An Assessment for Career Fulfillment
When it comes to your career, it's easy to take one of two Career Advancement Options:
- Go through your career blindly, taking whatever comes your way
- Overanalyze your career until you find the perfect fit
Career Advancement Option #1 means that you fly by the seat of your pants. While this can be freeing, it means that you aren't in the driver's seat taking control of your career.
Career Advancement Option #2 means that you are working so hard to find the right career, you aren't trusting that the Universe will present you with appropriate career options.
The most difficult one is the yet-to-be-mentioned Career Advancement Option #3. It is a middle-of-the-road and often underused option. Option #3 allows you to Drive with Purpose: find a career that is meaningful and make changes as needed to fit your changing personal, professional, and spiritual goals in life.
After going through a few different careers myself (biomedical sciences, high finance, insurance, and now information technology), I know what I'm talking about when it comes to those three options. I have adopted (and continue to adopt) all three at different points in my life.
- I fall into Career Advancement Option #1 when I am fed up with what is going on and think that my efforts won't make a difference.
- Career Advancement Option #2 becomes a reality if I feel absolutely certain of what I should be doing and want to orchestrate it for myself.
- Career Advancement Option #3, although requiring more effort, brings the most career fulfillment for me and does the best job of meeting my personal, professional, and spiritual needs.
Our human needs can best be described via Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The lower level needs are the more basic ones that need to be satisfied first:
- Physiological Needs
- Security Needs
- Social Needs
- Esteem Needs
- Self-actualizing Needs
Career advancement would most likely fall in Level 4 or 5. In a nutshell, if you haven't eaten, you aren't too worried about personal growth activities!
Until now, I hadn't seen a similar model for assessing our career needs. I came across an article called "Beyond Wall Street and Sand Hill Road: Career Fulfillment for Bright Young Things" by Don Fornes, Founder & CEO, Software Advice. He has a nice breakdown called "A Hierarchy of Career Fulfillment". The article is geared toward young adults entering high finance. I encourage you to read it even if you're in a different industry since it contains some key insights on why we do the work that we do (i.e. it isn't (and shouldn't be) just about money.)
A Hierarchy of Career Fulfillment. Created by Don Fornes, Founder & CEO, Software Advice.
Are you able to answer "yes" to all of these questions about your career? If not, which ones are a "no" for you? Are there other questions that you would include? Or maybe you would place the questions in a different order.
Remember that you won't always be able to answer "yes" to all of these questions. Even if you have a "dream job", there will be days when you wonder what you got yourself into! That isn't always a reason to bail, however. Look at your current situation as a whole. Only you can decide what you need to feel fulfilled.
Try using this model to make it easier to adopt Career Advancement Option #3 allowing you to Drive with Purpose and find a career that is meaningful.
Being Thankful or Showing Off?
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. As a foodie, I love the fact that it has no pretense. It's all about food and fun. Then, comes the shopping and December holiday madness. 
Thanksgiving is also about giving thanks (duh!). So, I thought it would be good to discuss the fine line between being thankful for what you have versus being boastful. This season is an ideal time to show thanks for what you have (and even what you don't have). It's basically about being happy with where you are in your life and understanding that the present serves a purpose.
At what point does being thankful turn into being boastful? When do people feel like you're just showing off? Do you feel uncomfortable talking about your success because you fear that it will be taken away? Do you worry that others will be jealous and not want to associate with you?
I find myself in an interesting position with this topic. As you know, I believe that success is about more than just money. So when I speak of being successful, I'm not saying that I'm rolling in the dough. At the same time as an author focused on success, are others expecting me to be "winning" in all aspects of my life and business 100% of the time?
I would love to hear how other authors, coaches, self-improvement gurus, etc. handle this same topic. Also for the entrepreneurs and professionals who are on their own success journey, how do you handle walking this fine line?
Is it possible to be too driven in your career?
As an entrepreneur, I have no shortage of business ideas. I often joke with my husband that there aren't enough lifetimes for me to live out all the careers I've thought of for myself. Thankfully, I don't try to do everything at once.
I'm sure many of you feel the same way. It does make we wonder, is it possible to be too driven in your career? And what does it mean to be too driven? If you can't rein in all of your ideas and try to do them all at once, what does that mean about your Personality? Do you just always have to be busy doing something?
When I think about things like this, I find it good to come up with a celebrity example. Ryan Seacrest comes to mind. Like him or not, you have to admire his entrepreneurial streak. Even if everyone decided to boycott American Idol, Ryan would not be out of a job. I watched The Oprah Winfrey Show a few months ago and saw him on there. He basically doesn't have a minute to himself. He is building wealth and creating assets. A good thing to do to ensure a secure future. But, I can't help but wonder if he is too driven. What else is he giving up by being so busy? Hopefully he has an exit strategy so that he doesn't have to keep up this schedule forever.
