Career Planning: Boomers Don’t Retire!
So many people are talking about their life or career after career; their new business idea after business. Work after work life.
Some still call it “retirement” but few are actually retiring!
I personally don’t know anyone who is thinking about just sitting around. Do you?
What I notice is that 20 and 30-something’s are watching this huge generation decide whether or not to continue embracing life while also making room for and embracing the new.
40, 50 and 60- something’s are watching their slightly older friends, especially those 70 and 80 who continue to be very engaged and vital.
Are You Ready for Greater Career Clarity?
In a recent article I discussed Proactive Career Planning. These are career choices that are not reactive to anyone else’s definitions of success. They are also not unconscious acting out of earlier experiences or stories you may have absorbed—about success, money, career, work or other related topics.
Once you get clear on your story you can decide if it is current and true for this stage of your life and career. You can rewrite it if you choose. So take a look at the earlier article, What’s Your Career Success Story and Does It Serve You?
How Do You Define Success?
I don’t know about you, but I always watch the beginning of the Oscars to see what the gals are wearing…too much talk beforehand and little suspense about the winners this year to keep me awake far into the show.
The Oscars are one example of many factors that contribute to a definition of “Success.” With a boatload of cultural pressures (no Life of Pi pun intended) it makes you wonder how actors keep their personal definition of success in view—and if it’s aligned with the cultural expectations.
Proactive Career Planning: What’s Your Career Success Story? Does It Serve You?
Success is so personally defined—and often so unconsciously defined—it’s easy to take “it” for granted in our lives and careers. It’s sometimes easy to miss the satisfaction along the way while waiting to “achieve success.”
Acknowledge the story you tell yourself
You may know what you want and not know why you feel held back from accomplishing your life and career dreams.
You may not know how to break these factors apart in your life or your career planning. That’s often because what you’ve been taught early on, a lifetime of experiences, and the demands of the work world, or your personal world, often confuse your Desire-Needs-Wants-Feelings-Experiencing inner wiring.
A Blueprint for Career Planning Success on Your Terms: 9 Building Blocks You Need
Career planning, preparing for a career change, entail care and coordination of specific components or building blocks. When you’re missing some of these Inside or Outside components, your career structure, you vision of what you want in your career+life will not have a rock-solid foundation on which to stand.
This leads to overwhelm, frustration, and confusion. “Why do other’s seem to have it all, but I don’t?” “Is it me?”
It can lead to self-doubt, not know where to start to make the change you desire: Be it growing in leadership in your company, changing companies, changing careers or something else.
Early Birds
I’m an “early bird”. In recent months it has been totally dark out when I venture out for a 7am swim exercise class or hit my writing desk with cup of coffee in hand. Then suddenly in the past two weeks things have changed! It’s light out…the air is softer…even though it’s still up and down cold here in the Twin Cities it’s melty…and I have a gorgeous male Cardinal singing outside my bedroom window telling me to get up and out of bed every morning! Nature’s lessons…Things change and nothing stays the same.
Dreamer or Plodder? Career + Life Skills If You Are Prone to Extremes
What is Your Response to Career or Life Change?
We each have our unique response to change—especially when it comes to major career change.
Some of you may seek it out, running toward it with open arms. Or you might provoke upsets to create change, but it’s more of a “drama,” and addiction to change rather than career planning with clarity.
For some of you, the thought of career change may freak you out and your “lizard brain” kicks in. You flee! You put your head in the sand. You tough-out a tough circumstance on the job or in a toxic environment. You hope if you just ignore it things will be okay again.
Passion+Happy Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is the annual economic blow-out for expressions of love and caring: hearts and flowers, chocolate and other treats. (Rich, dark chocolate is my favorite!)
The economical trend-watchers and entrepreneurs are tuned in to this holiday.
No matter how you ignore or celebrate this “holiday” I hope you’ll send a little love to everyone you care about. I’d also recommend doing something sweet for yourself—not just caloric—but something to acknowledge just how far you’ve come in the past six weeks since the turn of the year.
Make a list of all the things you’ve courageously tackled since New Year’s Day.
Win Win
Win/Win communication cannot happen when you put issues between you and blame, criticize, or demand.
Win/wins also do not exist when there is too much compromising.
When individuals over-compromise or shortchange themselves by abandoning their desires, they become resentful.
Their identities and sense of self-worth are damaged.
This is true for Business Partners, Entrepreneurial or Professional couples, and for personal relationships.
Who or What Is Your “Roto Rooter” Right Now? Embrace ‘Em If You Want To Grow In Your Life+ Career!
Here’s an invaluable concept if you’re experiencing someone or something in your life bringing up irritating or even huge emotional responses in you. (Is there anyone out there NOT experiencing this?!)
Cleaning Out the Crap!
That person, circumstance or experience is your “Roto Rooter” here to clean out the sh_t. You know it’s a “Roto Rooter” when it brings up all kinds of emotional crap. When you feel downright pissed off.
What do You Need “To Ship?” What’s in Your Way?
You gotta love this guy Seth Godin. Brain, insight, heart, delivers. Go get his book. READ THIS BOOK.
He’s talking to you. And me. And the revolution of creativity and connection that’s happening and how to be a part of it. And why.
He’s talking about courageously putting your self and your stuff, your ideas, your art, your work out there just because you CAN. Because it’s CONNECTION and this is the new era of connection. Because SOMEONE NEEDS IT. Because to STAND OUT, you gotta GET OUT it out there.