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Want to Lead A Successful Job Search? It May Come Down to How Consistent You Are

4/3/2019

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There is a behavior that we rarely hear about when it comes to job searching and that’s consistency. So often we emphasize grander notions such as knowing who you are and what you want, or the more practical details of actualizing your goals, such resume and cover letter writing.  And networking, which is of utmost importance. 
 
It’s true, a successful search is difficult without answering the bigger questions, perfecting your job search materials, or building a responsive network.  
 
Yet, what separates those that succeed from those who don’t frequently comes down not to these elements but the idea that lies in between – the consistency with which you approach executing your plans. 
 
Consistent action is defined by regularity and commitment. Its bedrock is the understanding that even when your most well laid out plans go up in flames, you keep going. When you make the choice to be consistent, you make a pact with yourself to take committed action regardless of how you feel on a given day.  
 
It may be easy to commit when you feel hopeful and optimistic. You probably won’t have much trouble motivating yourself at the beginning stages of the job search.  You’ll know what you have to do. Updating your resume and on-line presence must come before any outreach and usually is a step that can be completed independently.  Reaching out to people you know for informational interviews is a low-risk proposition and relatively straightforward. You’ll meet for coffee to gather intel on your company of choice. You’ll mine for additional networking contacts. 
 
You’ll feel that you are making progress. 
 
But inevitably you’ll hit a bump. Perhaps your outreach to your extended network goes unanswered, or worse yet, you’ll go through rounds of interviews only to get passed over.  
 
You’ll have a bad day. Maybe a series of bad days. No big deal, you’ve been through worse, you’ll tell yourself. 
 
But then another “no” is in your in-box.  Slowly, you start to lose motivation.  Your resolve to keep going begins to waver. Before long, a few weeks go by and the job search is officially on hold. 
 
*Pause*
 
But, wait, this isn’t how you intended it to play out. 
 
And no, the story doesn’t have to play out that way. 
 
After all, remember, you’ve made a commitment to yourself at the start -- to stay consistent and keep going no matter what. 
 
So, you shake the negative stuff off.  
 
You tell yourself that even if you need to take some time to recover, your best shot at success is to continue the outreach as soon as practically possible. 
 
You have a plan and a schedule that you’ve been following all along. A daily commitment -- to research companies and e-mail prospective contacts for x number of hours.  A weekly goal – to attend 2-3 networking events and target 7-8 new contacts per week.  And yes, your other projects need your regular attention – a personal portfolio, a website, or another on-line tool to showcase your professional attributes. 
 
You consistently maintain the pace towards these goals despite the setbacks and despite other life challenges that always tend to creep in the way. You follow through in a dedicated way and keep yourself accountable by setting concrete deadlines and making your commitments public.  You enlist trusted friends, a mentor or a coach to help you stay accountable as well.  
 
Your intentions and your actions are aligned.   
 
You keep taking steps forward. You are slow and steady. It’s not a race, but I think we all know how that story ends. 

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Are You a Doer or a Thinker?

6/29/2018

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The other day I had a conversation with a woman who had to quit her job because of her husband’s relocation. She liked what she did and was good at it, but wasn’t unhappy about leaving.  Having worked in one industry for many years, she was getting bored and ready for a change.  The relocation presented a perfect opportunity to pursue her other interests and build a new career.
 
I loved her attitude and her go-get-‘em approach.  She was well on her way with setting the wheels in motion with the personal side of the move – finding a new house, getting the kids into school and seeking out local resources to help with the transition – while wrapping things up back home.  And despite the challenges of moving to a new city, without a network of friends and associates, she was beginning to do the legwork required to move forward professionally.
 
She wanted to get a better sense of which direction to pursue, but it wasn’t stopping her from taking action in the meantime. So, she tapped her network of local friends, connected with a career coach and brainstormed the professional avenues available to her.  She wanted to get it all settled within a few months.
 
She was a doer.
 
