If you are going through a transition (and who isn’t?), take a moment to edit what you carry into your next chapter.
Should I carry my ego? Bring my past career expectations? Continue the FOMO social media loop? If you’d like to leave behind what’s not working, ask yourself:
Does this drain me?
Is this something I want to carry into my future life?
Is it moving me forward or holding me back?
We are all questioning what works and doesn't for who we are becoming.
Three limiting beliefs that might be holding you back from your next move:
Limiting belief #1: You are the same person you were a year ago
Limiting belief #2: You need an entirely new direction
Limiting belief #3: Your next move has to be epic
Limiting Belief #1: You are the same person you were a year ago
Corporate executive-me was stressed, busy, and not very creative. My time as a small business owner has given me a chance to get great at new things. My curiosity has permission to stretch its legs. New skills added to my resume? Video producer, writer and travel planner.
If you've been persistently overwhelmed over the past year, what will you take or leave from the experience? I'd love to hear.
What I’ll hold onto from my past life? Deep professional relationships and saying "yes" to work with purpose and impact.
What I’ll let go of? I have a few projects and clients that I "don't want to carry into my future life." Breaking up has opened up time and energy to redirect into more meaningful work.
What will you keep? Let go of? What does "post-transition you" look like?
Limiting Belief #2: You need an entirely new direction
Are you generally headed in the right direction? Do you need to plug a brand new destination into the GPS or just recalibrate the route?
Early in my career as an analyst, I was responsible for forecasting future financials. Others would review my work and ask questions to gauge the rigor of the models. If you've been involved in forecasting or predictive work, you know these questions well: "How confident are you in your forecast?" "Where is the risk in your model? My standard response to these questions? "My forecast is directionally correct."
As the job market restarts, I see exciting roles opening up in large companies. The direction I chose in 2015 was to build a business, work with people I like on projects with impact. During the past year, I have had the opportunity to work on problems from human rights training to innovation in education. As new opportunities come across my radar, I feel strong and confident that my original aim to build my own business is still "directionally correct."
Limiting Belief #3: Your next move has to be epic
In life, as in product design, there is magic in the minor tweaks between big version releases. What new feature will you add to relieve a pain point in your life?
My favorite example? Wheels on a suitcase.
Photo by Gabrielle Henderson via Unsplash.com
Bernard D. Sadow, a VP at a luggage and coat company, came up with the idea while going through airport customs. Sadow received a patent in 1972, forever combining two things meant to be together: the wheel and the sack. Rolling luggage. The rest is history.
What are the small, accidental changes that will serve yourself?
More sleep? Regular exercise? Holidays at home? Grocery delivery?
These things may seem insignificant and straightforward on the surface but are far from trivial in their impact on YOUR life.
Figuring out your "suitcase wheels" is a small step that can unlock a significant impact on your life. Reframe your limiting beliefs, so they don't stall your next move:
Limiting belief #1: You are the same person you were a year ago
Reframe: You are a constantly changing creation. You get to choose what to let go of and what to carry into your future life.
Limiting belief #2: You need an entirely new direction
Reframe: If you chose a path rooted in purpose and values, you might just need a tiny pivot to head in the same general direction.
Limiting belief #3: Your next move has to be epic
Reframe: Like wheels on a suitcase, maybe a small change will make all the difference to you.
What will you carry forward into your post-transition life?