Career Reinvention – 7 Tips to Get You Started!
Are you an employee, who suddenly finds it necessary to reinvent your career due to the economy, a layoff or being downsized? Or, do these uncertain times simply inspire you to make a change? Or have you been thinking it’s time for you to have more control over your time, schedule and your life?
If so, you may be wondering if you can make a fresh start without having to start over.
The good news is, YOU CAN! and here’s how:
Feel Your Feelings…
Get angry or frustrated or confused or scared or excited…. It’s natural. It’s even healthy and most of all it’s okay to be scared, nervous and even frustrated. Also no need to deny any enthusiasm. Respect your feelings, but don’t allow your feelings to dictate what you want in life. Move forward. The truth: what you’re feeling is FEAR. It’s the worries about the bills and the
Want to stop feeling burned out?
un-certainty of that pay check. “If you feel major resistance, it’s a sign to stop and dig deeper,” says Joy Tanksley. Pushing through the resistance can lead to losing “contact with our authentic selves, which means we lose contact with our purpose.”
What Do You Have?
Ask yourself (or someone you trust):What do I do better than anyone else? What do people most compliment me on? What do I own or use that makes me unique? Did you know Steve Jobs only successfully completed one class in college? Calligraphy. Today his company, Apple, is built on strong, user friendly graphics. I think he took his passion for calligraphy and turned it into a company worth 25 billion dollars. What are you passionate about? Make the time for yourself to perform an inventory and think beyond your work experience and the skills you’ve acquired but make an exhaustive list of every gift, talent, ability, aptitude or expertise you possess. Find your unique ability and use it!
The Value of Values
Discovering what we value can be elusive especially under the influences of the “shoulds” from society and loved ones. Ask yourself, what is most important to me? Security? Freedom? Independence? Money? One of the most common misconceptions about being successful is having money be the only measure of success. Create your own definition of success based on your values. Create your own image of what you want your life to look like. Living a life of integrity and value is the only way to truly feel good about yourself. Transitioning to your career path based on your values will keep you in alignment with your true purpose in life and will, ultimately, bring you greater happiness and greater reward($).
Transfer-able Skills
Instead of starting something entirely new, you can start by building on what you already know/ have done. Of course to avoid being in the position you are in now, focus on those skills you enjoy using. If you’re an accountant try a transition into independent financial planning; from real estate agent to tour guide, etc. If it worked for you in the past, it could serve you well now. If you crave more control over your time, your schedule and would like to be your own boss, then consider a Profit From Your Passions Consult, by booking your FR’EE Idea to Income Strategy Session here.
What’s the Real “Secret” to Reinvention?
The real secret is focused ACTION on the opportunity that’s right in front of you. It’s the only way to find out if your reinvention is possible and “profitable”. Volunteer, job shadow, temp or take part-time work in a field / business you’ve always been curious about as a career path. The best place to start is to follow whatever you’re drawn to—trust your instincts. Saying “yes” to all opportunities is a powerful expression of self-confidence. It attracts more (and better) opportunities and choices (—you can always change your mind.) What can you say “YES” to today?
Find Support
You’re not alone. There are others just like you and going through the same feelings you’re going through. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, rather asking for help is the fastest path to getting ahead. There are always others in a similar position as you. This is no time to be isolated. Barabara Sher once said that “Isolation is the dream killer!” Networking with others via job-hunting groups or small-business groups leads to new opportunities. No person you currently admire or respect has ever achieved their success without the help of mentors, friends and trusted allies.
Turn Lemons into Lemon Meringue Pie
Fill in the blanks: “If I had no possibility of failing and were thus guaranteed of success I would be / do ……..…” Is the answer what you are doing now? If not, could this transition be the time to make a significant change?
Wanna create a life you love doing work you love? If you enjoyed this article and would like to claim your FREE e-book with 5 TIPS to help you find, create and profit from work you love, click on the link to gain access and you’ll also receive my newsletter, filled with helpful tips to help you master the career transition journey and first dibs on all classes and teleseminars.
This post was written by Charlene Nora, your Profit From Your Passions Coach and Career Transition Mentor, on 04/25/2011.
Use ALL Your Interests To Create The Life You Love!
April 11, 2011 by Charlene · Leave a Comment
Could you have too many Passions or Interests? Don’t choose one, use them all to create the life you love!
