Job Satisfaction

Career Change in the Land of Possibility

By Laura Berman Fortgang on October 30, 2022

I was working with a client recently who had 23 years of experience in the mortgage industry. She didn’t think she could do anything else because her resume said she was a professional lender. This client honestly couldn’t imagine any other possibilities.

I had my work cut out for me, but I knew my methods were proven and that we’d find new paths. Above all, as a coach, you know our job is to stand in the Land of Possibility. We can’t believe the “story” that there are no other options.

That doesn’t mean we are out of touch with reality. I’m always telling my clients I’m not going to lead them off a cliff or ask them to run away with the circus. I am here to help them decide where to invest their time, attention, and energy.

Are they investing in what can’t happen? Or are you investing in what CAN happen? Are you investing in what can’t happen or what can? (for yourself)

Consider this —

People often tell me they can’t land their dream job, change careers, reach for their dream income, or start a business because of their age.

Is there some truth to that? Yeah!

But does it serve you to dwell on it? Does the fact that limits exist mean you should sit at home, doing nothing — investing in the impossibility of your next moves? Of course not.

Limitfull thinking won’t get you anywhere.

When you’re a committed pessimist, you are vying for the worst possible outcome — fully vested in proving yourself right. But what if you’re wrong? Why pursue defeat?

This is why it’s important to make a distinction between what’s possible and what’s probable.

Think about it…

When we first created the U.S. Space program, did we think it was probable that we’d make it to the moon on the first shot? Well, it wasn’t likely. But somebody had to think it was possible, or why bother? And look what happened.

Now consider what you’re telling yourself about your career:
”I’m too old.”
“I don’t have the enough experience.”
“Nobody’s gonna hire me.”
“This’ll never work.”

Does investing in this “impossible” thinking serve you? No.

What does serve you is standing in the Land of Possibility.

With my client — the professional mortgage expert I mentioned earlier — we broke down the blocks she was experiencing, and l got her back in touch with all the things she LIKES to do but had stuffed down as impossibilities.

That list came in handy when she found herself facing big industry shifts and a potential layoff two months later.

Rather than staying stuck in the “impossible,” I challenge you to invest your time, attention, and energy into what’s possible too.

I challenge you to do the work and explore the Land of Possibility with clarity and gusto.

Seeking Answers? Look in the Mirror.

By Laura Berman Fortgang on October 16, 2022

Have you ever been stuck in a rut, wondering what you’re doing wrong or what you could do better?

You look everywhere for answers — books, blogs, seminars, friends, therapists, coaches, turning over rocks, praying to god, chatting with complete strangers online.

And you just can’t figure out how to get unstuck.

You think to yourself, “whyyyy can’t I get this right?…reach this goal?…make this change?”

It’s a crummy, lonely, desperate feeling. The longer you let it go on, the worse it gets.

So what do you do when it seems like there’s nowhere left to look?

Sometimes the answer’s right in the mirror.

Sometimes the very thing that’s frustrating you most is something you are doing yourself.

Does nobody ever take your advice? Maybe it’s because you’re always ignoring the advice you’re given.

Not landing a job — any job! — even though you’ve told countless recruiters you can do pretty much anything? Maybe it’s because you don’t really know what you want, so they don’t really know why to hire you.

Can’t find clients because nobody wants to invest in your services? Maybe it’s because you’re not investing in yourself or your business for the services you need.

It might sound like I’m blaming you for what’s going wrong, but I’m not.

I’m simply suggesting that you might need to give more of what YOU are not getting.

You might need to look in the mirror to figure out what that is.

No, you won’t always find the answers there. But it’s another place to look — one that’s most often overlooked.

I know this isn’t the easiest advice to accept, but you’ll thank me later.

So why not get started now?

I want to challenge you to identify the ONE biggest point of frustration in your career or business today. Then take a look in the mirror. Can you see where you might need to give more of what you’re not getting?

To your success,
Laura

How to Make a Tough Career Decision

By Laura Berman Fortgang on October 2, 2022

Figuring out where to go next on your career path is rarely an easy decision.

