wellness – Be Gallant Coaching

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Have you ever felt stuck in your career because you lack “clarity” or direction?

A lot of us have been there. Matter of fact, a lot of the people I wind up coaching initially express some level of frustration over wanting more career clarity.

And it is frustrating. Because here’s what that leads to:

Stagnation and/or procrastination
Stress and anxiety
Boredom or boreout (yes, that’s a thing and it’s exactly what it sounds like)

But especially that first one. It’s easy to feel kinda lost in the sauce when you start thinking “Where do I go from here?” When you don’t have an answer to that, it’s somewhat natural to just say “…nowhere. Once I figure that out, I’ll get a move on.”

Let’s take a look at that for a minute, though.

The Fog In SF

Have you ever driven through heavy fog? I have because I lived in SF for a while (freakin’ Karl. Yes, its actual name is Karl the Fog. Look it up). It’s disorienting and a little bit scary. Sometimes, you can’t even see the car in front of you.

Here’s the thing you learn about driving through fog, though. As long as you stand still, you’ll never be able to see what’s around you. The only way to gain clarity about your direction and what’s coming is to move.

Standing still and thinking, reasoning, imagining, strategizing, or whatever is going to do you no good. You kinda just have to hit the gas. Lightly and responsibly, but still.

And as you start to move, the road–and environment in general–starts to reveal itself to you.

Finding clarity in your career journey is a lot like that. You don’t have to wait until the fog *hopefully* lifts. The best way to gain clarity is to start moving. You can even do it–you guessed it–lightly and responsibly.

If you’re struggling with finding clarity in your career and it’s holding you back, remind yourself that you don’t have to hit any home runs, get things perfectly right, or land your dream job. Here’s a couple tips:

Take A Small Step

One small yet intentional first step will do. Check out someone’s LinkedIn profile to get an understanding of their path (bonus if you actually reach out to them). Attend a networking event in a field you’re somewhat interested in. Follow the blog of someone who’s writing about relevant stuff. Anything to help expand your knowledge and field of view can be helpful. Engage your curiosity!

Aim For “Good Enough For Now”

The pressure of finding and then landing your dream job is a very high bar to clear. It’s possible, but overwhelming enough to stagnate you. Instead, ask yourself: What would be good enough for now?

What’s a simple next step that would provide me with what I need and set me on a pathway towards better things? A solid stepping stone, in other words.

Good enough for now is not only productive and positive, it’s also much more attainable than identifying and landing that “perfect” job.

Moral of the story: If you want more clarity in your career, you have to DO something. It doesn’t come just by thinking about it.

Take a free course, attend a networking event, do some informational interviews, lurk around on LinkedIn.

It may seem scary, but it’s how you learn to see through the fog.

The Brave Club!

If you’re looking for a way to be more effective in your job search (in other words, get better at landing interviews and jobs), come join The Brave Club!

It’s my group coaching program designed for job seekers. If you’re an educator, leader, or career pivoter, this was built for you.

The Brave Club is a more affordable/accessible coaching option that provides you with community, strategy, accountability, and confidence you can use to more skillfully and successfully navigate the circus that is the job search.

Check out some quick details below:

6 45 minute group sessions focusing on Branding, Resume Development, Job Alignment, and Negotiation
Access to the private Facebook group for members
Regular job search advice straight to your email inbox
Open office hours for you to get specific answers to your questions

Register as an early member by Friday, January 24th and you can get in for only $75!

Click here to learn more and get started with bolstering your job search!

Here’s what someone from the pilot group had to say about their experience in The Brave Club:

I had a great experience for someone that has a non traditional job and has not worked in a corporate environment it definitely made me start to think differently in my current role. I feel more confident having the tools to start applying I am not as scared. I highly recommend anyone to join (already have a few friends that are interested). Come in ready to share job search and interview experiences.

-Alicia S.

This is your sign! Come sign up and let’s get to it. See ya there!

Curious about coaching?

