Category Archives: Advice from a Life Coach
October 18, 2017 If you’re work’s not your passion…you can still be happy!
It’s important to like what you do, but is it important to love what you do? As in, this is your passion or calling?
While it would be nice if everyone worked in a job that sparked their passion, not everyone is quite so lucky. You might find yourself veering off from your original plan. Or, your interests may change over time and you might begin to rethink what matters to you in a career.
Whatever the case, you can find happiness, whether or not your career is helping to save the world! Try these five tactics:
1. Think about your role from a new perspective.
According to Harvard Business Review, “The four most common occupations in America are retail salesperson, cashier, food preparer/server, and office clerk.” Even though those jobs don’t necessarily sound fulfilling, they absolutely can be. It’s all in your frame of mind. If you think of yourself as serving others, or as a vital component in other peoples’ day, that can throw the job in an entirely new light.
Additionally, if you think of your work as a service to your family—and your lifestyle—that can help you reframe your job’s role in your life. It becomes just one component of a balanced existence.
2. Integrate your passion into your work.
Even if your career isn’t at the center of your passion, you can still integrate the things you love into your work. For instance, if you love to write, see if you can take charge of the company newsletter or typing up correspondence to clients or re-imagining your company’s website copy. Or, if you’re passionate about helping children, offer to spearhead a company competition to raise money to support children in need. Look for little ways to fit in the things you love at work and you just might enjoy heading to the office again!
3. Look for fulfillment outside of work.
Even if your current career isn’t quite in line with your life’s calling, you can still make an effort to pursue your interests outside the workplace. Take community education classes, volunteer, start a side business on Etsy, join a hiking club—whatever you need to keep your passion alive! If you make a true effort to place your interests at the center of your life, you might be surprised by how much time you actually have to pursue them.
4. Consider another career path
Although this is a last resort option, it’s worth mentioning. If things are so bad—if your job is so soul-sucking—that you have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning and getting ready for work, it may be time to consider a major change. It’s a good idea to exhaust your other options before reevaluating your entire career path, but if you’ve tried everything and are still utterly unhappy, that’s probably a sign it’s time for something new. Be sure to consult a career coach before making such a major leap.
If you’d like to work with me to create a custom path to career happiness, please feel free to contact me today. Your career is a huge part of your life and, frankly, you desire to be happy.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: find passion in career, find purpose in career, find your purpose, margaret smith career coach, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, passionate about career, work as passion
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October 11, 2017 You can do (almost!) anything in 90 days
What are some of your big goals? Do you want to earn a promotion? Write a book? Climb a mountain?
No matter how lofty your dreams, you can accomplish them—or make significant strides—in 90 days. It’s all about your mindset. If you put a certain goal at the center of your priorities, you can achieve great things in just three months.
Speaker and author, David Horsager, calls this your 90-Day Quick Plan.
The idea behind creating a 90-Day Quick Plan is this: accomplish one concrete goal in 90 days, using a step-by-step strategy. Horsager claims that 90 days is the “sweet spot” for achieving your goals. It’s a meaningful amount of time, yet not so long that the goal will slip away from you. So, how do you start making significant changes in 90 days?
The first step is to create a tangible goal (or up to three). Horsager advises against focusing on more than three priorities. Otherwise, you’ll be spreading yourself too thin. Ask yourself, “Where am I right now?” and “Where do I want to be in 90 days?”
Then, ask yourself the most important question of all: “Why do I want to make this change or reach this goal?” If you have a clear why, then you’ll have the motivation to accomplish your goal(s) in 90 days. For instance, why do you want to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle? Is it so you can be around for your children or grandchildren in 25 years? Is it so you can feel more confident about yourself?
Another example: Why do you want to learn how to create a website? Is it so your business can grow and blossom? Is it because you want to keep your mind fresh and young?
Whatever reason you choose for your “why” is, of course, a personal one and it should be at the very core of your motivation.
After you’ve figured out your goals and why you’d like to achieve them, ask yourself how you are going to get there. Horsager says to be very specific; make a detailed plan and ask yourself how you’re going to stick to it. He advises people to get extremely detailed with their plan by continuously asking themselves, “How, how, how?”
