Career Coaching Blog

Today I have been reaching out to people to ask for endorsements for my book. It’s quite a humbling experience. It kicks up my comparison gremlins as well as my I’m-not-as-far-along-as-I-should-be-by-this-point gremlins.  I’ve had to put these characters inside my head in the corner and have given them cookies to shut them up!  I’ve also decided to write this blog to you as another way to deal with this issue.

For Pete sake – I’ve got the credentials, I’ve written two books – when do I get a break from these inner demons who want to play havoc with me?  I think we all get to have these demons – it’s rare that they go entirely away.  It’s what we choose to do with them that’s important.  I’m choosing not to pay attention to them.

I remember one of my mentors, Henry Kimsey-House, co-founder of CTI, telling our leadership group that we all have voices in our heads like the character in the movie A Beautiful Mind.  I might have even written about that here once before.  But like the schizophrenic lead character in that movie, we don’t have to choose to listen to our most debilitating voices.

So much of what we’re up to today tends to kick up the comparison demons.  If we’re job searching, we’re scrutinized and feel like we’re being judged by every Tom, Dick and Harriet who happens to pick up our resume.  If we’re in our own business, it’s our potential customers or clients who do the judging – how do we stack up with the competition we and everyone wants to know.

But frankly, it should be none of our business.  Our business is just being our best selves, following our values and putting our unique qualities, abilities and interests out there in the marketplace.  The more authentic we are, ironically, the greater the chance that someone will like what we’re offering and will agree to try it on for size.

Don’t you agree?

Until next time,

Melanie

Tags: business, career change, career development, career exploration, career transition, careers, coaching, entrepreneur, life style, lifestyle, personal development, personal growth, personal transformation, reinventing self, self-development, solopreneur, starting over