How about you? Are you more like Ryan Seacrest? Are you on the opposite end of the spectrum - not wanting to fill every moment of your day with activity? Or, are you somewhere in the middle?
Feeling Thankful With My Nose to the Grindstone
The past few weeks have been great. You may have noticed that I haven't been writing on my blog or interacting on Facebook or Twitter very much lately. Here's why.
During the summer, we usually experience a lull in our Web development business. Everything is pretty much status quo except for an occasional small project or support request. As we approach August, new projects tend to pick up. This summer has been no different.
I have experienced one significant change in the writing side of our business. We have always offered technical writing and content development services, but for the past 3 years the Web part has taken precedence. We were fortunate enough to get a contract to develop a business school curriculum. Sweet! (Thanks to Peri Pakroo for the referral!) I really feel like this connection was no accident. The Universe re-aligned me and I am feeling thankful.
You see, it wasn't too long ago that I remember telling my husband how much I missed writing. Sure, you'll find that I've had a chance to develop content for our business whether it be for our blogs, newsletters, or Web site. However, there's just something different about doing the work for someone else and helping them reach a goal. I've always enjoyed writing and felt like a piece of me was missing from our business since my focus was diverted to more technical matters.
Since I tend to take on the bulk of the writing work, I have had to shift my schedule and delegate responsibilities differently. The perfectionist side of me tends to come out right around this time. I have to trust that the work that I normally do is being taken care of. So, long story short, I also feel thankful because of the great team of people I work with (including my husband, of course). Things are just clicking and I haven't had to stress about it.
My Spirit is driving and I am enjoying the scenery!
Cruise Control Makes Me Feel Out of Control
As I mentioned in my last post, I had some insights about actual driving and Spirit Driving while on my recent roadtrip. This first one cracks me up.
When we're driving, my husband likes using the cruise control once we're on a nice stretch of highway without a lot of traffic. He always encourages me to do the same. I've used it a few times, but something about it makes me feel out of control. I always worry that I'm going to have to change lanes or slow down suddenly and that I'm going to forget which button to press.
My husband will say, "Don't worry. You know how to do it. Hold down this button to slow down and this one to speed up." Inevitably, when the time comes when I need to accelerate or decelerate, I get flustered and decide to stomp on the gas or the brake. It still accomplishes the same task, but defeats the purpose of cruise control. Then, I tell my husband, "See, I told you I would forget."
The reason this cracks me up so much is that our little exchange about driving is very similar to the way we converse about goals. It's very hard for me to just go with the flow. I'm always trying to plan ahead and anticipate the next step. I feel that I can only get ahead if I'm in control and don't have some outside force guiding me.
But, guess what? There are outside forces that guide all of us. They aren't steering for us, but they do help us to move forward. It might not be at the speed that we want. And it might not be exactly the way that we envisioned. Nevertheless, it's going to happen. And we can't completely control it. Yes, even the author of Driving to Success has to remind herself of this sometimes.
No matter how in control you feel when it comes to your goals, no amount of planning can guarantee "success". I put that in quotes because success defined in this way means getting what YOU want. If you've read my book, you'll know that that isn't the true definition of success. When your Spirit is driving, what you get in the end might look quite different from what you envisioned. But it is exactly where you needed to be.
While in Denver on vacation, I drove past my old graduate school and had a bit of a flashback. I remember going to the lab sometimes late at night and checking on an experiment. I would imagine the day when I would be a professor and have my own lab. Had I continued on that path, I would probably be finishing my postdoc or starting my first job in academia right about now. My goals revolved around that. I hadn't thought about having a family or having my own business in a completely different field.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that I've completely denounced that scientific part of myself. Sometimes I reminisce about my days doing experiments in the lab. I still have plans to incorporate that in my professional life, but in a different way. My Spirit has driven me elsewhere and I'm better for it.
Phyllis Mufson – Catalyst for Personal & Professional Growth
About a month ago, I met Phyllis via Twitter (don't you love social media!). I had been reading her posts for awhile and thought that she might have something of value to offer to my readers. I was right! Phyllis has offered something called "Your Personal Retreat." It includes an article and audio exercises to help you take some time out for yourself and look at your life. You can also do these exercises with friends.
Here's my interview with Phyllis about how she lets her Spirit drive in her professional life.
Hi Phyllis. Thanks so much for offering a bonus gift to my readers. Could you tell everyone more about yourself and your business.
I’m both a career / business consultant and certified life coach with an international clientele of creative and enterprising people. My overall aim is to help individuals develop fulfilling work while growing personally and professionally. I’ve coached and consulted in the career field for more than twenty-three years. I trained as a coach and was awarded certification through the Coach Training Institute and have also completed further training in Co-Active Leadership and Somatic Coaching. I’m qualified in the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), which is a highly validated instrument that identifies individual preferences, and helps clients understand themselves and others better.
