The real You is about your values, your priorities, and your personality type – among other things. The real You behaves out of true passion instead of fear. The real You realizes when you’re following your heart or following the crowd.
This may seem obvious, but my experience is that clients often don’t understand how important this authenticity is in finding their dream careers. They tend to find a job and fit their personality into it, instead of the other way around. Or they stay in jobs that aren’t a fit because of external circumstances.
Perhaps they think they can’t find another job that pays as well. Or they are simply too afraid to try something new. It’s easy to succumb to the traditional definition of success: a job we’re good at that pays the bills, offers great benefits, and has opportunities for promotion. But this definition overlooks the intangible aspects of success.
Instead of going with the traditional, Angie defined her authentic self as someone who wanted balance in her life, time to spend with her family, and adequate income without working eighty hours a week. Ultimately as a freelance writer she worked from home and was available when her children returned from school. When she needed to interview someone, she met them during school hours. Her work is financially successful and it supports her life – not the other way around.
The benefits of being authentic are immeasurable. You’ll have a job that’s fulfilling, be engaged in your work, and have a sense that you’re proactively choosing your career direction. Authenticity is the quality of being genuine. It is the real YOU.
Action step: To risk transitioning into a new career, you must be fully aware of your strengths. Take a few moments today to consider three of your top strengths and write them down. Ask others what they see as your top three, and write those down too.
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