Careers in the age of anxiety

We truly are living in an “exciting” tumultuous time, where; the possibility of ongoing trade wars is real, social/political unrest is ongoing in many corners of the globe… This means, we could find ourselves directly or indirectly being negatively affected by our/their decision, action or inaction, and being blown off-track in your career path making your career goals seem far-fetched.

One of the biggest challenges we face is that we tend to look at things in a binary way: Either we have reached our goals (whatever goal that is) or we have not. But honestly, how many things in life really work like that? We have ups and downs (I assume you know that the success graph is not a linear one), lots of setbacks, and most likely, countless mini-successes along the way. Even the steps of thinking about, deciding, and then setting goals can be celebrated as a success. But unfortunately, almost no one thinks of it that way…

I am sorry to disappoint you but I am not writing about the secret/fast-track to success. There isn’t one, at least, I don’t think so. There is no magical app you can download that will help, however, there are some bite-size steps that one can adopt at any time.

When you feel anxious, it may just be a sign that it is time to change your approach and mindset. Perhaps some of the following thoughts would be helpful in staying true to your core and advancing:

§ Developing a growth mindset. Our belief in “changeability” itself determines a great deal of how we approach success and life in general. The fact that you believe that you CAN grow or change your current situation, is a prerequisite to any strategies you may want to try. Without this belief, success will be out of reach

§ Honestly assessing what is holding you back. A common theme is that we put a lot of effort into something because we think that is what we are “supposed” to do, when in fact it may not really serve us. What if you let go of spending time thinking about what you are supposed to be and instead focused your energy on what you could be. When there is a mismatch it simply leads to frustration, and you are more likely to give up. Be your own life and career consultant, after all, you know yourself best, and your situation better that anyone else

§ Keep investing in the basics. Without a strong foundation and skills (what your future work requires), how can you deal with more advanced/complex challenges?        

§ Embrace adaptability. Adaptability at its simplest means that your career goals can be adjusted/fine-tuned without losing sight of what you want from your life’s work (career). You may find it necessary to take “a step back” to reposition for a forward leap. Rigidity is not a friend, be open to other possibilities, and you may find success more “effortlessly”

§ Accept that your past attempts may not be at all indicative of potential for success. Go into everything you do with fresh eyes and a fresh mind, as though it is your first attempt. It may sound counterintuitive, but having some emotional detachment from your goals can get you further along towards them. Yes, a strong desire for change is great, but be careful that these feelings do not lead to emotional ups and downs. You are in this for the long haul!

In today’s “age of anxiety”, you will make positive changes without the usual frustration even by making one or two of these adjustments as part of your work/life approach.