An astonishing 50% of American workers are dissatisfied with their jobs – that’s a whole lot of unhappiness leaking out into our workplaces, homes, and communities. This can’t be good for anyone! If you’re among the dissatisfied, check out these simple starting points offered by Now What?® Founder, Laura Berman Fortgang, and get yourself moving toward a better future. Why wait?
career
Finding a Job You Love? Priceless!
Think money is the key to happiness? Think again! Social science research has confirmed something that we know at Now What?® – how much a person loves their job is a critical component to happiness. In fact, there are several aspects of a job that are far more important than salary.
Read on to find out what they are and consider them in your own situation. Is it time for a change? How might this information help you in your quest for what’s next?
Do You Believe? [Video]
I promised you the third installment and here it is: Video THREE is about the third block to clarity: BELIEFS
“But I can’t make a change right now.”
We’ve heard it all.
You can’t make a change because of the money, the mortgage, the college, the debt, the _______________. We don’t doubt there’s truth to that, but we also know there’s a way to get past all those obstacles.
Our third and final video walks you through the third block to clarity- beliefs.
Watch to understand how to get to the other side of the blocks and then JOIN Laura for a chance to do the WHOLE Now What?® Program with her guidance at a fraction of the cost of one-on-one coaching.
One lucky participant will also win a private coaching engagement with Laura. Your registration is your entry ticket to answers and to the GRAND PRIZE.
Thank you for taking part in the 10th Anniversary celebration of Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction!
Please comment below.
Seven-Year Itch
by Now What?® Coaching Founder, Laura Berman Fortgang
On the seventh month of the year, I am reminded about the ‘Seven-Year-Itch.’ If you’re not familiar with that term, it’s usually used in the context of romantic relationships or marriage where the newness is gone and there could be a growing restlessness to explore new horizons. Further back in time, around 1900, it was a skin disease that had a seven-year cycle. It’s also known that every seven years the cells in our bodies have run a cycle and are renewed. And finally, from a personal growth standpoint, we too evolve to a new level every seven years or so.
If you are in a period of career restlessness, take a look at the seven-year cycles in your life. Are you coming up on one or have you just passed one? Then it makes perfect sense that you are crawling in your skin to take on a new iteration.
Imagine a butterfly coming out of a cocoon or a snake shedding its skin. These are great mirrors in nature of what you are going through. The pain of change comes in the resistance to this natural flow or in the fear of what you must let go of to allow the evolution.
RESIST
Are you resisting change? How would you know? You’d busy yourself to not ‘have time’ to make any changes. You may be irritable or avoidant when the subject of taking action to rectify your dissatisfaction comes up. You may have a litany of ‘reasons’ why you are stuck or unable to make a change.
FEAR
Are you afraid of scratching the itch? Most of the symptoms mentioned above also confirm fear but other signs of fear might be resorting to blame or taking on a victim role. Fear could also show up as complete paralysis. No action, no thought, perhaps sleeping too much or finding other ways to numb yourself like drinking, watching too much TV, using drugs or engaging in other less-than-forward-moving habits.
ENDURE
If the ‘itch’ is at the boredom level and has not quite escalated to misery, it’s time to spice things up a bit. Spearhead a project, forge new workplace alliances or network outside of your current world. Challenge yourself by taking on a new task or skill. Do something to grow personally and professionally.
However, if you are approaching misery or have been unhappy with your work life for a long time, the change that’s calling is more radical and avoiding it longer will not help. You always have the option of starting to take small steps to invite change. However, you likely know in your gut, as I do, that it’s time to pull a piece out of the ‘Jenga’ game and let the whole thing fall so that you can build anew.
Something’s trying to emerge. Will you let it?
Use Your Passion to Fill a Need
Here’s a great example of turning a lifelong passion into a successful business. Notice how the founder, Rita Goldberg, not only identified a need (kids learning to swim) but also enhanced the way in which the need is filled by adding to the skills delivered (learning to swim + safety skills). It’s a creative approach that adds value for the people she serves and it’s smart business, too.
How can you use your passion to fill a need?
Perspective from Successful Women
Today we bring you ten women from different professions who reflect on what they’ve learned about being successful. Commenting on work-life balance, overcoming hurdles, and the importance of mentors, each has a unique perspective. If youwere being interviewed for this article, what would you say is the most important thing you’ve learned from your own career about success and work-life balance?
“Career Advice from Successful Women.”