Meet Jane. Jane is nearing 50 and has followed one career path her entire life. Although she hated it 5 years into it, it’s what she knows, it’s what she’s comfortable with but now the children have grown, the industry doesn’t look the same and she has so many passions, she’s overwhelmed by the various ideas. Although each choice makes perfect sense to her, her family, friends and even co-workers keep asking when she’s going to get serious and stop day-dreaming.
Is Jane the old woman in a shoe, who had so many ideas, she didn’t know what to do? Do you sometimes feel like Jane?
Which way do I go?
How do you know if you have too many passions?
• Do you become excited by many things at once? Often accompanied by difficulty choosing?
• Do you relish a new challenge? But once challenges are mastered, you are easily bored?
• Do you fear becoming trapped in the same career or activity for life?
• Do you have a pattern of quick, sometimes unsatisfying flings with many hobbies?
If you answered YES to any or all of those questions, you are described as a Renaissance Soul as named by Margaret Lobenstine, author of The Renaissance Soul–Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One. Quite simply, if you keep changing your mind about what you want to do and don’t do anything at all, then it’s ok – you have a lot of interests. That’s all. There’s nothing wrong with you and who says you have to choose one?
The old saying: Jack-of-all-trades, master of none! reveals the bias against those who choose a varied work life rather than committing to a unidirectional path. There was a time, however, when society admired such a person. In fact, some of our greatest contributors have been talented in a variety of areas.
Leonardo da Vinci, painter of masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, also designed and built bicycles, canals, musical instruments and flying machines. More recently, Maya Angelou, best known as an author and poet, is also a successful songwriter, journalist, actress, singer, dancer, civil rights worker and professor. And she speaks eight languages!
There is Nothing Wrong with You
People who recognize themselves in that description often feel that something is wrong with them, that they’re not normal. They may be accused of an unwillingness to be grounded.
If you fit the above criteria, take heart. Support is available to help you embrace your strengths and stop trying to fit into the mold of someone you are not. In fact, your traits make you an ideal candidate for work that requires flexibility, adaptability to change, and a broad skill base. If this article resonates with you, then now may be the time for you to get the support you need to stop trying to be a square peg in a round hole.
Renaissance Souls are often ideal entrepreneurs since they typically wear many hats in their own business. Because of their multifaceted abilities, they may also adapt better in today’s shifting financial climate and global economy. What’s more, their passionate nature and curiosity are truly an asset in any arena! If you would like to become your own boss, based on your varied interests, consider taking action by first booking your FREE Profit From Your Passions Consult.
How to Handle Your Passions
Begin with performing what I like to call a brain dump. List any and all of the things you like to do or are interested in doing. Surround yourself with a positive support team comprised of mentors, coaches, friends and family who are supportive and at least have some idea of what you’re trying to achieve and will celebrate you for who you are and not what you should be. Remember the old saying, “…don’t ask for directions from someone who have never left home … ” Discover and investigate the various ways you can choose to combine your interests into a possible income stream. For example if you love animals, love to be outdoors and enjoy working with older people, ask yourself how can I make money working outdoors with animals and seniors. Don’t ask Can I make money – the first question is always HOW.
Often all it takes is a shift of attitude to embrace your renaissance nature. Learn to honor its ways and you may find that your many talents lead you to a fulfilling, profitable passion-filled life. Often all it takes is getting your hands on the HOW to lead you in the right direction.
Wanna create a life you love? Then claim your FREE guide to weekly tips by clicking on the link to gain access and as a gift you’ll receive my FR’EE e-book to help you turn your career from dull to exciting.
This post was written by Charlene Nora, your Personal Development Coach and Career Transition Mentor, on 04/11/2011.
Green Career? Shorten Your Path in 5 Steps
April 8, 2011 by Charlene · Leave a Comment
- If you aren’t clear where you are going, it’s extremely hard to arrive at your destination.
- If you don’t know what actions to take to get where you are going, you can invest a lot of time without getting any clear results for your efforts.
The key to remember is that there are ways to shorten your journey if you are strategic in how you approach your transition.
Five Strategies to Shorten the Path to Your Green Career
Leverage the Skills You Have – One of the best ways to shorten your path is to figure out how your existing skills are going to be of value within the green economy.
If you don’t know the answer to this question right now, don’t worry! No one does when they first start out.
The first step is to understand what you have to offer.
Then and only then can you look at a variety of green industries and sectors to figure out where your skills, experience, and knowledge fit.
