Climbing Your Professional Mountain

"Climbing your professional mountain" is a metaphor that refers to the journey of pursuing significant career goals, navigating challenges and overcoming the obstacles along the way. The ultimate aim of the climb is reaching a high level of achievement or success in your professional life.

Now, I know that sounds very Linkedin worthy and aspirational. For this article we will focus on the "navigating challenges and obstacles along the way" portion.

When you're in the valley success sounds like a pipe dream. What happens when we make the wrong turn? What happens when go one way only to reach a dead end? Or get fired from your dream job? Or the company gets restructured and your department is the first one to go? Or you're aged out of your position? What do we do when something we worked so hard for seems out of our control?

REROUTING...

I recently took a road trip to Huntsville, AL. Even though Alabama is the next state over Google took me from Atlanta to Chattanooga then to a looooooooooong road to Huntsville.

The entire way there it took everything in my power not to turn around and head to I-20 towards Birmingham. The route I was being led down didn't make sense to me, but I had to trust the process.

The trip home was even worse. GPS brought me a way that I would have NEVER agreed to had I known in advance. I had to cross a long bridge over deep water(Worst Fear #1) then down to the bottom of a gargantuan mountain that I had to drive around and over to get home(WORST FEAR #2). However, again there was no turning back. The only way off was to go forward. The only way over was to go through. And on the other side was a small "Welcome to Georgia" sign.

Your Fears = Your Mountain

Did I make it over? Yes. Did I have to talk myself out of 3 panic attacks? Yes. Did I cry? Almost. But did I die? No. As matter of fact I was reborn. A stronger me. I faced 2 of my worst fears at the same time.

A few days after this trip I drove to Nashville for a work training. During one of the breakout sessions we did an activity of Our Career Past, Our Present, and Our Future. The mountain came up in my present. In the activity I realized that I am in the next chapter of life where I've accomplished so much of what my younger self only dreamed of.

I've overcome challenges that used to terrify me. I squashed Imposter Syndrome. I've been rejected for positions, I was copied on emails from hiring managers and saw the things they say about interviewees afterwards(YIKES) and still kept going forward in lieu of it. I didn't quit. I kept going despite failure. Despite embarrassment. Despite a bruised ego. Despite being fired & rejected.

I kept going because I knew my purpose.

Hardships = Character Development for your Purpose

What challenges are you being forced to face right now? What character development has life thrust you into? The mountain isn't there to kill you. It's there to prove you are who you say you are. Prove it both to you and then to others.

But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]. 1 Corinthians 9:20

This verse reminds me of going through career and personal hardships. If you desire to lead others, should you not be forced to deal with a horrible toxic workplace? What good is your testimony if you've never faced any hardship?

If you're finding yourself asking 'Why ME?!" ask instead "Why not me?". Keep climbing your career mountain. The people you're called to lead and serve are waiting for you on the other side.

Sherisse Forrest coaches executives to reach their fullest potential in their careers. If you're committed, coachable and ready for change reach out for a consultation.