When planning a vacation or any type of journey, most people envision what the adventure will be like. This includes attractions and exhibits that one may experience, new foods to eat, and/or interacting with people from other parts of the country and possibly the world. So why is it that when one thinks about their career journey they think and act in a very linear fashion?
In today’s world especially in the middle of a crisis, you have to possess a radically new mindset. It has to be an active “growth” mindset in terms of expanding one’s horizons – in possibly several different directions. Too often we don’t actively engage in being with others who challenge our thoughts and perspectives but instead we surround ourselves with like-minded people. To truly be successful, it is important to be agile when we are faced with a new problem, situation, assignment, or even a new person joining our team or company. The issue is that we tend to fall back on what we are used to, and comfortable with, which can result from our upbringing or come from other influencers we have accepted into our lives.
To have a magical mindset one must be prepared for the emotions that may come to the surface. Those with high emotional intelligence can usually keep their feelings in check when faced with the unknown. Unfortunately others can’t. The dilemma is that others may perceive a colleague/friend/family member/acquaintance as having high emotional intelligence but in reality, they have never really been in a situation that would cause them to demonstrate otherwise. If you are the type who “wears your emotions on your sleeve” you may need to consider how this is affecting your career. By being too emotional, others may not have confidence in you to handle certain situations or assignments. Conversely if you are very stoic, others may perceive you as intimidating, arrogant, or even mean which also can have a negative effect on your career.
Magic occurs when you finally have that aha! moment and realize that some of your words and actions are actually holding you back from what you desire. Even if you are unsure at times it may be worth the risk of creating an illusion of confidence until you can gain more courage and insight into defining exactly what the next steps are that you want to take. Take a chance, wave the magic wand, and try to have fun along the way. This is what an amazing journey is all about!