I have spoken with many people contemplating career change and through those encounters I’ve observed a distinct difference in how individuals approach their transition. There seem to be two separate camps – the doers and the thinkers.
 
The doers, as the name implies, take action. They are inspired and motivated by completing a series of tasks in pursuit of actionable goals they want to realize short-term. 
 
The thinkers also set and pursue goals but they first take shape as an idea which is then refined and improved through contemplation and analysis of pros and cons before being acted upon.
 
Ultimately, all of us do both, the doing and the thinking, of course, but depending on our personalities it seems we are naturally predisposed to one or the other approach.  
 
Are there are benefits and drawbacks to both?
 
In the case of doers, action tends to spur action, so they generally accomplish more in less time. As they complete tasks and move forward, they get immediate feedback from their actions that they can then incorporate into their thinking.  On the other hand, doers can waste time and energy taking ineffective steps that lead nowhere.
 
Thinkers are driven to perfect their ideas but can be bound to inaction. While they may ultimately come up with the “right” way to do things, too much thinking can lead to perpetually refining your ideas and plans, but never accomplishing what you dream of.   
 
Do you know which one you are -- a doer or a thinker?
 
Being aware of our preferences can help us maximize our chances of success when we contemplate important life decisions like a career change.  Armed with this knowledge, we can work to ensure we take a balanced approach.  If you are more of a doer, it may mean spending some time to think through and strategize before taking action.  On the other hand, if you prefer thinking to doing, it may mean pushing ourselves out of the comfort of safe contemplation to take more real-time risks.  Either way you slice it, we become more capable problem-solvers when we broaden our range.  
 
Just one side note. If you are a thinker, like me, try not to overthink this. Making progress while learning from mistakes is always preferable to sitting safely in one place. 

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4 (Unintended) Interview Mistakes that Can Be Easily Avoided

1/28/2018

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We all make mistakes. It’s what makes us human. Big or small, those mistakes can usually be corrected provided you are self-aware and motivated to want to change. But it may be harder to correct course when our actions collide with others’ perceptions, opinions, and needs. This is particularly true when we are engaged in a job search – a time when when we are being evaluated and it is imperative we put our best foot forward. A single unintended mistake can cost us an opportunity to get the job we’ve always dreamed of.
 
There are many times we can make missteps in the job search process – from resume typos to failing to attach a cover letter.  But assuming you’ve checked and triple checked your resume, drafted a stand-out cover letter, and have proofread all of the key correspondence, your next challenge is to be ready to knock ‘em dead during the interview. 
 
If you made it this far, you’ve likely met the basic requirements and qualifications for the position.  Now is your chance to really shine and stand out from the competition. 
 
Here are 4 mistakes you can avoid making during the interview phase to ensure that you are selected as the top candidate:
 
1. Being Late and Not Offering an Apology
 
Everyone knows that the first rule of thumb at an interview is to arrive on-time.  Generally, on-time means arriving at least 10-15 minutes early to allow yourself time to get to the right place and be ready to greet your interviewer should they choose to start the interview a few minutes ahead of schedule.  Arriving a few minutes early shows that you are organized, capable of managing your time and schedule, and respect the time the interviewer set aside to get to know you. 
 
That said, given your best efforts and intentions, sometimes things happen that are outside of our control.  Perhaps you left your house way ahead of schedule but there is an unexpected traffic jam, or a train delay.  Or, maybe you got delayed going through security downstairs.  And yes, there really could’ve been a small fire in your kitchen!
 
Whatever the reason, if you are late to an interview, you are probably worried that you’ve hurt your chances.  You are right -- it doesn’t look good. But, it is not a deal-breaker provided you are honest, apologetic, and put your best foot forward during the rest of the interview.  What’s much worse than being a few minutes late? Appearing that you don’t own up to your missteps, however minor (or unintentional) they may be.
 
2. Not Being Properly Dressed
 
This is a no-brainer, right? Of course you know that you must be properly dressed for an interview.  Yet, it is surprising how many still assume that “properly dressed” can mean anything other than a suit (and tie, if you are a man). 
 
