Image courtesy of www.placementlink.com
When we do something well, others tend to notice. Take the story of a woman who staged her own apartment when she decided to sell it (instead of hiring a pro), only to find it sold for more than the selling price and faster than similar homes on the market. Her realtor noticed her talent and asked the woman to stage other homes. The woman met with similar success and now a few years later is a respected home stager in the field. Lucky, right?
I say it’s not luck at all. It was a choice.
It was the choice of that woman to put herself out there as a professional home stager. She didn’t have a resume full of credentials but she trusted her natural talent and tried anyway.
She could have easily brushed off the realtor’s request with all too often heard statements like, “I don’t have any training in this. How will I know what to do? What will I say when people ask if I’m qualified? This was just a one-time fluke. I don’t really have a talent for this, do I?”
We are experts at talking ourselves out of opportunities. But we can change.
The next time an opportunity presents itself you don’t have to miss out. You can use positive statements instead of negative ones.
Try these: “I must have talent otherwise they wouldn’t have asked me to do this. I trust that if this is the right career path for me, I’ll find a way to be a success. I don’t have credentials but I can learn quickly and develop the experience I need.”
If you have an opportunity to take your career in a new direction but just haven't had the courage to follow through, check out Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Dr. Susan Jeffers. It's one of the career books I recommend. In fact I read and reread this one when I'm afraid to take advantage of opportunities.
Thomas Edison said it best, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” It may look like work but make the right choices and opportunity will look like career success!
Maggie Mistal is a certified career & life purpose coach and the host of "Making a Living with Maggie," which airs every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112, XM 157. Please visit her website at MaggieMistal.com.
From: Rachel Messenger | 6/22/10 at 12:46 pm
Hello Maggie,
I recently left my comfy world of HR management to head out in uncharted waters: my goal is life coaching. It took a long time of looking fear in the face (fear of giving up a salaried position with a company in good financial standing, fear of not being accepted, fear of failing...) to finally admit to myself that I am not only ready for my new journey, but that I'm good enough and that I deserve this.
My hope is that others see your blog and feel the same exuberance and energy I do having leapt without looking back.
Thanks for the positive energy boost this morning!
Yours, Rachel Messenger
From: Maggie Mistal | 6/22/10 at 5:51 pm
Thanks Rachel. I so much appreciate you sharing your success story (as well as the fears you overcame.) Congrats on making the transition from HR to Life Coach!
In hearing your story and those of others who've felt the fear and do it anyway, you really make the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "Do something that scares you everyday" come alive.
Thanks for being an inspiration!
From: Carmel N | 7/9/10 at 7:01 pm
Maggie,
This is so true! Thanks for book recommendation.
Best of luck with the Whole Living affiliation. Your positive energy is infectious.
All the best.