“WHY CAN’T I HAVE THIS?” or “DO I REALLY DESERVE THIS? are two of the most important questions individuals searching for more fulfillment in both their professional and personal lives almost never ask.
In most scenarios without proper guidance many of us would never know these perplexing riddles ever existed, let alone how to go about finding the answers. What all too often occurs is most of the status quo falls into the mental rut of believing that ultimate fulfillment on the job “REALLY DOESN’T EXIST!” So why bother to even ask the question?
Quite simply, getting “what we can’t have” or “what we truly deserve” involves saying YES to what you most want from your current job or to create your dream job. Most importantly, is to remain open to imagining all the possibilities and tangible realities you’ve never experienced before. Which leads us to the following five guideposts on avoiding missed opportunities:
Opportunity is everywhere for those that stay locked in on a goal. And that’s where the effectiveness of career coaching comes in. A coach can help keep you focused.
A bright young man entered the employment office of a large corporation to apply for an advertised position. Upon arriving, the manager greeted him this way, “But young man, you’re much too late. We’ve already received a thousand applications.” Not to be denied, the opportunistic applicant replied, “Well how about hiring me to help process the applications?”
Never let others talk you out of exploring potential opportunities. The phrase “It can’t be done” takes on a different attitude at Society Expeditions, a Seattle-based travel agency specializing in taking tourists to locales previously thought impossible to reach–destinations like the North Pole. Upon discovering this obvious void in the highly competitive marketplace, the innovative firm began selling high-adventure vacations, grossing over $30 million a year.
Look for new opportunities in old places. An unknown businessman transformed an average Laundromat into a lucrative local hangout by adding a beer bar-”Enjoy our suds while you wash your duds,” was the marketing slogan and his novel idea rapidly became a runaway success.
Those destined for success often times see opportunity where others don’t. Two shoe salesmen dispatched to one of the world’s lesser-developed countries sent two distinctly different reports back to corporate headquarters. One message read, “I’m coming home, nobody wears shoes here. The second, “Great market, everyone’s barefoot, send me everything you’ve got.”
Opportunity is waiting for you, but its up to you to make it happen. Alexander Graham Bell obtained his patent for the telephone by beating another inventor to the patent office by less than ten minutes. The effectiveness of career coaching comes when you make a commitment to yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve your dream.
When you begin to internalize, “Yes, I really can have this,” the realization of career transforming possibilities will open up beyond your wildest imagination. By always remaining on the lookout for potential opportunities you can achieve the ultimate level of working fulfillment where having a job is so much more than just earning a paycheck because “Yes, you truly do deserve this!”