What Does Passion Got to Do with Career Success?
In my coaching, I often encounter women who “on paper” have all the success and happiness they could have imagined in their younger years. They have degrees from prestigious colleges; they’ve moved up the ladder and are in positions of management and leadership at successful companies; they live in or near exciting cities; they travel; they have the material comforts they desire.
Yet they’ve lost their passion in work and life. They have lost touch with what is meaningful and satisfying to them. And they are tired of watching their life fly by without time to enjoy it.
When they finally decided to reach out for coaching, they’re exhausted, frustrated, and lost. The first words I often hear are, “I know I want something different, I just don’t know what it is or how to find it.”
One of the first ways we begin turning the tide for them is to reconnect them with their passions. Now I know there’s a lot of talk about passions. We’ve all heard that if you “find your passion”, money and happiness will follow. It seems like magic, doesn’t it? Find the elusive “passion” and all will fall into place. But I’m a realist and know that for most of us, it’s not that simple.
So how do we in fact find what will make us happy in our work and life?
1. Look for clues in your past
An exercise I love using with clients is a Personal History. This exercise gives you the opportunity to reflect over your life.
What experiences defined you? What topics or activities were you attracted to as a kid, a teenager, and a young adult? What themes or patterns reveal themselves to you about where you derive happiness and strength?
These are “breadcrumbs” that point you in the direction of your passions, strengths, and values.
2. Pay attention to the moments that make you strong, satisfied and successful
Another challenge I love to pose to clients is to be an investigator of their current lives.
Grab a notebook and carry it around for a week taking note of the moments you enjoy, the times you have a smile on your face, the activities in which you “lose yourself,” the times when you feel strong and you’re using a natural talent or strength. Again, like in the Personal Histories, spend time looking at the patterns, clues and “breadcrumbs” that emerge.
Marcus Buckingham has a great definition of success in his latest book, Find Your Strongest Life. He says, “A strong woman feels successful. And by “successful”, I don’t mean that she is getting prizes, awards, and big fat bonuses – though she might be. I mean that she feels effective and capable.”
Effective and capable. I love that. It implies that we have the opportunity to fill our days with activities that allow us to use and express our unique strengths. That we get to let the best of us shine for all to see and that we’re acknowledged for those gifts. Without the opportunity to express these strengths and find affirmations of these strengths, we can lose our sense of who we truly are.
So once you identify these moments, what do you do with that knowledge?
3. Start adding more of these moments to your work and life
Often times, even after we’ve uncovered these clues, we’re still unsure if these “breadcrumbs” are truly pointing to a lifelong passion we want to build a career upon or simply to something we enjoy in our spare time. But in order to learn the truth, you must dive in and try. Start small if you have to. Change is a process and it comes easiest when you start to build momentum.
Clear your plate of a handful of activities that are out of alignment with your strengths and passions. Slowly add new activities that are in alignment. For example, ask to work on a special project at work, volunteer at an organization that you love, or take a class to learn something new or deepen a skill. Perhaps you look at your hobbies and push them to the next level to see if you want to have them be a bigger part of your life (e.g. an amateur photographer might enter photos in a contest or sell them online or at a local gallery.)
By diving in and trying these avenues out, you begin to grow clarity around your passions as well as increase your sense of happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction in your work and life.
Words of wisdom from Andrea Jung, Avon’s CEO
I had the privilege of sitting on a panel at NYU’s 18th Annual Stern Women in Business Conference on Friday. It was an inspiring day! Prospective students, current students, alumni and other professional women filled the crowd of over 300. There were corporate professionals, non-profit professional, entrepreneurs – all learning and connecting with each other.
The very appropriate theme of this year’s conference was Adaptation: Creating Opportunity on a Changing Environment. And the morning’s keynote speaker embodied the theme perfectly.
Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO of Avon stood out from the crowd of black, navy and tan suits in her signature pearls and red dress. As CEO of Avon for the past 11 years, she is one of the most powerful and influential women in business. From the moment she stepped up to the podium and began speaking, her grace, humility and character had the audience captivated. Her words resonated with all of us and stayed with us throughout the day. She shared her personal story and a few key lessons she learned from mentors and coaches throughout her career.
“Follow your compass, not your clock.”
