Think of Career Missteps as Failing up

It happens to all of us.

We all have what we think of as failures, or missteps in our career (and our life).

Whether we:

• Took a job that wasn’t a good fit
• Stayed too long in a toxic work environment
• Put out a program that didn’t take off in the market
• Crossed our boss, or
• Didn’t perform as expected and therefore got overlooked for promotion or even dismissed

We tend to carry the scars – and often, the shame – of these experiences going forward.

In fact, they can color how we feel about ourselves in general. And, frankly, they affect our ability to be successful in the career situations that follow.

Can you relate?

If you are feeling residual crummy feelings for something that hasn’t worked out for you professionally, know that you are not alone and that you don’t have to feel crummy.

Yes, I’m saying that you can break free from the bonds that hold you back.

How?

By extracting the good stuff from the experience – the stuff that carries you forward, delights you and gives you energy – and leaving the rest of it on the cutting room floor. And, by getting into action again.

I know, it sounds too simple, but, it really is as simple as that.

It can be hard to do for yourself, on your own because it’s your stuff, and often, your blind spot, but it can be done.

If you have some emotional baggage related to your current or past work experiences that you would like to, once and for all, put down and move on with your life, know that you can.

The first thing you have to do is to decide that it’s a priority to do this.

Then you need to get into a situation where you have the support to do the work. Whether you enlist a friend, colleague or professional coach like me, enroll someone who holds you in high esteem to walk you through the process of extracting the goodies and leaving the bad stuff behind.

So you can relax into the work and someone else can hold the structure for you, and hold your hand.

When you do the work, you’ll feel pounds lighter and, you’ll free up your psychic energy for that something better that is coming and is just around the bend.