Have you ever thought of a big goal, something that you wanted to go for in your career? Maybe you’ve thought about starting a business or expanding one. You start thinking about what it could look like. You start getting excited and then…
You start second (or third, fourth, fifth) guessing yourself and your idea.
Previously your thoughts were animated, and now the light of creativity has been doused. The possibility of this idea relegated into cold storage. You won’t do a thing because of the “what if’s.”
What if I fail? What if this is a bad idea? What if other people think I’m crazy? What if it doesn’t work?
A person once told me that prior proper planning prevents poor performance – try saying that five times really fast! I’m a fan of anticipating obstacles; that’s sound planning and a little bit of “what if” can help the process. What I have an issue with and where I see professionals get hung up with taking action on their goals is when they run wild with the “what if’s.”
Most of what you are trying to anticipate will never happen. You’re spending your valuable time and energy fretting about something that will likely not come to pass, and it keeps you from going for what you want. Your career success depends on you being able to utilize your time and energy wisely.
Here’s what I’d like you to do instead. Use your precious resources to start the process of pursuing your goal. Say yes to what you want because you deserve it. Know that you already have inside of you what it takes to achieve it. Put your energy into finding the people and resources that will help your goal become a reality and deal with the actual “what if’s” as they come along.
I wish there were a plan, complete with each step necessary; that was given to us before we started the process. Career success doesn’t work that way, at least it doesn’t work that way for me. It’s similar to a long walk on a flat country road and the more steps you take, the more visible the objects in the distance become.
You deserve this kind of clarity.
Debbie Peterson is a Keynote Speaker, Seminar Leader and Mindset Expert working with executives and professionals to develop more confidence and clarity in their career experience. She has educated and inspired corporations, charitable organizations, and professionals to create the personal mindset necessary to produce consistent professional results. You can find great career tips tools and techniques at http://gettingtoclarity.com/blog or https://www.youtube.com/debbiepetersongettingtoclarity
