In your career, and in your life, you're inevitably going to encounter bumps in the road. Sometimes they're just little potholes, and sometimes they feel like it will take a four-wheeler to get over them. Most of us - yours truly included - resist those bumps. We want (or at least we think we want) nothing but smooth sailing.
What if, instead of resisting and railing against the bumps in the road we experience in life, we had a way to turn them into energy? What if we could actually transform those bumps into something that helps us power forward?
That question was prompted by this article on a shock absorber a group of MIT students recently developed that converts bumps in the road into energy. It got me thinking, "What's the equivalent of that in life? What are the components of a system that will turn our bumps into energy to propel us farther in life?"
Several things come to mind that might be the life-equivalent of an energy-generating shock absorber:
Positive focus: What is positive about this?
As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Ask yourself, "What is positive about this?" You might be surprised at what you find.
For example, let's say you've lost your job and are in the job search. It's tempting to paint that with a broad negative brush, but if you look for the positive you might see, "Well, this has been a great chance to take stock of where I am in my life and where I want to go. I was always too busy while I was working. And it has been really nice to have a little more time to spend with my spouse/partner. And it has been a great opportunity to start building more professional relationships."
None of this negates the painful parts of the experience, it simply
gives you a fuller picture and helps you find good things to focus on,
not just the difficult aspects.
Learning: What am I learning from this?
They might not
be pleasant, but life's challenges can be some of the best teachers
you'll find. The key is pulling yourself out of the experience for long
enough to stop and ask, "What am I learning here?"
This is really a subset of the question, "What is positive about this?" While it may not eliminate the unpleasantness of what you're
experiencing, a focus on what you're learning can at least broaden your perception to include how this experience might benefit you as you move forward. And the more positive you can see coming out of an experience, the easier it is to tolerate (or even appreciate).
Once you have gotten through the bumpy patch, you might also look back and do a post-game review.
Connection: Reaching out to others
Our most challenging times are the times we need the support of others the most. Reaching out to others can plant a seed of connection that can grow over time and give you a stronger foundation for moving through challenges in the future as well.
Insights to help others: How can what I'm learning help others in the future?
A great way to take your focus off yourself is to ask yourself, "How might others benefit from what I'm learning here?" What am I learning that could make others' paths easier? What tools am I gaining as a result of this experience that I can share with others?
Support is a two-way street. The more you focus on helping others, the more potential there is for that support to come back your direction. And it's not just support in challenging times. Helping others is a way to build relationships, and relationships open doors.
Confidence: If I can get through this, what else do I have the potential to do?
When you successfully navigate a sea of obstacles, you gain first-hand experience that you really can deal with whatever comes your way. And when you feel confident that you can deal with challenges, you're more willing to take risks and pursue fulfillment in life.
Coping tools: What helps me get through this?
Think of challenging times as an R&D lab for coping tools. Explore different ways of staying positive, focused, and grounded. Take what works for you and put it in your toolkit. The more you have in your toolkit, the easier it will be to move through future challenges and the less you will let them slow you down.
What else comes to mind that helps turn the negative of a challenging experience into a positive that moves you ahead? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
[hat tip to AEnews for the tweet about the shock absorbers]
--
Time for a career change? Launch it with...
The Occupational Adventure Guide:
A Travel Guide to the Career of Your Dreams
--
by Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst
Recent Comments