Like many of us, Andrea Jung wants to make an impact with her work. She shared how she had dreamed of joining the Peace Corp but did the “practical” thing and got a job out of college. But that desire to make a difference and have meaningful and fulfilling work stuck with her until she found her way to Avon.
Not only is she able to put her business acumen and innovative marketing skills to work in reviving the image of “your grandma’s company,” but she is also able to stand behind an organization known for making an impact in the lives of women across the globe everyday. Avon was one of the first, and still one of the few, companies that empower women to become entrepreneurs. Women in all parts of the world are earning money for their families, learning computer skills (all of Avon’s ordering is now done online), and through their independence becoming role models for younger generations. Not to mention that Avon is almost as well known for its charitable work as it is for its products – who hasn’t heard of the Avon Walks for Breast Cancer?
Her choice to have meaning and find passion in her work was put to the test in 1997 when she was passed over for promotion to CEO. Offers from other companies followed and she contemplated jumping ship. An honest conversation with a mentor reminder her of her need and desire to have passion in her work. Her mentor’s words, “Follow your compass, not your clock” helped her decide to stay on at Avon. Passion in her work was more important that having a fancy title. And that authentic and humble choice paid off. A short 20 months later, the job of CEO was hers.
“Fire yourself on Friday and rehire yourself on Monday.”
No matter what your role, there comes a moment in our careers when we need to look ourselves in the mirror and admit the path we’re on isn’t working and we need to change. But as we know, its human nature to resist change and to shy away from admitting we’re wrong. Jung faced this head-on at a critical moment in Avon’s history. She had been CEO for almost 5 years and although the company was making significant strides in turning their image around, it needed to do more if it was going to succeed. Hesitant to admit the strategies she had implemented weren’t working as well as expected, she was stuck watching the company fall behind.
Finally, her executive coach did what not many were willing to do and challenged Jung to have new, fresh eyes for her business or move on. He delivered the message in simple terms – ‘Fire yourself on Friday. Go home and really think about what the business needs to succeed. Hire yourself back on Monday in the new role as Turnaround Leader ready to make bold changes.’ And if she couldn’t do that, it was time to move on because she could no longer clearly separate herself from what the business needed to succeed. Having new, fresh eyes allows us to clearly see what bold changes need to happen.
“Bloom where you are planted.”
Throughout our careers, even the best of us are plagued by a bout of impatience. We want to move up the ladder quicker. We want to find the perfect role for us immediately. We want to make six (or seven) figures in our businesses. And most often, that impatience serves us well in driving us to succeed. However, we sometimes need to be reminded that it takes courage and perseverance to “bloom where you are planted.” This was a lesson Jung learned early on in her career. She was a new grad from Princeton and desperately wanted to be doing important work. She was frustrated with the entry-level tasks her boss had her doing. She even went home one day and declared to her parents that she was going to quit her job. They reminded her of the need to start from the bottom and work your way up. That its sometimes more courageous to persevere in your current situation. And this lesson helped her build the foundation she needed for her later success.
What about these three lessons resonates with you? What choices have you made at the defining moments of your career? What stories do you have to share?
My 4 Favorite Career Change Books
For those of you that know me, you know that I’m a book junkie. My bookshelves are overflowing and I am always looking for recommendations and scoping out my new options on Amazon’s used book list, the library or at my favorite local independent bookstore (Brookline Booksmith).
This week I thought I’d share with you the list of my current favorites around career change – a topic near and dear to all of our hearts. Here are some that inspire me and helped me manage my own career change process (as well as those of my clients).
Escape From Cubical Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur by Pamela Slim – Pam Slim is a business owner, blogger and coach. She spoke directly to my soul with her book (which grew out of her blog). She can inspire even the most drained of us to take a first step towards escaping the gray walls of corporate America. Not convinced, Pam has graciously made Chapter 1 available as a free download from her website, it’s worth the read.
The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris – love him or hate him, Tim Ferris is onto something. There’s no sugar coating, there’s no hand holding. This is a straight up, 
in your face challenge to get off the gerbil wheel and change your life dramatically. I will admit I only know one person personally who’s packed up her belongings in storage to travel the world while she works remotely but even if you don’t want to go that far, this book made me think in a way no other had in a long time.
