, so before you start taking steps in your career and decide where you want to be you have to know who you need to be to get there.
To determine this, we recommend a future self visualization. This is something that we do with all of our clients. A future self visualization consists of thinking about where you will be in 10-20 years. Who will you be and what qualities will you have? Which ones will help you be successful in reaching your career goals? (The future self visualization is excerpted from The Co-Active Coaching book, Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahi, Laura Whitworth)
Complete this sentence: I need to be _________ to reach my career goals. See some examples below:
- Brave
- Willing to take risks
- Confident
Write down at least two qualities that you want to work on now. To help you find inspiration, think about someone you know who demonstrates at least one of these qualities well. Determine how you can imitate them in practical ways.
Once you know who you need to be, it’s time to visualize where you want to be. There are at least three key factors to consider:
- Fulfillment. This is the meaning, or reward you get from your job. Determine what that would mean for you personally. Examples of fulfillment are a sense of accomplishment or the impact you have on others.
- Enjoyment. This represents the extra things you get to do at your job- the icing on the cake. Examples of enjoyment are traveling or mentoring.
- Strengths. These are the talents and skills that you use at your job. Are you using them on a regular basis currently? It’s important to make sure you are using the strengths you enjoy using. Many times career burnout comes from not using enough of the right strengths.
Take some time to think about these three factors at your current job or industry. Are you currently satisfied with the levels of fulfillment, enjoyment, and strengths that you use? If not, what changes do you need to make?
You may find that a few small adjustments are all you need, or you may determine that you need to make a career transition. However, don’t wait to find these factors in the future. Finding these factors now will help you set and reach more meaningful career goals in the future.
Does thinking about the future of your career make you fearful? If so, you may find it helpful to review the previous articles in this series. Write down one action step you can take right now to help you to control your fears.
If you still need help with your fears or career visualization, we are here to help. Contact us today!
Remember, the greatest risk in life is not taking one. Don’t let your fears hold you back from taking charge of your career!