I’ve been interviewed in over seventy newspapers including the New York Times and Washington Post and have spoken on career topics on radio and television. Currently I write about Boomer careers for Job-Hunt.org (http://www.job-hunt.org/boomer-job-search/boomer-job-search.shtml) and on personal development for the international women’s service organization Soroptimist: (http://www.soroptimist.org/LiveYourDream/LifeCoach.html).
It sounds like you're busy doing a lot of fun and creative ventures. I'm sure all of this didn't happen overnight. What has your professional journey looked like so far?
In the past I served as director of Career Services at Moore College of Art and Design, and as a marketing and public relations writer. I’ve served on the U. S. board of the Association of Career Professionals International (ACP) as well as the boards of the ACP’s Philadelphia chapter and Business Women’s Network.
A benefit to my clients from my level of experience is that, having worked with so many people, I can usually see into what they are telling me and quickly get to the nub of what is bothering them.
Before beginning my career as a life coach and consultant, I was an artist working in textile design, creating wall pieces, one-of-a-kind fashion, and custom textiles for interior designers. My work sold nationally through retailers from New York: Bergdorf Goodman and Julie’s Artisan Gallery to San Francisco: the “Obiko” art wear boutique, and is held in individual and corporate collections. With my partner Richard Valentino, I founded the San Francisco School and Gallery of Textile Arts, and wrote the book “Fabric Printing: Screen Method.” I was a winner of a National Endowment for the Arts grant in crafts.
I am fortunate that in addition to being a creative person, I’m good at business and I have the ability to think strategically. Since early in my career I have earned part of my living helping other artists and designers earn a livelihood.
Currently I find artistic expression making jewelry. You can see my work online at Personal Treasures http://personaltreasures.etsy.com and Mufi Jewels http://mufi.etsy.com.
Very nice pieces! That's wonderful to have that creative outlet. Since you've had several professional experiences (both paid and volunteer), how did you you decide on the next path to take to get you where you are today?
At a time when I was looking for a new career direction, a light bulb came on when I saw Stand and Deliver
That discovery led me to approach Barbara Sher, a personal growth author and one of the pre-cursors to the field of coaching. Her book “Wishcraft” fascinated me, and I asked her permission to design a workshop based on it. Not only did she give her permission, but to encourage me, she generously introduced me to the audience and had me talk about the workshop the next time she spoke in Philadelphia.
Soon after, I was hired by an international career management firm to lead workshops to help laid-off executives choose a new direction and learn and practice job search skills. Although I was new to the field, they chose me over candidates with training and experience. I discovered later that I was hired because they saw me clearly as ‘a natural,’ and they trained me in their methods. It was an inspired time for me and I felt encouraged by the help and mentoring I received.
I have been given a great gift that has made my life much happier. My work is so well suited to me that it’s a pleasure and I’m always interested in learning and developing more. This is what I want for my clients as well.
Wow, that's beautiful. Talk about everything falling into place! Now that you're doing such great work, what do you use as an indicator of your continued success?
My success is my client’s success, and success for my clients is clearly visible. If they are looking for a new direction; they find out what they want to do and make the transition. If they are looking to grow their business, it is very clear that our work together is productive because their business is growing. If they want a better job, they get hired.
As a result my practice grows almost entirely as a result of referrals. What I am most proud of is there are families where I have worked with everyone, including cousins. First the parents, then the children as they graduated from school, and then again as they matured and grew in their careers.
Thanks so much for your time and sharing your story!
Jennifer Monahan, Author
Jennifer reached out to me via my e-book launch blog post. She was nice enough to vote for me in The Next Top Spiritual Author competition. We share a similar philosophy about education and its role in the journey of life.
Jennifer has written a book about her journey that also has a driving theme, literally. Her book is called An American in Oz: Discovering the Island Continent of Australia. Those of you that enjoyed reading Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Here's my interview with Jennifer on how she lets her Spirit drive in her professional life.
Jennifer, how would you summarize your professional life?
I am a writer and speaker, and I have come a long way from selling stamps for the US Postal Service.
Definitely! Do you remember what you said you wanted to be when you grew up?
A writer. I was 40 when I remembered that tidbit!
Ha! It's funny how it can take awhile to remember those childhood dreams. What has your professional journey been like so far?
Courageous, crazy, and the only thing worth doing.
It's great how you were able to take a courageous trip to Australia and turn it into something that made your childhood dream come true. What was your process of deciding on the next path to take?
I had heard often enough from family and friends, "You should write a book." I decided to listen to those who knew me better than I knew myself at the time. Once I started writing, it was as if I came home to myself and knew it was the only path to take.
That's wonderful. What do you use as an indicator of your success?
How many doors open in the most surprising of places.
Yes, doors do seem to open even when you're not expecting it. You seem like an ambitious person, so how do you decide which door to walk through?
