Want weekly emails on top personal growth tips and career resources? Sign up for the Fired Up Friday Newsletter! Below is a newsletter I sent out last Friday to give you a little taste of what you’re missing.
Reflections:
Real Change Comes from Within. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, it may seem like I have it all figured out. I talk about how I jumped from finance to tech and from Boston to New York and travel around world. Everything that I wanted two years ago has come into fruition. This much is true.
But you know what I discovered through all of this? The problems and insecurities that existed within me two years ago, and which led me to these decisions, have not vanished. They have only changed form. Switching jobs, moving to a new city and traveling to Colombia did not change me fundamentally. They were only temporary distractions. I still have days where my mood shifts and my mind races. I still feel insecure at times and lost at others.
The more I work through these challenges and reflect on my emotions, the more I realize the truth to this statement: real change must come from within. I don’t have a clear answer for how this works yet but a few things that have helped me are meditation, journaling, and attempting to live in the present moment. If anything in this passage speaks to you then I suggest you read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I re-listen to this book whenever I’m going through a mental funk.
Career Tip:
Interview Technique: The STAR Method. Are you having trouble delivering a powerful interview to potential employers? If so, you’re not alone. Many of my clients explain this as the number one obstacle that’s preventing them from getting their ideal job. One technique I learned this week from fellow career coach, Danny Ghittis, is to discuss how you overcame a previous challenge by using the STAR method. Use the STAR method when an interviewer prompts you with the inevitable question: “Can you describe a recent challenge in your career and how you overcame it?” By following the format below and thinking through each part of your answer before you go into an interview, you will be able to articulate how you overcame a key obstacle and what you learned from it.
STAR Method:
- Situation: What was a challenging situation in which you found yourself at work?
- Task: What were you required to achieve from the situation?
- Action: What did you do? The interviewer will be looking for information on what you did, why you did it and what the alternatives were.
- Result: What was the outcome of your actions? What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from this experience?
Life Hack:
Turning Wounds into Wisdom. Over the last few weeks I’ve been sharing my most popular Fired Up Friday content on LinkedIn and have noticed a pattern emerge. The posts that contain my most painful personal anecdotes have gotten by far the most engagement. All of the failures and lessons learned in my career, whether a botched presentation or a lost sale, have generated empathy from coworkers and new readers alike.
This pattern has made me realize that each one of us is facing similar internal struggles, and yet we are afraid to share them out of fear that people will see us as weak. But in fact, it takes strength, not weakness, to be able to reflect on and share your wounds with the world. And the best part? By turning your wounds into wisdom you can empower everyone around you who might be going through a similar challenge. I challenge you to be more open about your wounds. Help others by sharing you how you overcame your own failures and what you learned from them.
Book to Read:
Start With Why by Simon Sinek. Why is it that some people and organizations are more innovative and influential than others? Why is it that Martin Luther King Jr. and Apple were able to change the world whereas other civil rights activists and computer companies are largely forgotten? World renowned speaker and author Simon Sinek has an answer for you. The most influential people and organizations of our time, such as King and Apple, all started with why. They realized that people won’t truly buy into an idea or product until they understand the why behind it. Whether you’re looking to be a great leader, start your own company, or simply form a more powerful interview pitch, the “start with why” methodology can help you to influence others. Shoutout to STL Member Mike Shanley for introducing me to Simon’s work. More of a visual learner? You can also watch Simon’s TED Talk here.
Quote of the Week:
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein
