Have you ever been demoted, fired or let go from a job? I have. At the time, I had been doing legal work at an impressive, innovative company. I got paid well, my colleagues were nice, and when I described what I did to other people I put a pleasant spin on things without going into much detail about my part in it. Why?
I WAS BORED AND UNHAPPY
… and more or less sucking at my job. Sure, I would show up on time, socialize with my coworkers, but honestly I was barely there – at least mentally. I didn’t throw myself into work and have fun figuring things out. I put in minimum effort. I gave up easily and turned in so-so work. If I didn’t understand a project, I’d throw the towel in and justify my performance by saying the project was “above me,” something I’d never “get” and, conveniently, something I didn’t care about, so why try that hard on it. Eventually, I was working less than the hours that I’d promised to (and getting paid less too). I had no drive. Zero passion. I was a downer. I thought about leaving and how miserable I was – a lot. So, when the time came for the company to downsize and let go of contractors, it’s not hard to imagine why my name was on that list.
Despite all the complaining, I hadn’t been actively looking for a new job. With the looming prospect of being let go, I realized the scarcity of my options – and that was a scary thing.
I KNEW I HAD TO DEAL
I resolved to figure it out, and I got my coach to help me. As it turns out, the problem wasn’t my lame job or being let go or even the nagging feeling that I hadn’t landed in my dream career yet, despite the years I put into it. I learned that the issue had everything to do with me and my Personal Integrity. I had to ask myself … Did I do the things I said I would do? Were my actions aligned with my dreams? Am I proud of myself? … and answer truthfully.
THE TRUTH WAS THIS: I WAS MOODY
I had been waiting for my job to put me in the right mood instead of me putting the right mood into the job. Basically if I didn’t “feel like it,” I didn’t have to do a great job at it. Of course, “not feeling like it” made the work harder and me unhappier across the board. My coach helped me come to this big realization: I had the power to stop my moods from setting the tone for the type of day I had. This insight hit me like a ton of bricks.
So I had to commit to bringing a different attitude to my new game plan, not just for my career, but for everything else too. My general “not feeling like it” had been affecting every other aspect of my life.
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CREATING A PLAN AND STICKING TO IT WAS A GAME CHANGER
I did it across the board – in my house, in my marriage, and in my own self worth. I was no longer allowed to give power to bad moods and preferences ruling the day. I had to commit myself to bringing real excellence to whatever I was doing, even if it was just emptying the dishwasher. I had to make myself proud and have fun! I made promises with my coach about deadlines for new projects, being proud to put my name on the work I did, revamping my resume, and committing to networking meetings. I used the same approach to make other promises too, around exercise and housework and date-nights with my husband. Fulfilling all of these promises had a huge impact on me emotionally, physically, and energetically. I was beginning to feel proud! Most importantly …
I STARTED TO BELIEVE IN MYSELF AGAIN
When you can’t count on yourself to do the things you say you’ll do in your current position, it’s hard to convince yourself that you’ll be successful at bigger, riskier things. By making good on my promises, building my personal integrity and essentially “dealing with myself” through this work, I landed in a new state of mind.
It worked! I became someone who held my head up high instead of someone who hid at my desk hoping no one would talk to me. The power of this transformation informed my career shift to coaching, which continues to inspire and fulfill me on a deeply personal level.
HOW PROUD YOU ARE OF YOURSELF IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUR RESULTS
… especially when you are starting something new. You have the power to make yourself incredibly proud in any area of your life, from your career to your health to your personal relationships and everything in between. Check out our powerful 12-week Design Your Life Tele-Course to get you started, where you will focus on designing your dreams, getting out of your own way and into the right actions so you can, once and for real, be honestly happy.
If you would like to find out more about coaching, and how to become more confident in your life, schedule a free 30 minute consultation today and discover what’s holding you back from having anything you want.
Love,
Angie
Staff Coach