It often keeps people up at night, tossing and turning, wondering what their next best move might be.

When considering an opportunity, sometimes it’s a clear “hell no!” or “heck yeah!” But more often than not, folks find themselves grappling in the gray — not knowing which way to go.

We’ve all been there.

You make a list of pros and cons.
You ask everyone you know for their input.
You’ll even start flipping coins if you’re desperate enough.

But if you really want to find the best answer, here’s what you need to know —

When you’re nervous about making a career decision, there’s a good chance your brain is working against your best interests.

Your gut is trying to steer you right.

The small voice inside that we refer to as instinct or intuition is pretty spot on. If the idea of pursuing the opportunity feels exciting and lights you up, that’s a big hint that you’re onto something.

But then the fear starts to kick in.

You’ll recognize it when you hear yourself saying, “yeah, but…”

Here’s a tip I learned a long time ago from a career counselor:

“The number of ‘yeah, buts’ you say is in direct correlation to the depth of your fear.” – Adele Scheely

Your fear is simply trying to put on the brakes to keep you safe, but it can keep you stuck if you let it.

‘Yeah, but’ is your logical thinking flexing its muscles.

Let it help you anticipate the obstacles you may face and chart a clear path forward, but don’t let it stop you.

Discernment is important because there’s often another tricky conspirator attempting to push you forward while further clouding your decision-making — your emotional needs.

Are you really excited about this career move because it’s the right thing for you? Or are you doing it in an attempt to fulfill some unmet emotional need — seeking approval, recognition, or validation, for example?

Your emotional needs are aching to be fulfilled, trying to get your attention because you didn’t get enough of whatever it is as a kid.

It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it is something to be mindful of. Don’t let the need to feel loved, heard, or appreciated override good sense.

See what I mean? Not easy.

Career decisions come with real consequences.

Without the ability to work out the decision from a place of awareness and confidence, you can find yourself miles down the wrong path, wondering how you got there.

You may even find yourself walking in circles or hesitant to take the next step because you are already lost. This is especially true if you’ve made poor decisions in the past that got you to a place where you didn’t want to be.

You may have lost some trust in decision-making. So let’s work on that.

In my experience as a coach, I’ve found the best way to reach a healthy decision is to feel your way through it. If you’ve lost touch (or trust) with your gut instincts and intuition, you can learn to tune back in again.

So if you’re grappling with a big decision and want some guidance feeling your way through it, join us over in the Career Clarity and Direction Community on Facebook.

Career Lessons Learned from the Royal Family

By Laura Berman Fortgang on September 16, 2022

We just witnessed the end of an era.

After a lifetime of service to her country, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II came to an end — a sad day for so many worldwide.

We also witnessed a new beginning, as the man we’ve always known as Prince Charles transitioned into his role as King Charles III.

At nearly 74 years old, he’s stepping into a job he’s been planning and training for since childhood. Talk about succession planning!

As a career coach, I can’t help but find this fascinating.

While most of us set out to land a job that best suits us, we often make compromises that land us where we never expected to be. We don’t always get to follow the plan we charted from the start.

When Queen Elizabeth took the throne at age 26, she declared that no matter how long or short her life was, she was committed to being of service.

If you’ve ever been in survival mode, you might find yourself muttering “must be nice.” Being of service is a whole lot easier if paying the bills isn’t at the forefront of your mind. But hear me out…

If you’re finding yourself in a career conundrum right now, with no idea where to turn next, you’ll find your answer in their story.

I know, I know — it might not seem relatable.

But like Charles, you’ve been preparing for something all these years too. Like Elizabeth, you can answer the call to service too. Sure, you don’t have the royal family’s coffers behind you, but we’re all human, and we all have the ability to make the most of our lot in life.

Think about it. Ask yourself:

What do I have? What are my skills? What is my training?
Where are the places I’ve been fortunate enough to be that have prepared me to be of service?
What are the experiences that have built my career and life to this point?

Here’s a hint: The answers aren’t in your resume.

