Downsize your dream if you hit a wall<\/p>\n
By L.E. Nugroho<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): About the only constant in today's workplace is
\nchange. Nothing is guaranteed, but resilient people can learn to
\nweather career setbacks with optimism and a sense of humor. Tough
\npeople don't feel sorry for themselves for long. The person who
\nwallows in self-pity spends too much time in introspection and
\nnot enough time plotting the future. You can sit around bemoaning
\nthe sad fact that you are not in the fast lane, that you're
\nunderpaid, that the corporate world is not treating you the way
\nyou'd like, but it won't do you any good.<\/p>\n
Working as an employee in a \"big\" conglomerate, I advanced
\nfrom trainee to a managerial position. But what I really wanted
\nwas to be the company director. As I approached 35, I came to
\nrealize that nothing would land me that position. In corporate
\njargon, I realized I was going to have to \"downsize\" my ambition.<\/p>\n
Most people hit this sort of wall at some point in their
\nlives. There are many examples, athletes who never make it to pro
\ncareers, singers who never score that hit. We all have dreams. If
\nsuccess at work isn't the dream, the work may be the means to
\none: owning a home or achieving a certain standard of living.
\nThose of us who don't hit the mark we set for ourselves either
\nhave to make minor adjustments and learn to cope or make drastic
\nchanges and bear the risks.<\/p>\n
Instead of correcting our weaknesses -- as many of us are
\ntaught to do -- our experience suggests we should focus on our
\nspecial talents. For every strength we have, we also possess a
\nmultitude of \"non-strengths\". It would be a huge waste of energy
\nto try to fix all our weaknesses. Being a Renaissance Man -- a
\nperson of many interests and abilities -- is in vogue nowadays,
\nyet most people pursuing multiple strengths will achieve only
\nmediocrity in the long run.<\/p>\n
Stop<\/p>\n
How do we know when it's time to stop trying? And if we do
\ngive up the dream, how do we deal with the loss and go about
\nreshaping our lives without it? When trying to decide whether to
\nbury your dreams, you need to take stock. For an external
\nassessment, you need feedback from people you value, people who
\nare successful in that particular field and who can clearly tell
\nyou whether or not you've got what it takes. You also need to
\nconduct an internal assessment, in which you ask yourself some
\ntough questions: \"How much passion do I really have for this
\ncareer? Is what I do my \"thing\", or is it something I was made to
\ndo, something I feel lukewarm about? If I haven't been successful
\nso far, is it crippling my confidence, self-esteem and quality of
\nlife? How painful is it to fail, and how long can I live with
\nthat feeling?<\/p>\n
If after answering those questions, you decide to let go of
\nthe dream, we have to give ourselves time to deal with the loss.
\nMost people will experience a stage of suffering and resistance.
\nAfter this stage, comes acceptance and new resolve.<\/p>\n
There's no need to castigate ourselves. The dreams, though
\nunfulfilled, may have energized us.<\/p>\n
Making these decisions may require some help from a vocational
\ncounselor. Or you may want to catalog your own assets, talents,
\nskills and contacts. Putting all this on paper will help you to
\nfocus on a particular field. From there, you can explore the
\npossibilities and opportunity windows. In a nutshell, you make
\nplans, prioritize and go for it.<\/p>\n
But before that happens, you'll have to shed your rigid
\nexpectations and develop some flexibility.<\/p>\n
A career setback may also give you an opportunity to make up
\nfor lost time with your family. You may say, \"I didn't end up as
\na director of the company, but at least my wife and kids will
\nremember me as a good husband and father when I'm dead.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/downsize-your-dream-if-you-hit-a-wall-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}