And that’s exactly how I feel about jobs nowadays. No job is guaranteed to last forever, and everyone needs to position themselves as a free agent to survive in this economy.

Careerealism just posted a great interview with Seth Godin (the author of several amazing books on career and marketing, including his newest, Linchpin) called The New Career “Normal” = Get Reckless. I really liked what Seth had to say about changing careers and marketing yourself. Go check it out!

What was surprising to me is that not every career changer is aware of how important this is to their own transition. I cannot tell you how many people I interviewed for shoe design internships that did not follow Fashion Week at all, nor could they even tell me who their favorite designer was! The problem with being unaware is that you are starting out in a new industry about which you claim you are “passionate.” Hmmmm. Are you so passionate that you can’t even read the headlines about the biggest news in your industry?

So keep this little anecdote in mind when you talk about your dream job. Make sure that you show your passion and interest by keeping up to date on the news in your industry. Even better, read blogs and newsfeeds daily so that you can form your own opinions and actually discuss your new industry.

For those of you interested in learning more about Fashion Week here are a few websites that I like:

www.style.com

www.nymag.com/fashion

www.fashionweekdaily.com

If you are interested in shoe design, like I am, be sure to click on the “Details” tab for close-up photos of the shoes and other accessories presented on the runway.

Going Solo – WSJ

This definitely strikes a chord, since I have started a consulting business and my father has too in the last year. There are extremely talented individuals who don’t want to wait for someone to offer them a job, so they take action and make one for themselves.

All the best-

Meghan

The takeaway is that life is really all about state of mind. When I was a shoe design assistant, it always felt odd to say that I was a “shoe designer” because I didn’t believe it. I didn’t own that role. I could easily identify with being a project manager, or operations manager, or technical designer, but not  the more glamorous role of “shoe designer.”

If I had created certainty in my identity as a shoe designer, then I would have worked on my sketching all the time, and honed my craft. Instead I focused on my abilities to manage people and delegate tasks and organize calendars and manage deadlines. I identified that I was a hard worker and that I wanted to build my own business. I knew that I was inherently an excellent boss. Since I believed that about myself, I acted on it. I quit my job and became my own boss, and now I outsource work to my own team of employees.

So imagine who you would like to be and then take ownership of that vision. Take the steps to make it happen. Be aware of the reality that you have created through your thoughts and actions. Plant the seeds of possibility in your brain as a starting point.

All the best to you-

Meghan

Or other times when I’ve switched careers or am looking for a job I’ve thought, “What if I’m not good enough? I have no experience. Why would they hire me? Other candidates must be better than me. I have nothing to offer. What if I blow my only chance at this job? I can’t blow this interview.”

It can go on and on and on and on.

When these thoughts arise, you need to be aware of them, but be very   careful about dwelling on this job negativity. There is a body of research that indicates “you are what you think.” So these negative thoughts create a pathway in your brain. If you think negatively about your job or yourself everyday, this pathway in your brain becomes a huge superhighway of negativity, such that it will be easier to stay in this loop of pain and frustration on a daily basis.

How to handle the negativity:

When you feel yourself getting angry about your job or when you realize that you are saying mean things about yourself, first you have to recognize what is happening. Then create a “stop event.” You need to verbally say “stop.” At the same time, you must change physical position so that you create confidence in your body: either sit up straight in your chair, or stand up straight from your chair, or stand up and go for a little stroll around the office or your home. The physical body change in your posture will become a biochemical anchor for changing your emotional state over time.

After you say “stop” and change your posture to a position that is full of power and authority, you must restate your thought in a way that gives you control over the situation. Some possible statements to use are:

• Since I hate my job, I am going to take action and switch careers. I’m going to start to make my career change today.
• I take responsibility for my own happiness and I’m going to create a job I love/find a job I love.
• Everyone I meet can see my best qualities, because I am willing to talk about them at interviews.
• I can work in any industry that I choose.

I have found using the mental switch of a “stop event”  to be an essential part of helping me to take action and change careers. It is often when we feel the most pain or discomfort that we finally spring into action. So observe the negative thoughts that arise in your mind, and then stop, change posture, and state how you will take responsibility to create the life you want.

All the best to you on your journey,

Meghan

No one can control your success but you. Take control of your life, and put in the effort needed to build the career and lifestyle you want today!

90% of success comes from mindset

10% of success come from knowing and using correct information

This weekend work on training your brain to think successfully by taking time to read an inspirational book on self-development.

Visit my Amazon store for some excellent books on self-development and career development.

In the past seven years, I have felt stuck several times. Frustrated by my job in several ways: Feeling like I was okay at the work, but knowing that I was just doing it for the money. I was not in a career that was matched to my passions.

I would feel anxious and depressed about my career, but I still went to the office everyday with a smile on my face. Inside, I would get stomachaches and heartburn because my body knew that I needed to fix the situation. I would complain to my friends about my job and they would commiserate with me because they hated their jobs too.

Most people want to change careers but are afraid too!

Few people take the leap to a new position or job. Why? Because it takes GUTS. It means that your livelihood will be uncertain for a few months. You may have to pay to go back to school to get the skills you need for the new job.

Take heart in knowing that there is more to life than just a steady paycheck from a boring job. By defining what Success means to you, you will be able to take the risks needed to find satisfaction in your job and career.

I have successfully change careers 3 times in the past 6 years! From doing research for my Masters degree in Materials Engineering to working as Senior Consultant in financial education services to shoe designer and now I am working from home as an entrepreneur and consultant. If I can do it, then so can you!

I have built this website to share all the techniques I have used to transition between very different industries with great success and fulfillment. I look forward to hearing from you as you travel on your New Career Now journey!