In this day and an age, there are many companies that have moved beyond requiring traditional attire. In the more creative and entrepreneurial fields, it’s frequently accepted to wear casual (day-to-day) clothes to work.  And you may have even heard advice that says that you should try to “match” the style of the workplace when you go on your interview. 
 
This may be a well-intentioned but misleading advice. Leave the “matching” to the time when you’ve already scored the coveted job.  While you are being evaluated for a position, it is always best to dress in formal wear.    
 
3. Being Underprepared
 
It’s important to be confident going to an interview. When you believe in yourself, you are setting yourself up for success. However, sometimes feeling confident (or over-confident!) can backfire – particularly when we underestimate how much to prepare in order to do well. 
 
Confidence and thorough preparation are not mutually exclusive.  And in the case where you have to display your value in a short amount of time, they simply must go hand-in-hand. 
 
There is really no way to over-prepare for a job interview.  So, if you haven’t already thought through all of the interviewer’s possible questions and your responses, done a mock interview with a trusted friend or mentor, and thought of questions to ask about the company/role, then perhaps it makes sense to consider setting aside some additional time to prepare.   
 
4. Having Body Language that Does Not Match Your Story
 
You’ve done your prep-work and showed up on time dressed as your best professional self.  Now it’s time to share your story.  You’ve heard it many times – a good first impression counts for so much.  Stay calm and do your best.  No pressure!
 
Even those of us with nerves made of steel, in this scenario, may feel the jitters coming on.  It’s normal and natural to feel nervous, and it’s expected.  Showing a bit of vulnerability will certainly not take you out of the running and anyone but the most unforgiving of interviewers will see it for what it is – excitement and genuine desire to get the job. 
 
But there is a fine line between looking nervous and appearing inauthentic and it is the latter that you want to guard against.   Inauthenticity is a turn-off and others pick up on it quickly when there is a mismatch between your words and your behavior. 
 
There is not much you can do if you are truly pretending to be something you are not. Eventually, and probably sooner rather than later, it will become obvious.
 
However, if like many of us, you tend to temporarily crumble under pressure, staying aware of inadvertently sending negative non-verbal messages will help you remain in control. Fidgeting, shifting eyes, looking down instead of making eye contact are all examples of poor non-verbal communication – those behaviors may be perceived as signs that you lack the confidence in yourself and your skills.  And that is a sure deal-breaker.
 
Be yourself, know the value you add, breathe and keep composure and you will be sure to shine!

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9 Career Sites to Explore in the New Year

12/28/2017

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December is not traditionally considered a month for serious job searching.  It is a time to relax, enjoy the holidays, vacation and be with family.  Still, if you are seeking new opportunities, you’ll probably be keeping your ear close to the ground, ready to strike when the time is right. 
 
Perhaps you are continuing to make connections at holiday parties, or browsing the listings on the web in your spare time.  More than likely, though, you are waiting patiently for the new year to roll around before re-starting your search in earnest.
 
Today, more than ever, there is so much useful career advice available on the web.  Still, you may find yourself getting tired of the tried-and-true sites, like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed.  

For those of you looking for some new perspective, I’ve put together a list of my favorite career websites and blogs that regularly feature helpful job search tips and strategies.  Check them out and start your year off fresh.
 
1.    www.careersherpa.net 

2.    www.theundercoverrecruiter.com

3.    www.careersdonewrite.com 

4.    www.9livesforwomen.com

5.    www.themuse.com

6.    www.dailyworth.com

7.    www.idealistcareers.org

8.    www.chameleonresumes.com

9.    www.mscareergirl.com 

Happy New Year and best wishes for a successful job search!
 



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What If...Waiting Wasn't an Option?

10/25/2017

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The fall has finally arrived, and with it, the need to re-organize my closet.  Every year at this time I carve out some time to put away the shorts, tank tops and dresses, and pull out the cozy sweaters, leggings and jeans. The crisp air outside motivates me not to delay.
 
