Working through some career pivot exercises, one thing I’ve had to contemplate and put down in words is the vision for the coming year for my career.
Here is what I wrote:
I am comfortable and confident in my hybrid role – part time HR and part time practical knowledge. I am sharing and contributing innovative ideas through writing, speaking, podcasting and coaching. We are working on courses and workshops to launch. I connect all of these ideas, ways of working, and implantation strategies in unique ways, including bringing in anime, fantasy, and AEW references. We bring this knowledge out of our home office, and I am supported by my (future forecasting) wife and family. I hold firm boundaries so work doesn’t consume all of my time, allowing for family time, connection, and adventure.
Whilst this helped to identify areas to explore for a career pivot, it was also useful to tie it across the other fields of life at the end of the statement. In effect to bring it back to its ultimate purpose, which for me, is family. My vision highlights having firm boundaries so I continue to focus on family time, connection, and adventure. This further expanded itself into thinking about my current ideal day, which captures in greater detail family, connection, and adventure.
This vision draft helped me to see not only the career possibilities that are out there, but to take and practice a pivot mindset to look at what is just over the hill when it come to my current skillset and interests. Thus, the podcast and blog were born. I have skills and experience that I want to share with a wider audience. As my ability to express ideas and write improves, and then my reach will expand. My current input is one good article and podcast a week. Then good becomes great. Similarly, as I continue to focus on areas of productivity and systems, my own knowledge increases. I implement these strategies in more and more ways, and I become more more knowledgeable and recognised in these fields. This then allows you to crest many more hills, and suddenly, through these small pivots and steps, you find yourself towards the peak.
Write 300 words each morning. This is one of my current inputs to get out my weekly blog. Just 300. It’s not much at all. Plus, once I have had my fingers on the keyboard typing away for a few minutes, you find your flow and then, like that, the number is reached and you can keep going. Not that they are necessarily good words. Nor should they be as I’m starting out. Yet, they provide a good foundation of putting thoughts and ideas down. Revisions and editing can come later.
Similarly, for the podcast, the input starts small. Print out some dot points and talk to the camera. Yes, with an input like that, some of the podcasts have not been great. And that is okay. It’s building a couple of different things:
- My comfort level at being in front of a camera
- Being okay with being bad on the first run
- Increasing my skillset to talk live from dot points
- Building a choerent narrative on the fly and join them all together
Thus, a new new skillsets are being developed.
It does feel strange to put myself out there for all to see. Especially when it is something you are not used to. I don’t have a social media presence. I like to lead from the back. I am comfortable in small groups of people. More challenging for me is the question of, what if I’m saying that wrong thing? There would be a lot of embarassment and criticism. Although, that is in the eyes of the beholder, so to speak. I share my thoughts and reasons for it, and will listen and consider feedback. I don’t pretend to always be right. Far from it. At other times, many different things can be true, such as how to lead your life and what to focus on. I am simply putting forward mine, and why I think it leads to living a deep and meaningful life.
So back to the career vision. I’m sharing. I’m making small steps. I’m pivoting. And, importantly, and thankfully, I’m really enjoying myself. Whilst writing was a chore at first, I look forward to it now. Whilst I wasn’t sure what to say on a podcast (and am still not), I happily set up the tripod and start talking away. Here’s to pivots and the start of new things.
Thank you again for joining me on this journey.