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February 13, 2009
Reinventing Yourself
Do you remember the story of the little engine that could? It had to haul a huge amount of toys up a very tall mountain, even though there were bigger train engines which said to the little engine, it wasn't possible.
Slowly but surely the little engine huffed and puffed up the mountain saying to itself "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" until it crossed the top of the mountain and started downward to Toy town. Then it told itself "I knew I could , I knew I could, I knew I could."
Well that's pretty much what you're going to have to do in this job market where so many jobs are just disappearing. Like the little engine that could, you're going to have to keep affirming to yourself that you know you have the skills, the experience to find a job.
More and more people are having to reinvent themselves -- find new jobs where the skills they currently have can be transferred to another industry.
According to the book, "Reinventing Yourself - A Control Theory Approach to Becoming the Person You Want to Be" by D. Barnes Boffey, "Reinventing yourself is a process in which you consciously decide which values and principles you want to live by. It is a process through which you go beyond any present confusion and dysfunction and visualize how your ideal self might feel, think and act in the current situation."
In the reinventing process, you ask yourself "If I had the courage to be the person I want to be, how would I handle the present situation."
"The answer to the question then becomes the unifying vision of your behavior. After asking the question and visualizing the answer, the next step is to act as if you are the person you want to be, rather than acting as you are now."
In other words the old maxim from the sixties, as well as, the 12 steps programs you "fake it until you make it."
Dr. Boffey continues, "The assumption is that by focusing on the things you can directly control (thoughts and actions) you will eventually begin to feel the way you want. You will also begin to stay in control of the situations in which you previously believed caused your feelings of fear and anxiety."
You are going to feel frightened, fearful, outright scared and self critical along the process, however as Dr. Boffey states "Acting on a feeling or principle increases its strength. If you act on fear your fear will increase. If you act on courage, your courage increases."
Boffey quotes the late Eleanor Roosevelt, who indeed faked it until she made it to become one of the most revered and beloved First Ladies. She said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I have lived through the horrors, I can take the next thing that comes along."
Here are 6 things to remember:
- As the song goes, "we get by with a little help from our friends."
- Focus on your vision and validate yourself for what you are attempting.
- When it seems too hard, ask yourself, "Compared to what?"
- Long term changes begin with the smallest steps.
- Develop positive metaphors or language when speaking about yourself or thinking about yourself.
- Proceed with faith, your path will open up as you move forward.
I have used Dr. Boffey book to explain this to you but religious leaders, psychologists, business experts say the very same things.
Dr. Boffey tells us, "Your actions are the bricks with which you will finally build your life but your attitudes and beliefs are the tools with which you use to put the bricks together."
Please join this week's conversation:
How would you reinvent yourself if your job disappeared today? What other industries need your skills? Or how would you make a transition to an entirely new field?
Add your comments to this posting
Posted by Liz Seger at February 13, 2009 05:39 PM
Comments
With the tightening economy, the likely reality any jobs created by the "stimulus" will be just that, jobs not career positions and, the fallout of the traditional work environment as many know it, I believe re-invention will be a critical component of any future Career Search both in the short and long term.
Any "Occupational Handbook" available in electronic format and, capable of being searched by a "Key Word" Search Engine is likely the starting place for anyone considering re-invention or re-packing themselves.
The idea? List critical skills possessed then plug them into a "Key Search" of the Occupational Handbook. This effort should come-up with a series of Job categories that require the skills noted and, one can then consider those options.
Many of the more sophisticated Job Search Engines have this function as well, i.e. listing one's key skills and obtaining a list of potential job vacancies from the engine that will utilize those skills.
Posted by: James J. Elekes, M.Ed, MPA, CPM at February 23, 2009 11:25 AM