Yet, I can’t say that I particularly enjoy this process.  Yes, this is a great opportunity to re-evaluate my wardrobe and to get rid of things I no longer like. I know the 80/20 rule – that most of us wear just 20 percent of our wardrobe 80 percent of the time.  In my case, it’s more like 10 percent of the wardrobe 99 percent of the time.  But still, for one reason or another, I hesitate to minimize.
 
It’s tedious. It’s time consuming. And most of all, there is that perennial question that hangs over my carefully curated closet…what if?
 
What if I change my mind? What if I come to regret it? What if I grow to like this piece again? What if? What if? What if?
 
It strikes me that in some ways this process of decision-making is similar to the way that many career changers approach their transition. 
 
You know that the career you’ve chosen to pursue is no longer working.  Deep down you know it’s time to make a change. Yet this realization remains just an inkling while you rationalize to yourself why you shouldn’t. 
 
Last week, I attended a panel on career transitions, where a room full of want-to-be career changers listened to sage advice and insight of those who already found their career holy grail.
 
The number one take-away?
 
Don’t wait.
 
Waiting, and then finally taking the plunge towards a new career, months, or sometimes years later, seemed to have been the common thread in all the stories shared that evening.
 
Someone waited because they felt they invested too much time and money into their education. Someone waited because they wanted to finish the degree they already knew was not the right fit -- but they had only one year to go in school. Someone waited because they didn’t want to move – moving ended up leading them to a network of new connections and ultimately, discovering how to blend their interests into a profitable business.  Finally, someone waited because they didn’t know what else to do.  They had been following the safe path of getting a good degree, finding a good job, and making good money.
 
All the panelists ultimately woke up and realized they’ve been waiting long enough. The time had come to make a change.
 
In hindsight, they all were acutely aware of the passage of time – the time they spent waiting vs. the time they spent actively in transition – one period marked by uncertainly, hesitation, depression, and rationalization; the other period marked by empowering decisions that brought them closer to their dreams.
 
The take-away was not to wait.  Even if the only thing you knew with certainty was that you didn’t like what you currently did.
 
At the end of the event, the moderator turned to the audience. Any last questions?
 
There was one.
 
What signs do I look for as I try to identify what I should do next?
 
Look for things that bring you joy was the response of one of the panelists.  What are the things you gravitate to over and over again?
 
What are the favorites in your closet? Everything else can go or take its honorary place in the back. 

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It's Only In Your Mind...Is How the Story Goes

6/20/2017

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A couple of weeks ago, for my daughter’s birthday, a family friend sent her a gift: a book called “The Most Magnificent Thing.” It’s a story of a girl with an idea. 
 
It’s the most magnificent idea. Just what will it take to make it real?
 
“She knows just how it will look.  She knows just how it will work”, the story goes.  “Easy-peasy. But making the most magnificent thing turns out to be harder than she thinks. She measures, hammers, fastens, and adjusts again and again, but the thing just keeps turning out wrong. If only the thing WOULD JUST WORK!”
 
She tries and tries again. But it is still wrong.  The girl gets mad. Mad enough to want to quit.
 
“I am no good at this,” the girl says.
 
What happens then? Does she persevere? Or give up? How does she respond when she encounters a challenge?
 
In 2006, a psychologist and a professor at Stanford University, Carol Dweck, Ph.D., wrote a book called “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.”  In it, she introduces the idea of mindsets, or beliefs about yourself. 
 
As a scientist and researcher, Dweck discovered in the course of her career that people are predisposed to holding two separate mindsets, the fixed mindset and the growth mindset, and that the differences in how people think are already apparent in early childhood.
 
These differences are particularly evident in how people respond to failure. 
 
People with the fixed mindset believe that their success or failure is a direct reflection of their innate abilities.  In other words, if they succeed, it’s proof that they are smart and capable.  On the other hand, if they encounter a particularly difficult challenge, it’s proof that they are lacking in ability. They are less likely to try again after a failed attempt, because they are afraid of being perceived in a negative way, by themselves and others.    
 