Speaking of small steps, come talk to me! Getting to your next step isn’t always easy. And job searching sucks, especially nowadays.

If you’ve been thinking about exploring the world of coaching, sign up for a free consultation.

We’ll get acquainted, chat about your goals, and discuss how coaching can be the right resource for you. If you’ve been feeling a little stagnant or anxious about how you’re going to land your next job, now’s the time to get active.

Click here to sign up. What do you have to lose? It’s freeee!

Brandon creating a very comfortable environment for me to be honest about my frustration and journey. I felt validated and seen. I also appreciated that we were strategic and tactical. There wasn’t anything “lofty” about our meeting time. There were always take aways, notes, and resources shared.”
Adetola O.

Brandon is a wonderful supporter, provides a space to explore, and asks really thoughtful questions. Invest in yourself! You are worth it, and you will have a great friend to guide you along the way with no judgement.
Kristine L.

Brandon was awesome. He really listened and didn’t just try to keep us on a timeline or a schedule.
A. W.

So there you are, on a cool little outing with your friends: vibin’, slidin’, dippin’, glidin’ around like a feather. Cocktail in hand, you’re making conversation with your best friend’s new co-worker when they look you in the eyes and ask, “So what do you do?”

*Record scratch*

You can’t believe they had the audacity. The impudence. The GUMPTION. Why would they ruin your vibe with THAT question?

You look at them, they look at you:

In your mind, you push them. In reality, you give a quietly frustrated answer and transform into this meme:

Ever been there before? Because I have.

It sucks.

There are definitely many reasons why someone might hate this question, but there’s one in particular that I’ve come across several times now with people I’ve spoken to, and it really stands out to me:

They’re not proud of their job.

It’s more than just not liking it. They find it uninteresting. Uninspiring. In their mind, their work and impact are insignificant.

And because they really feel that way, they assume others will too when told about it.

So being asked that question can feel dreadful, embarrassing, sad. Not because what you do is embarrassing or sad or dreadful, but because you feel that way about it for one reason or another.

Maybe because it’s boring to you. Or because you don’t feel respected by your co-workers, supervisors, students, customers, or whoever. You probably put out high quality work, but maybe your job doesn’t allow you the opportunity to have the impact you want to have. And honestly, I can relate. When I worked in Higher Education, I felt respected by my peers, but I didn’t feel particularly proud of the impact I was having. It didn’t start off that way, but so much of my work started to feel mundane to me over time. I couldn’t stand being asked about my work by friends, family, or new acquaintances.

If you find yourself feeling a little bit annoyed when someone asks you about your job, I have a task for you. Ask yourself this question:

Why?

Go sit somewhere quiet, pull out your favorite wooden pencil (are those a thing of the past now?), and write out some of your thoughts on why you feel that way. If you find that it’s at least in part due to the fact that answering “So, what do you do?” makes you feel kinda small, then I have another question for you to ask yourself:

What about your job or career makes you feel that way?

Do you feel embarrassingly underpaid? Does it feel ridiculously mundane? What’s the pain?

Most of us want to do work that we feel is important and fulfilling. And we want to be able to make a real living doing that work. Is that too much to ask?!

Nah, of course not. Believe it or not, there are real people that don’t mind being asked about what they do for a living. There are people who actually feel excited by it! And I would bet that for many of them it’s because they don’t feel like they’re doing unimpactful work. They’re actually inspired by some of their daily tasks. They wake up in the morning at peace with the work day ahead. They feel good about where they’re at.

So it’s possible. I’ve seen it, experienced it myself, and worked with others who have too. But it can be challenging to get there. If you’ve read this far, I’d guess that you’re already well aware of that.

And I have some news for you: I want to help you get to a place where talking about what you do makes you feel excited.

Schedule a call with me and let’s talk (CLICK HERE). It’s free, it’s one small positive action, and you’ll feel good about it. Let’s start you on the path to being able to answer “So, what do you do?” without the stress and frustration.

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