ARTICLES

As I shared in my previous article "How To Define What It Is You Want To Do In The Workplace", finding a job in general can be a complicated journey, but finding a job which can really fit someone’s aspirations is even more challenging … And actually, for a job to be fulfilling, it needs to match what someone really wants, but then? What do you really want? It’s a tough question I know!

 

As per Professor James R. Bailey who expands widely the importance of self-reflection in his HBR article titled “Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection”, reflection requires sitting with yourself, taking an honest moment to think about what transpired, what worked, what didn’t, what can be done, and what can’t.

Reflection requires courage, engaging in self-reflection helps individuals determine what they should be doing and how to align their actions with their goals. Such introspection can lead to significant insights that impact future behavior and decision-making.

 

Research has shown that reflection boosts productivity as per Jennifer Porter, an executive and team coach who explains this thoroughly in her HBR article titled “Why You Should Make Time for Self-Reflection (Even If You Hate Doing It)”. I personally totally agree with her in what she shares about the fact that we tend to be biased towards action, we somehow believe that action will always lead to some successful result where actually it doesn’t, unless if there was a real time invested in thorough thinking process beforehand.

 

So, you get me, my point here is to convince you in investing this time for you and get started. How can you succeed this pretty basic yet important step?

 

Based on my own experience, readings and research, I would suggest you try the following tips:

 

Tip 1: Identify your motivations.

 

As Simon Sinek explains perfectly in his bestselling book "Start With Why", everything starts with why. Why are you looking for your next move? What is that you feel you’re missing that triggered you to read this article and act on your career path and invest in your professional development? What do you want to achieve at the end of the day and why? Are you interested more by internal motivations (such as finding purpose in your job, following a passion or bring a positive impact to society?) or more by external motivations (such as promotions, financial incentives, job security…etc.)? Be mindful that while external motivations may offer immediate gratification, they often fall short in providing enduring growth and satisfaction.

Embracing the process of self-discovery and understanding your true desires for a professional change is key to unlocking a career path that aligns with your authentic self. Remember, the pursuit of a career that brings you genuine joy and fulfillment is a gradual process that demands patience and honesty. By prioritizing internal motivations over external rewards, you set yourself on a path towards a profession that not only excites you but also nurtures your personal and professional growth.

 

Tip 2: Schedule time.

 

Show to yourself that you are serious about this, maybe as you read my post, you may get inspired to set sometime up in your agenda only for yourself to “think” and reflect back on your professional career path. Make sure you protect that slot of time and don’t give it up to other distractions no matter what. This symbolic act will get you motivated to really kick start the process and stay committed.

 

Tip 3: Self-questioning.

 

Do you feel that you've been constantly running away from making time for yourself? Have you been procrastinating on seizing control of your professional path for too long? It's essential to reflect on your feelings at this stage of your career journey. Are you content but still seeking more growth opportunities? Do you feel stuck in a specialized role, yearning to explore broader horizons? Embrace these emotions, acknowledge and label them as they will provide you with great insights for the next steps in the process.

 

Tip 4: Create inspiration.

 

Grab your paper/digital notebook and start small, start a collection of reads (use my post for instance), conduct your own research, start writing your findings from tip (3) if you lean towards writing or start drawing if you lean more towards visuals.

 

Simply begin by collecting your thoughts and reflecting on your past professional experiences. Starting is the key - the more you dive in, the more confidence you'll gain, keeping you motivated to persist and get inspired, even better to make it fun and not a chore. You don’t have to be perfect; remember, the beauty lies in the transformation journey you create for yourself, not in achieving perfection.

 

Tip 5: Reflect on your resumé.

 

Do you ever stop to think about the stories your resume tells?

Take a moment to review your resumé, what professional experiences were you sharing with pride during interviews to the point that you didn’t want to stop telling your story? And which ones where you usually say much less? And ask yourself why so? Why do some experiences sound like a triumph while others fade into the background? Take time to identify and assess what you like and dislike in your current position, if you were to redesign your career, what would you keep in that resumé and what would you change?

Now, having gone through this process myself, I want to share that this is a messy and long process which needs time not perfection. You therefore don’t have to answer to all my questions above neither write down a dissertation, you also don’t have to follow all the steps in the right order, absolutely not. The aim here is simply to inspire you to pause for real and reflect, because here again, this survey of the past will give you so many insights for actionable steps later.

 

You have about a good week before my next post … So, use this time as an opportunity to apply those tips and act, I hope this article will make you feel inspired as you wait for my next one 😉

Thank you for reading me and for sharing any feedback in the comments section, I’d love to hear from you.

 

Resources: