4 Steps to Conquering Your Career Fears and Getting What You Want in Life

Mindy Thomas
Thu, 09 Mar 2017 13:37:02 +0000

"Nothing is in stone." I remember seeing this quote in my therapist’s office some 20 years ago. These words were actually engraved into a smooth rock. I gasped when I read those words at the time. What I remember the most is that I loved the concept that "nothing is in stone" and found immediate relief from adopting this newfound perspective.

So, when I received a call from a recruiter who literally quit his job this morning because he was sick to his stomach—he simply couldn't go into work another day because of the circumstances—I remembered the stone with the quote.

I know that many professionals out there are filled with heartache about where they are in life. Some are just sticking it out but trying to stay under the radar. Some have given up and simply quit. And some folks are taking serious action to get to the next chapter of their life.

I would like to address the folks who are courageous enough to get off the bleachers to take action and change their current plight, as well as the folks who are merely thinking about it, mulling over the possibilities.

Beginning with Tony Robbins' Ultimate Success Formula (yes, he was my guru from the early '90s), I learned that successful people use this formula consciously or unconsciously. In fact, I became acquainted with Tony’s lessons during a period in my life when I was experiencing a tremendous amount of adversity—not just in my career, but on a personal level.

Back in the early '90s, I set out on a mission to find a way to empower myself through the adversity in my life, and beyond that to face my fears. With four kids at my hip, I became a student of Tony Robbins whose programs produced a paradigm shift for me—on every level. Not only did I walk over 40 feet of burning coals only two weeks after giving birth to my fourth child, I also jumped off of a telephone pole (safety straps and all) like a newly-freed bird that was fighting for her life. By no means am I suggesting that you do any of this crazy stuff.

When I look back, I was simply trying to rebuild confidence and hope when there seemed like none existed. In the most of desperate of times, I tried some pretty outrageous things to prove to myself that anything was possible.

Yes, I "drank the Tony Robbins juice" with active passion, and it worked. At the same time, I know these physical metaphors were used to give me the confidence to find a way out. The question that I had to ask myself was if I could walk on burning coals or jump off a telephone pole, what else could I be possibly do in my life?

A (simplistic) ultimate success formula

I'm deeply grateful for taking those challenges and applying every ounce of determination to get to where I am today. With all that said, here is the simplistic version of the Ultimate Success Formula for you to reflect on while wondering if there is a way out for you.

1. Know what you want. What is most important is to have clarity. Why? Clarity is power. It gives you the reason to fight. It gives you your target to drive toward.

2. Take action. It’s not enough to know what you want. You need to take decisive and strategic action. How many times do you hear someone say that they need to lose weight, get a new job, or stop drinking so much? Until you take action, it’s all just words taking you nowhere.

3. Notice what’s working and what’s NOT working. Indeed, we can take action, but if our actions are not moving us toward our goal, notice why. Dig deep. Don’t hold back. You CAN achieve success if you really want it.

4. Change your approach until you get what you want. Finally, this is the real solution. If you're not getting what you want, change your methodology until you get what you want. Just keep using your creativity to find an alternative way of pursuing your goals and you will get there.

Time to take charge

Now it's your turn. Are you ready to take charge of your life to get what you want? Do you know what you want? What changes do you need to make?

If, like the recruiter who called me this morning, you're desperate to quit your job and are on the verge of jumping ship, you might first want to rethink your situation. Clarity is not just about knowing what you want, it’s also about understanding where you're at and defining a clear action plan.

Keep in mind:

You're never 100% in control.

Man makes plans and God laughs.

Without action, nothing will change.

In the face of adversity, I personally discovered that anything is possible and I took courageous action to achieve my goals. Now as a career coach, I specialize in providing career solutions for challenging times because I want to help my clients become successful. Are you ready to take action and get off the bleachers and into a new game?