Find out What’s Needed to Excel in Your Target Field – Rather than just focusing on what it takes to get into a new field, pay attention to the best way to succeed! You may not be able to gain the additional skills, knowledge and training all at once, but it will certainly help you make better decisions as you prepare for your transition and your early years in the field.
If you discover you need additional training, do some research to discover the best solution. Talk to a variety of contacts before you leap into a degree program.
Start with a course or two (which is a great way to test that a new field is a good fit for you). Then invest in a conference or a series of webinars. By getting your feet wet, you’ll know more about what you need to learn, where your gaps are, and what’s required to fill out your resume.
If you do decide to take a certificate course or earn a degree, make sure you understand how that investment is going to prepare you to do the work you want to do. If possible, talk with people who have taken the training to see how they’ve leveraged the experience. Go into the program knowing what you are going to do the make the most of your investment of time, money, and energy.
Search for Ways to Build Your Credibility in Your Target Field -One of the fastest ways to get noticed in a new field is to become active. Find ways to gain visibility through professional organizations, networking meetings, targeted networking conversations, and social networking. Through your actions, you can gain visibility and catch the attention of key players in the field.
Is this strategy going to produce a job opening tomorrow? Probably not.
It is the quickest way I know to become known and respected in a new profession.
The benefits of getting involved early are many. By being proactive you’ll meet more people, build up a reputation for being active, engaged, helpful, knowledgeable, and well connected. In addition, people will remember you; which is just want you want when you are trying to find your way into a new field.
Demonstrate Your Ability to Have an Impact – Employers hire people who make things happen. They are more likely to take your word for it if you have examples that showcase your impact. As you gain insight into your new industry, your main job is to find opportunities to do what you do best…whatever that is.
At first this might feel like a daunting task. Don’t let yourself feel overwhelmed. Start small by offering to help someone with a project. Perhaps you meet over lunch to brainstorm with them or you help them get connected to the people they need to know.
Say YES! – When offered the chance to work on a project – volunteer or paid – say YES! It’s these small projects that are your ticket to larger, more involved offers. You never know where each YES will take you!
The bottom line – Say YES when given an opportunity to play a role in your new field. When you are first starting out, don’t turn away from an opportunity that seems small. Give it all you have and make the most of each and every opportunity. You never know how your opportunities are going to lead you to the position you are hoping for!
Earn Green by Going Green (…without sailing across the world)
Imagine you’ve left your marriage, you’ve left your job, you’ve left your house and even your beloved little red sports car for one thing. To sail the Pacfic Ocean? Your satellite phone is broken and you have not had human contact for
weeks. The oars are busted and are held together by duct tape. Your little camp stove has had a near death experience. You’ve 
done this because one day while riding your commuter train in, you draft a copy of your obiturary that leads you to wondering… Is there more to life than this? How do I want to be remembered? What’s my legacy? I’m not making this one up. This is the true story of Roz Savage. Roz Savage is a British ocean rower and environmental campaigner. And she details her dramatic career change in her book Rowing The Atlantic.
She made this career change because she had realized after many years, the career path she chose in college just wasn’t turning her on anymore. In fact when she chose that career path, she knew deep inside this is not what she wanted but she was “sensible” and “normal”. Does this remind you of anyone you know? Roz is getting ready to tackle the Indian Ocean and along the way has discovered:
- Living life according to your values makes you happier than a big income and lots of things.
- Caring more about what she thought of herself more than other people’s opinions is the key to success.
- Intellectually, emotionally and intuitively, we have to look after our planet if we want it to look after us.
But what if you love your husband, your home and even your little red sports car? What if the only thing that saddens you and leaves you empty is your job? Can you possibly look after the planet and make money doing what you love? Absolutely!
In fact in my Earn Green Go Green Telesummit, (happening the week of Earth Day -April 22nd) I’m bringing together leading experts in various aspects of the Green Economy to help you focus on your commitment to look after the planet while allowing you to earn green.
Various reports ranging from the local media to Business Week suggest the jobs of the green economy have the power to redirect our current path of environmental decay and create economic opportunity. It’s believed the emerging green economy is capable of producing more than a million jobs, and it’s not only with industries but also creative entrepreneurial pathways as well . It seems the movers and shakers of our day are committed to mining the opportunities that are available, even Richard Branson is going to be participating in the second Creating Climate Wealth Summit, co-sponsored by the Earth Day network.