Think about the big picture. Consider what you’ve overcome. Reflect on the things that made you who you are on a deeper level. This isn’t about job titles or tasks completed; it’s about who you’ve become in the process.

We opened up registration for our new and improved (and sweetly priced) Now What?® Experience, where participants will do the “soul search” before the job search with our guidance and support. We close registration Tuesday at midnight eastern. You can still join us there!

Do You Want to Do More Meaningful Work?

By Laura Berman Fortgang on August 24, 2022

If you’re anything like most people, you want the work you do to be meaningful.

Because, hey, if you’re going to spend a good chunk of your day doing something, it may as well be a thing that feels worthwhile.

Yes, the purpose of your job is to pay the bills. But most of us would like to feel as if we’re fulfilling some sort of purpose beyond that in our daily work.
At least that’s what I suspected. And that’s what people typically tell me when they come to me looking for career coaching.

So when I ran a quick poll on LinkedIn recently and my suspicions were confirmed, I wasn’t surprised one bit.

We asked people who were thinking about making a career change what’s most important to them.

It wasn’t salary., benefits, and company culture.

The desire to do more meaningful work was the winner, hands down.

Here’s why I expected this answer…

Human beings are meaning-making animals. Don’t take my word for it; you can trace this idea back to the great philosophers and big thinkers throughout history. Meaning is what sets us apart from the deer and the turtles.

We’re not just out here to survive. We seek to create meaning through how we live our lives.

We want to do work that feels good. We want to do work that makes a difference.

We want to spend our precious time doing work that has a positive impact on ourselves and our world.

It’s a big deal.

But the problem is, if we’ve just been toiling away at a job that sucks the ever-loving life out of us or we’ve just been puttering along in a ho-hum, “decent enough” career…well, we lose touch with what meaningful work even looks or feels like.

So here’s a hint —
What makes you come alive? What lights you up? When do you feel most like yourself? What uses your gifts? When do you feel like you’re being most helpful?

Do more of that!

Take some time to explore these answers for yourself. Once you have some clarity, the equation is simple:

1. Being Yourself + 2. Making an Impact = 3. Doing Meaningful Work

If you’d like to share, I’d love to know what you came up with. Post your comments below.

Should You Soul Search Before the Job Search?

By Laura Berman Fortgang on August 12, 2022

Your teeth are clenched, your stomach lurches, you might even be breaking out in a nervous sweat, but you are proud of yourself for finally applying to a couple of jobs online and reaching out to two contacts that might help in your search.

Why the nerves?

Well, maybe you know it’s time for a change, but you can’t name what you want to do. Taking any action feels better than taking none, but will it get you anything better than you have now? Grasping at straws could lead to another mismatch, but if you take the time to do a little check in with your soul, you will sharpen your job search and get better results.

How do you do that?

I’m tired of hearing professional career guides talk about matching your job search to your values. Not because it lacks validity, but more so because the guidance is vague. There is so much more to the “soul search” part of the job search. It’s about you knowing yourself deeply, and then trusting that you can get the world to respond in kind. I find that once you know who you are, what you’re built to do, and what you want, it’s not that hard to make it happen successfully. (Sometimes, even where you are already working!)

Here are some things to be mindful of:

Triggers/Needs:
You’re human. Your unresolved “stuff” is going to get in the way no matter where you work. Name them to master them.
Themes of Success:
What is repeatable? Where do you easily get results?
Themes of Challenges:
What are the things that grow you and stretch you? Are they surmountable?
Your “Artistry”:
Your “special sauce.” The stuff that no one else can do.
The Outdated Motivator:
MOST of us got where we are to overcome something or prove something that got planted in you as a reaction to something negative a verrrrrry looooooong time ago. You’ve got to recognize it, decide if that motivation still serves you. (HINT: not likely) Replace it with something empowering. Something you can create a future on instead of just reacting to the past.

What you’re good at isn’t always what you’re meant to do, and so many of us are still using the paper road map we were guided by in high school and college. It’s outdated! You need to fine tune your GPS. Don’t skip this step.

Join our next Career Clarity REBOOT September 12-16th (with bonus days September 17th and 18th)