For instance, let’s say you would like to write the first 50 pages of your memoir within the next 90 days. How are you going to do that?
Maybe you’ll decide to write every day. (That’s great, but how?)
You’ll wake up at 5 a.m. every day and write for an hour. (Ok, excellent plan, but how are you going to hold yourself accountable?)
You will let your friends and family in on your plan so that you’ll be held accountable. (Great, now we’re getting somewhere!)
See the importance of how?
Once you have your plan in place (and you have a clear understanding of the why and the how), get started! You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in 90 days.
Need help formulating your 90 day plan? Contact me for guidance.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: 90 day plan, 90 day quick plan, accomplish in 90 days, achieve goals in 90 days, business coach Margaret Smith, career goals, David Horsager, goal setting, margaret smith career coach, Margaret Smith minneapolis
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September 27, 2017 When your manager is difficult…
They’re always wearing a frown, criticizing staff, and shooting down ideas. They are a storm cloud, blocking out sunny moods and lightheartedness. They are difficult managers.
Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a difficult manager at some point or another. It’s amazing how a single person can sour the mood of an office, isn’t it? Their callous attitude can bring everyone down, deflate motivation, and squash innovation and creativity.
How can you possibly defeat such an energy vampire? Isn’t it easier to simply quit your job and find better management elsewhere?
Even though it can sometimes be difficult to overcome an unsupportive manager, there are a few methods you can try before raising the white flag and heading somewhere else. Start with the following five tips:
Remain calm
The way you react to your manager can have a profound effect. If you return a snippy attitude with snippiness, or if you return anger with anger, you’ll only end up more frustrated. Instead, work on detaching yourself from your manager’s poor attitude. The next time he riles you up, remove yourself from the situation (physically or mentally), count to ten, and think about the encounter logically. Is it worth it to respond in kind? Probably not. Instead, find your inner calm and return childish behavior with calm reason.
Refocus
Although it may take significant effort on your part, it is best to focus on a task, not the criticism. Unless your manager has good reason for her critiques, it is best to let them slide off your back. Strategize and forge ahead as best you can, keeping the goal—not the criticism—at the center of your mind.
Be direct, if possible
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to be direct with your manager. If one of his criticisms seems off-base, ask him to explain what he means and how you and your team can perform better next time. Alternatively, you might try bringing up your feelings in a one-on-one meeting with your manager. Let him know how you’re feeling, why you’re feeling that way, and what would make the situation better. Use the D4 model of feedback as a guide and be sure to bring up specific examples.
You’ll have to be brave to directly face your manager, but honestly, what do you have to lose? Sometimes a direct approach can be a breath of fresh air. It’s possible your manager is unaware of the profound effect of his words and actions and simply needs someone to point it out.
And if your directness completely flops? It may be a sign that it’s time to move on to greener pastures (but be sure to consult a career coach before doing anything too drastic!)
Have perspective
An article by Liz Ryan of Forbes Magazine encourages us to see our difficult managers as minor parts in our lives. She says, “Eventually you reach a point where no manager can make you fearful, because you realize that any boss is just a bit player in your movie. You are the director and the star. You could leave any boss at any moment and it wouldn’t kill you — it wouldn’t be ideal perhaps, but you’ll survive. Keep that in mind!”
Ask what you can do better, specifically
It’s possible your manager’s expectations are simply not aligning with your work. The only way to find out is to ask for specific feedback on specific projects. Small changes in your work may have a big impact on your boss’ attitude.
Be empathetic
If your manager suddenly becomes more grim and angry than usual, it’s possible she’s going through a rough patch in her personal life. Many of us leave our personal struggles at home and cover up hardships as best we can in the workplace. This might be the case with your difficult boss. With that in mind, be empathetic and understanding. Don’t take harsh words too personally. Remain calm and talk to your boss as an individual, not as a brutish machine, out to get you. Your empathy may make all the difference.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: bad boss strategies, career coach Margaret Smith, deal with difficult manager, deal with jerk manager, difficult manager, how to deal with bad bosses, keeping a confident calm, leadership coach Margaret Smith, Margaret Smith life coach, Minneapolis business coach, Twin Cities career coach
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