Now What? 90 days to a New Life Direction by Laura Berman Fortgang – Now What? is a classic. Laura Berman Fortgang was one of the first coaches I know that talked about career change in this way. Her book is practical, easy to use on your own, with your coach or with a 
group of other career changers.
Get Hired Now! A 28-Day Program for Landing the Job You Want by CJ Hayden – CJ Hayden knows how to set up simple and easy systems to make change. As a long-time fan of Get Client Now! (for filling your business pipeline), Get Hired Now! is just as simple to use for managing your job search. She 
gives you worksheets to use, suggestions to choose from and helps you build customized 28-day plans for getting that new job sooner rather than later.
There are many other great books on this topic. What are your favorite books that have supported you through a career change or job search?
Tips to Just Do It!
Yesterday I shared how the end of 2009 got the better of me. I was stuck and I wasn’t moving forward despite my well laid out plans and self-awareness of my fears and doubts. Yet as the New Year dawned, I found myself getting back on track and making progress once again. I’ve been following a few simple tips to get me going again. Here’s how I’m fulfilling my new Just Do It! motto for 2010:
1. Connect to Your Vision: I’m staying connected to my vision of why I’m in business and doing the work I do. Getting trapped in the weeds of everyday life can disconnect you from the bigger picture. Where are you headed in your career and life? What is the impact and legacy you want to leave? How do the things you do e
very day connect you to this path?
2. Take Action: Let’s face it; fear and doubt are usually the reasons we’re holding back and not getting things done. I know it seems counter-intuitive but flip that equation around for the breakthrough you’re in need of. Taking action (even a single, small action) is the best cure I know to break through the paralysis of fear. What action can you take right now to get started? What action can you take after that? Keep going until you have built momentum. And don’t forget to take a moment and celebrate your accomplishments each day.
3. Energize Yourself Everyday: I am making a concerted effort to add “energizers” to my day. I know that getting out of the house and seeing friends, colleagues and clients energize me. I also know that going for a walk, sending a handwritten note to a friend, meditating, and cooking to name a few are things that fill me up when I’m drained from a long day. By carving out 5, 10, 30 minutes somewhere in my day to do one of these, I keep my energy up, my spirits high and I can plug away at even the most unpleasant of tasks on my to do list. What gives you energy? How can you incorporate those things in your day?
How is your energy in 2010? What tips do you have for your fellow readers? What are you doing to keep yourself moving forward?
Just Do It! Advice From Nike in 2010
I’m being haunted by a voice in my head. The longtime slogan of Nike keeps ringing in my ears – JUST DO IT!
It seems to be my emerging theme for 2010.
As 2009 drew to a close, I began to notice in many of my clients, in myself and in those around me a collective “holding back”. Action seemed to take a back burner during the holiday months as the fears of the economy mounted and frustrations of draining, unfulfilling work got the best of us.
For me, it showed up as a kind of paralysis. My list of to do’s was long, yet each day I spent more time staring at my list than I did accomplishing even the most minor of tasks on it. I knew I should be doing more yet there was this feeling of “waiting” that came over me.
“Why start something new now?” the voice questioned, “It’s the holidays. Take time off. Don’t work so hard. Wait until January.”
Was this normal holiday haze or was it something different? The frustrating part for me was that I knew what I needed to do. I had taken the time to plan. I had taken the time to explore my fears and know what my blocks were. But still, there was no action.
As I probed deeper, memories from my last December in corporate America came flooding to my mind and body. The exhaustion caused by the long hours and the push to get the last bit of work done before the holiday break. I remembered my resentment at the late evening and weekend phone calls with my team that crept into my celebration and shopping time. And unconsciously there was this protective part of me that wasn’t going to let that happen this year now that I was my own boss.
But was I stuck in neutral in spite of myself? Was I really protecting myself or was I hurting myself and my business? My guess is that I won’t know until more time passes and I have the clarity of hindsight. (I’ll keep you posted.)
And despite the lack of clarity, something did shift for me. In the days leading up to the New Year, the itch began to grow. I started checking things off my list and getting excited to start work again.
And now that 2010 is in full swing, I am seeing the results of my new Just Do It! motto. How am I doing it? By following a few simple “rules” I’ve learned over the years.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post when I’ll share these simple tips.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you. What was your energy like at the close of 2009? Has that changed in 2010? What are you doing to stay in action and move towards your goals?