Those with the growth mindset, however, see the results of their efforts not as a reflection on their ability, but as evidence of how hard they worked to solve the problem.  They approach problems with enthusiasm and see them as an opportunity to learn and get better.  If they meet with a challenging problem, their confidence in themselves does not deteriorate – but their resolve to find the solution grows. 
 
According to Dweck, the two mindsets lie on a continuum – the way you think is not a black-and-white dichotomy. She argues that with effort and awareness you can put yourself into the growth mindset even if you start out with the fixed. 
 
And that’s what ultimately happens with our little heroine from “The Most Magnificent Thing.” She goes for a walk, and with the help of a friend, she is able to gain a new perspective. 
 
Her previous failed attempts are no longer ALL WRONG. “There are some parts of the WRONG things that are really quite RIGHT. The bolts on one, the shape of another, the wheel-to-seat ratio of the next. There are all sorts of parts that she likes!” 
 
She gets back to work. By evening time, the girl is finished. 
 
She’s made The Most Magnificent Thing.  And best of all, she gets to enjoy it with her friend. 

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Trick Your Body. Master Your Mind.

5/26/2017

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We’ve all been there.  After weeks, or sometimes months, of networking, you finally score an interview.  You are now one step closer to getting the job you’ve been aiming for, and you are excited. You begin to visualize yourself in your dream job and it feels so right.  You belong there, but your goal is still only a dot on the horizon.
 
For now, though, you have to ace the interview.
 
The stakes are high. 
 
You need to perform at your best, but how do you handle such a high pressure scenario? You are about to be evaluated and judged, and as if on cue, the feelings of anxiety and insecurity start creeping in.  Yes, this is your chance to evaluate as well – the fit, the culture, the team. But, there will be time for that later. 
 
For the time being, though, how can you maintain the confidence needed to perform at your best? How do you stay in the moment, instead of experiencing self-doubt and imagining the worst outcome?
 
Conventional wisdom will tell you to thoroughly prepare.  And it is true that preparation helps to reduce anxiety and boost self-confidence.  Researching the organization before the interview, thinking through potential questions, and having prepared answers, especially for any tough questions you might expect or fear, will most likely make the difference between being chosen for the next round or not. 
 
But, let’s say you have done your best to prepare, yet the anxiousness remains. Or, you are confident the day before the big interview, but as you step into the waiting area your heart begins to race and your head starts playing tricks on you.  Suddenly, your mind goes blank and your worst fears begin to materialize.  
 
Are you about to fail? What can you do to recover, to master your insecurities, to get back to your place of calm? Is there a way to become more present?
 
Turns out there is.  Perhaps you’ve heard of a technique called power posing. 
 
Power posing was introduced to the mainstream by Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and an associate professor at Harvard Business School who studies how nonverbal behavior influences people’s judgements.  She is most known for her widely popular 2012 Ted Talk “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are”. 
 
In her talk, Cuddy introduced the idea that our body language can influence how we view ourselves, and in turn, how others view us.  Basing her talk on prior research conducted with colleagues from the University of Berkeley, Cuddy shows how by adopting “power poses” for as little as 2 minutes we can affect our thinking and self-perception.
 
Cuddy describes how our bodies have a biological response to “high-power” (open, spread out arms, arms on hips or stretching behind your head etc.) vs. “low-power” (hunched down body, hands covering neck or hands crossed over body etc.) poses. 
 
When we hold “high-power” poses, our bodies react by increasing our levels of testosterone and decreasing our levels of cortisol, both of which are shown to lead to higher confidence and decreased anxiety.
 
Those effects then carry over to our interactions with others.  Our higher levels of self-confidence allow us to put our best foot forward in situations that require it most, if only for a short while.  
 
Cuddy calls this a mind-body hack. 
 
Sounds a bit illicit, right?
 