I listen to the voice within, and when I hear the same idea over and over again, I make a commitment to follow through. Right now, it's to put all things aside and make my book into an ebook. Crazy as this sounds, it was my first goal to make an ebook before the pbook (printed version), but the pbook insisted on coming out first. I'm glad it's here, and now it's time for the ebook.
It's great to hear about another author's process. Jennifer, before you go, do you have any words of advice to share with my readers?
Following your heart, taking the road less traveled, takes a tremendous amount of faith, courage, and perseverance. The good news is, it's worth every worry, tear, and angst to get to the other side into freedom. Everyone who has taken this path experiences the same struggle, and everyone experiences the same reward of freedom.
Thank you. Again, Jennifer's book is An American in Oz: Discovering the Island Continent of Australia
And don't forget to purchase my book, Driving to Success: Let Your Spirit Take the Wheel, today (May 20th) to get 8 great bonus gifts (including one from Jennifer)!
Interview with Rebecca Dakota, Visions Video Productions
I had the pleasure of working with Rebecca while serving on a nonprofit board in Albuquerque. Rebecca is passionate about helping local businesses and her current entrepreneurial efforts support that passion. During that time, we had many chances to discuss our spiritual approaches to life. I was pleased to have Rebecca provide an endorsement of my book.
Here's my interview with Rebecca about how she lets her Spirit drive in her professional life.
Rebecca, tell my readers a little more about your business.
I own Visions Video Productions, an independent production company focused on what connects us to each other and the earth. Along with documentaries on social justice and environmental issues, I use my skills to help local business owners have a better video presence on their Web sites.
That an important part of Web sites nowadays. I'm curious how close your current profession is to what you said you wanted to be when you grew up.
I wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic magazine.
Not too far off since National Geographic's tagline is "Inspiring people to care about the planet"! How would you describe your professional journey so far?
A weave of creative/entrepreneurial and community leadership.
As you created your professional tapestry, how did you decide on the next step in your path?
Inner guidance, outer changes, patience and perseverance! I quit a part-time job that was taking too much away from this passion of making videos and movies that matter. After making that decision and taking that leap, a different part-time job fell into my lap and I now have more energy for doing the creative work of movie-making.
How wonderful to have things fall into place like that. When you do make a change like you did, what do you use as an indicator of your success?
Whether I feel peaceful.
Very nice. And I'm sure you continue to set goals for yourself even if you already feel successful. Do you have any special tips for my readers on knowing which goals to drive toward?
I pick those things that have what I call "sparkles" around them -- whether big or small, the things that pull me and energize me become my goals.
Thanks so much for your time, Rebecca. Any other comments or things you would like my readers to know?
I can be reached! My phone # is (505) 858-1868.
Spiritual Themes in “Hot Tub Time Machine”
(FYI: I decided to do this without posting any spoilers. I can't guarantee that those that comment will abide by this.)
The hubby and I took in a movie this weekend. "Hot Tub Time Machine" was hilarious, which was to be expected. Of course, leave it to me to view the movie from a deeper perspective. I found some connections between the movie's themes and what I talk about in Driving to Success: Let Your Spirit Take the Wheel.
I won't give away too much in case you haven't seen it. The basic premise of the movie is about 4 guys who go out of town for a ski weekend in 2010 and magically get transported back to 1986. They argue about whether to act out the same events that happened when they were at this ski lodge in 1986 or to do things differently. It is always fun to think about what our lives would be like if we had a chance to do it all over again.
One of the characters, Nick Webber (played by Craig Robinson), used to be the lead singer in a band. While back in 1986, he realized how much he missed his short-lived musical career. Back in 2010, he had the pleasure of extracting inedible objects from pets - a far cry from his music. Another character, Lou (played by Rob Corddry), was the self-defined screw-up. He was always the one that everyone else had to bail out of self-destructive situations. Adam (played by John Cusack) was unhappy with his love life and began to think about "the one that got away". That leaves us with Jacob (played by Clark Duke), Adam's nephew, who hadn't even been born in 1986. He served as the time travel translator.
There were 3 spiritual takeaways in this movie:
- When you look back on your life, you might find hidden dreams that you want to realize now.
- It often takes an unexpected, life-changing event to jolt you out of mediocrity.
- Even when it feels like you've hit rock bottom, you can turn your luck (and your life) around.
"Hot Tub Time Machine" was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon even if you weren't looking for any spiritual themes. Did anyone else see it? What did you think?
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About the Author
~ Leila Johnson, Founder of Spirit Driving Institute and Creator of the Drive. Align. Shift. Program
~ author of Driving to Success: Let Your Spirit Take the Wheel
~ co-owner of VelaMira, Inc. dba Data-Scribe®, a full-service Web and communications firm
~ mom, wife, foodie
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