If millionaires like Richard Branson, Strive Masiyiwa and Michael Haas are engaged in these discussions, shouldn’t you consider exploring the various options available to you? Whether you’re looking to just start a business on the side with little to no start up costs or you want to share your message with the world, I’ll be hosting this line-up so you can see and hear for yourself just what the green economy has in store for you.
Be sure to claim your seat on this informative, high-content teleseries by clicking on this link and claiming your FR’EE spot today!
If you would like to gain the tools necessary to grow your business, to guarantee you can work where you want, doing what you love, be sure to sign up for the Great Job Escape Plan and get access to Finding Your True Calling e-book. A 100 page workbook full of inspiration and exercises to get you to where you know you belong.
This post was written by Charlene Nora, your Personal Development Coach and Career Transition Mentor, on 04/03/2011. To claim your FREE guide to weekly leaps of faith tips click on the link to gain access and claim my FR’EE guide to turn your career from dull to exciting.
Profitable Business You’re Passionate About? YES BUT DO THESE 5…..
March 28, 2011 by Charlene · 6 Comments
Do what you love and the money will follow! Have you ever heard that? Have you tried to do that? Maybe you haven’t taken action (yet) but it sure does sound intriguing – doesn’t it? If you follow your passions, on the path to a paycheck, will the pay day come? YES but only if you follow these rules.
- John Maxwell said it best earlier this year when he said, “If you want to make 2011 your best year ever, create value by adding value to yourself and others.” If your interests, your gifts, your talents are not being used to add value to others, that payday will not come any sooner. Your passion has to make a difference (or solve a problem) if you’re going to get a paycheck doing what you love. So if you are thinking about starting a business and making the leap to becoming self-employed what is your answer to the question: What Difference are You Passionate About Making in Others’ Lives? Valorie Burton believes purpose for your passion, “…attracts opportunities that often lead to… new business. To turn your passion into profit, you must fulfill a purpose that others need or want.”
- Embrace what you don’t know. Because what you don’t know you can learn or better yet, get someone else to do it for you. As an entrepreneur you will be wearing many hats, you’ll be the Marketing, Accounting, Sales and Customer service department. Yet for many, they stay in jobs they hate, dreading the alarm clock, cringing at the thought of their boss demanding another request – which you see no value in – because they lack marketing knowledge, or are uncomfortable with the sales process. Recognizing what you don’t know is the first step. The next step is to learn because it isn’t enough to have talent. In the early stages of your business, improve your skills and knowledge. Those who do will go above and beyond others in their field. Those who do will live the future they were dreaming about because they created it.
- Know How to Make Money. If your initial goal is to replace the income from the job you hate, then don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek out the knowledge about how best to do that. While having passion and purpose is a key to attracting money, making more money also means not being afraid to ask for what you are worth, investing in yourself and spending wisely. Take classes, read books on the subjects you’re hazy on, and learn lessons from those who are where you want to be.
- Be Profit-Driven. I know money isn’t everything but when you are in business, the pillar of success is your ability to make a profit. In the beginning, you may struggle to choose or find a profitable niche (target market) but it becomes easier when you can answer these 3 questions:
- Is my market accessible? meaning, can you find your clients in large numbers and inexpensively?
Get clear on Your Market
- Is my market viable? meaning is the market you’ve chosen large, projected to grow.
- Is my market willing to invest in my business? if you are going to move your hobby to a business, are your potential clients willing to spend money on what you’re offering.
5. Take a Leap of Faith. Fear is the biggest obstacle to pursuing your dreams. The majority of my clients initially insist it is a lack of money, or time, or marketing know-how, or not being comfortable closing the sale but I’ve found the root is fear. It will hold a person in a situation they’re not not happy about and rob them of the future they crave.
What is it that you’ve been wanting to pursue that you’ve been hesitating about? Take baby steps if you have to, but be willing to step out on faith. If you do what you love the money WILL come. Do what you love and create a profitable, passionate business you’ll leap out of bed to do every single day.
If you would like to gain the tools necessary to grow your business, to guarantee you can work where you want, doing what you love, be sure to sign up for the Great Job Escape Plan and get access to Finding Your True Calling e-book. A 100 page workbook full of inspiration and exercises to get you to where you know you belong.
This post was written by Charlene Nora, your Personal Development Coach and Career Transition Mentor, on 03/28/2011. To claim your FREE guide to weekly leaps of faith tips click on the link to gain access and claim my FR’EE guide to turn your career from dull to exciting.