Hacking others’ systems may be considered a suspect pursuit. But hacking your own?
 
Centuries ago, the indelible Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu referred to this concept a bit differently. “Mastering others is true strength, mastering yourself is true power” said Tzu, and these wise words still resonate today.   
 
Perhaps his teachings gained ground before hacking came into vogue, but which one of us will disagree that a two-minute hack to get some personal power is not a bad short-term solution, especially when you may be still working towards lifelong self-mastery.  

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If Only I Could Be That Brave, said everyone

3/29/2017

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If you ever saw the movie “Three Kings”, you may remember this great scene with Archie Gates (George Clooney) and Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze), where they talk about courage. American soldiers stationed in the Gulf at the very end of war, they are about to attempt to rescue their friend from an enemy bunker. But Conrad expresses concern.
 
Archie Gates: You are scared, right?
Conrad Vig: Maybe.
Archie Gates: The way it works is, you do the thing you are scared sh!tless of, and you get the courage AFTER you do it, not before you do it.
Conrad Vig: That’s a dumb way to work. It should be the other way around.
Archie Gates: I know. That’s the way it works.
 
It would certainly be easier if it was the other way around. If all of us had this magical stockpile of courage, we could easily do what we were most scared of.  Arguably, then, everyone would be living their best, most expansive life. Or at least, attempting to.
 
But that is not how it works…
 
We have to take conscious action to overcome danger and face our fears. But even before we decide what action to take, we have to make another fundamental choice. We have to decide whether we allow the experience of risk and fear into our daily lives.
 
Most of us don’t have to put our lives on the line in battle.  We don’t have to showcase courage by doing something heroic. We have the luxury to wake up each morning, feeling generally safe, and go about our days choosing to act in a way that doesn’t put us at risk.  We can ignore our fears and avoid going outside our comfort zone. 
 
We don’t really need to be courageous.
 
Facing your fears means feeling discomfort. It means possible failure. And not everyone wants to feel discomfort. Very few of us, if any, want to risk failure. 
 
I recently came across and watched again the now famous 2005 Stanford University commencement speech by Steve Jobs.  The three stories from his life that he shares, about 1) connecting the dots after taking an unconventional path of dropping out of college, 2) having to start over after a very public failure (getting fired from Apple), and 3) his cancer diagnosis, all converge in one powerful underlying message:
 
Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
 
That is a wonderful, inspiring message. But what if you don’t feel courageous? What if you are terrified of change? What if you don’t want to seem a fool? What if you are struggling to make this harder choice?
 
“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love,” Jobs says. 
 
Jobs was by any measure fortunate – he found what he loved when he was young. But he was also not immune to self-doubt in the face of rejection and had to overcome many obstacles and failures before he ultimately regained his footing and built a company that is now an icon around the world.  
 
Perhaps Jobs found the winning formula for being and staying bold.  Going towards challenges, embracing risk and confronting fear will never be as easy as staying in your comfort zone, at least on the surface.  But it is a much easier choice to make when you do it in the service of what you love.



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The Seven Second Elevator Pitch

2/28/2017

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Get on the elevator, fancy a job
On the seventh floor
You are going to the top
Stop. Doors open
You are only on two
In walks a woman in a suit. Looks at you
Speak, your brain says. She’s important
But your mouth feels numb
Sticky, gooey, like you’ve swallowed gum
You have only one chance to impress
Or hold your peace
What will it be? Fight or flight
No. Surprise
Calm and serenity wash over you
Handshake. Release
Eye contact. Hold
You’ve already spoken volumes
And you are only on four
Then a little voice says, don’t try so hard
Be yourself, and if it’s right
The connection will bloom
Chances are
You will know you’ve made it quite soon
Relax and enjoy
It’s a short ride to seven
So different from the work you must do
To get way up to heaven
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How Picking Up a New Hobby Turned Out to Be Fertile Ground for Some Important Life Lessons

4/21/2016

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Spring is the perfect time to begin a new chapter. New buds are popping from the trees excited by sunshine. Plants, birds and people have woken from the winter slumber and come together outdoors to celebrate this time of year.
 
