Turn Your Professional Obstacles into Opportunities

By: Kimberly Virdure-King
Submitted: 2007-01-17 11:43:28
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Your daily grind has lost its groove. Your career is just a job that provides a paycheck. You dream of making a living doing what you most love, yet your thoughts are swiftly put to rest with the reasons you can’t: you need more education, training or experience, you can’t afford to pursue your ideal career or it’s not the right time.

Obstacles have as much power as you grant them - they’re nothing more than perception. Here are a few points to help you wrap your mind around your possibilities for success, regardless of your obstacles.

1. Know Your Dream Busters. Any thought that doesn't support what you most want for yourself is a direct threat to your success. Put thoughts that start with I should, I could, I would, I might or I can't to the test. Let's be honest, these are usually excuses for not going after the prize. Try beginning one of these thoughts with ‘I will …’. Say it out loud without thinking of the reasons why you can't.

2. Take an Honest Look at Your Goals. Hesitation, procrastination and excuses may be a signal that you're not focused on the right path for you. It's not uncommon to pick up other people's dreams without realizing; such as becoming a lawyer to make your parents proud. If you say "I will" and you don't feel enthused about it, consider whether you really want to pursue that course of action.

3. Share Your Intentions. Knowing "you will" accomplish something leads to saying you will. Once you’re clear about your intentions, incorporate them into your identity. Tell your friends, associates, family and even people you meet. Saying "you will" connects you to others who are willing to help you. You’ll also experience a sense of accountability as you become an advocate for your dreams.

4. Turn Obstacles into Opportunities. Consider the actions needed to move past your obstacles the very first steps in working your dreams. Write down each obstacle and develop clear, measurable action steps to move past them. For example: if you haven’t asked for the promotion you want because you need to develop a particular skill set; find a class, teach yourself online or connect with a mentor. Draft a proposal that shows your competency for the desired position. Pitch your proposal. Consider other opportunities by reviving your resume and actively marketing yourself within your industry. Jump out of contemplation by doing something every day to move closer to your professional goals.

If your professional life is nothing more than work, you can’t afford not to move past your obstacles. Commit to taking the steps needed to get to where you want to be. Your perceived obstacles will be replaced with motivation and momentum as you align your professional goals with what you really want for yourself. You'll make more room in your life for success - simply by saying "I will". As you look back, you’ll wonder why you ever thought "I can't".

Kimberly Virdure-King is a Work Life Design Coach who coaches Moms through the challenges of pursuing new professional directions and shaping their careers to support their familial and personal interests. Women are using the resources at http://www.momentacoaching.com to refine their career paths, start businesses and strenghten their negotiation and networking skills. If you're a mother who's serious about succeeding in your business or career, partner with Kimberly to launch a personalized career plan you can work with.

Article source: Expert Articles