Are you freshly excited to try something new? Perhaps a new job is on the horizon? Or maybe you’ve just begun to think about making a change. Are you moving, or thinking of trying a new hobby? Or, perhaps you’ve decided to turn your hobby into a business? Whatever your situation, spring is the time of renewal. 
 
I, too, have decided to try something new.
 
I am a city girl that has recently been transplanted to the suburbs.  I have very little knowledge about the great outdoors, and until recently I have never had to worry about a back yard.  This is certainly not a source of pride, and neither is the fact that I have never planted anything in my life.
 
So, given my new circumstance, I have decided that it’s time to change the status quo. I have decided that this year I am going to learn how to plant a garden.  Or, at least a couple of vegetables and berries. 
 
Easier said than done, but I have committed and I don’t want to let myself down. So, I am diving head first, and even though I’m just at the cusp of the planting season, I’ve already accumulated a few lessons learned.
 
First of all, learning something new is terrifying
 
I am realizing that as far as my gardening knowledge-bank is concerned, I am not just at zero, I am quite possibly in the negative. Until recently, I didn’t know where to buy the potting soil.  Perhaps I am a bit afraid of my efforts being a flop, but mostly, I am hesitant because I don’t know where to start.  To say the least, this is overwhelming and somewhat terrifying. 
 
Taking small steps will give you the confidence to move forward
 
It’s been a while since I picked up a new hobby, and I’ve forgotten what it feels like to push yourself into new territory.  My 6 year-old is starting to ride a bike, and she is a bit scared. I’ve tried to tell her what to do to best keep her balance.  But then I realized she needs to do it her own way – she needs to first get a feel for her bike. To spend some time just sitting on it, with feet on the ground. This will give her the confidence to begin pedaling on her own.  Small steps.
 
Like her, I am spending more time outdoors, just looking at the garden bed. Getting familiar with what it looks like. Learning the names of the flowers that were planted there before. Trying to discern the difference between weeds and plants. I am being mindful about the experience, and it is helping me take the next step in the process.
 
Having a detailed plan will set you up for success
 
If you are planting this year, now is the time to start planning ahead – to start thinking about what you want to plant, buying the seeds, and doing some prep work on the garden bed.  As a novice, I am learning that there are specific steps I need to take, now, and again when the soil warms up enough for the seeds to grow. Plant too soon, and the garden will not take.
 
I am learning what I need to plant, how much water and sun exposure the seeds will need, how much space to allocate, how to weed, and about the importance of soil quality. I am doing prep work like a good job hunter before her networking conversations and interviews.
 
Don’t get discouraged when things don’t go according to plan
 
Things won’t always go according to plan, and I am already seeing the warning signs.  Apparently, I am not the only one who likes to smell the flowers and munch on fresh garden goodness.  The cute bunny family that we “adopted” as our outdoor pets are already starting to cause problems. I’ve just had to shoo one off the yard, and I know it’s just a matter of time until he comes back, and brings friends.  I am trying not to get discouraged, but I know what will really help is not to wish them away, but to buy a garden net.
 
Steady work pays off and makes you feel fulfilled
 
As much as I want to see quick results, I am learning to be patient and to take it step-by-step. I know that if I am careful and steady, my work will eventually pay off.  In the past couple of weeks, I have already learned more about gardening that in the previous 40 years. Above all, this has taught me the most important lesson to date – a new challenge is fun and it’s making me happy to stretch beyond my comfort zone.
 
To be continued…

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    Natasha Kosoff is a career coach and advocate for women's growth and development. She is committed to helping women achieve fulfillment and success in their careers and balance in their lives. 




    Recent Blog Posts
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    5 Strategies to Help You Make a Successful Transition to a New Job
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    Reinvention Is The Name Of The Game
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    Weebles Wobble -- Get Back Up
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    New Year? New Career?

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