Welcome to the Stop Sabotaging Your Success Podcast, episode seventy-nine. I’m your host, Cindy Esliger. This is the podcast focusing on what we can do today to take control of our careers and overcome the inevitable barriers to success that we encounter along the way. 

Have you ever thought about your career development as an adventure of your choosing? As much as we’d like to think that there is an ideal career path, it looks different for everyone. The challenges of discovery are what keeps it interesting. In order to ensure your continued success along this career journey of yours, you must try to align your talents and desires with the tasks and activities most suited to you. 

In this episode, we look at how exploring new areas of your career development can increase your engagement and motivation at work. When you’re excited about what you do and eager to try new things, it can help you stay focused and committed to your work, even when things get tough. 

Trying new things might sound a little scary, but there are actually a lot of benefits to trying new things in your work life and outside of work for that matter. When you’re open to new experiences, you’re more likely to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions to problems rather than resigning yourself to the idea that this is how it is and will always be, and there’s nothing I can do about it. 

Plus, trying new things can help you learn and grow both personally and professionally. You can develop new skills and knowledge which can help you become more adaptable and resilient in the face of change. This can lead to better outcomes in your work and more personal satisfaction. 

Taking on new challenges can also improve your confidence and self-esteem. When you succeed at something you weren’t sure you could even do, it can have a really positive impact on your overall well-being. Exploring your interests can also be a good way to expand your professional networks, which just might put you in the right place, at the right time, for new opportunities for advancement. You never know who you might meet or what you might discover when you step outside of your comfort zone. 

Incorporating adventure and discovery into your career development doesn’t have to be a big elaborate thing. It can be as simple as taking on new responsibilities at work and exploring new interests that might lead to new opportunities. It can be simple, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be difficult. There may not be many role models for you to look to, who have done what it is you want to do, or you may struggle to develop the confidence necessary to choose a career path that just might be the right fit for you, especially if it doesn’t seem like a traditional path forward. You might be wrong, but what if you were right? 

The key is to stay curious and open-minded and be willing to take on new challenges. By doing so, you just might increase your job satisfaction, fulfillment, and overall sense of purpose in your career, which can help you avoid burnout down the road. 

I remember this series of books from when I was a kid, and maybe I’m dating myself here, but they were called ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’, where each story was written from a second-person point of view, allowing the reader to assume the role of the protagonist, and make choices that would determine the main character’s actions and ultimately, the plot outcome. 

The stories were formatted in such a way, that after reading a few pages, you’d be presented with some options, each of which would lead to further reading and more options, until you’d arrive at one of the main story endings. There was no clear pattern or a sense that any choice was necessarily the right choice. Each option would just take the reader in a different direction. 

I invite you to consider your own career journey as a similar type of ‘choose your own adventure’. We each bring a unique combination of skills and experiences to the table, which then allows for different directions and opportunities to pursue in our working lives. Nothing is set in stone and there is no one ideal path that everyone must follow.

Incorporating adventure and discovery into your career can bring a lot of positive changes, but let’s not forget that our careers are just one facet of our lives. Sometimes we need to look outside of work to find meaning and purpose. So, yes, we need to take responsibility for our careers, and it’s important to explore ways to make them more fulfilling, but let’s not forget to find joy in other areas of our lives too. Because expecting your job to fulfill all your needs and desires is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think? 

There are several reasons why we might feel held back from making our job description fit our strengths and personalities. It might be that it feels like we’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, but we don’t know why. 

One of the biggest reasons is simply that we may not fully understand our strengths or what we’re truly passionate about. It can be hard to know what we want when we’re just starting out in our careers. Or if we’re further along, we may not have ever taken the time to reflect on what we truly enjoy. Sometimes, we just get so busy doing the work that we forget to ask ourselves whether this is the work we want to be doing. 

Another reason why we might struggle to make our jobs fit our strengths is that we may not feel comfortable speaking up or advocating for ourselves. It can be intimidating to approach our supervisors and ask to expand our job description to include more responsibilities that truly light us up, especially when we know, full well, that nothing will be taken off our plates in exchange. We might worry that we’re being seen as difficult or demanding, or fear that we’ll be turned down, and left feeling even more stuck in our current role.

Additionally, there may be external factors like financial responsibilities, uncertain economic conditions resulting in a lack of other job opportunities, or a sense of loyalty to our current employer that make us feel that we don’t have many alternatives available to us at this time. These external factors can make it hard to take risks or speak up for ourselves, even if we know, deep down, that we’re not fully satisfied with what we’re doing as part of our current role.

Making our job description fit our strengths and personalities takes a bit of self-reflection, courage, and a willingness to take risks. It can be scary to step out of our comfort zones and ask for what we want, but ultimately it’s up to us to create the kind of career that truly fulfills us. By taking the time to understand our strengths, advocating for ourselves, and being open to new opportunities, we can create a career that not only challenges us, but brings us joy and fulfillment as well. 

Let’s face it, trying new things in our careers can be scary. We want to be perceived as competent, and there might be a steep learning curve to deal with. We get stuck in our routines and we become comfortable with the way things are, even if there are things about the status quo we’re not content with. But, if we want to stay engaged and fulfilled in our work, we need to overcome our fear and resistance and be open to new opportunities. 

There are some common fears that hold us back from trying new things in our careers, but we can overcome them: 

One fear that many of us face is the fear of failure. We worry that trying something new won’t turn out the way we think it will, or it might lead to failure, which can be discouraging. But here’s the thing, failure is a natural part of the learning process. So instead of seeing failure as a negative outcome, try to reframe it as data. It might just be information about what it is we don’t want, and it can be an opportunity to learn more about ourselves. 

Another fear is the fear of the unknown. We worry that we won’t know what to expect if we try something new, but the solution to this fear is simple. Do your research. Gather information about the new opportunity, so that you feel more prepared and confident, but don’t put so much pressure on yourself to get it right. We are a work in progress and can continue to shape our careers as we go along. 

Sometimes, we also fear judgment from others if we want to try something new and don’t succeed. But remember, other people’s opinions do not define your worth or success. Focus on your own goals and values and don’t let what other people think of you hold you back. 

If you’re still feeling resistant to trying something new, it may be because you’re comfortable with your current situation. It’s familiar and it feels safe, but that can lead to complacency and boredom. Stepping out of your comfort zone takes courage and can lead to personal and professional growth. So, identify why you want to try something new and what benefits it could bring. Focus on the potential positives and take small steps to build momentum and confidence.

If you keep doing the same old thing, you can’t expect to get different results. So, if you want to keep growing personally and professionally, you have to explore new opportunities and take some risks in your career. 

Here are five reasons why you should consider exploring new opportunities: 

1. By trying out new things, you can expand your skillset and get some clarity around the contribution you wish to make with your career. You can learn particular skills or gain specialized knowledge that can make you more marketable in your field. 
2. Exploring new opportunities can help you discover your passions and interests. Who knows, maybe by following your curiosities, you’ll stumble onto something you never even considered before. 
3. Taking on new challenges and opportunities can increase your visibility and reputation in your organization or industry, which can lead to new opportunities for career growth and advancement. 
4. By finding solutions to the problems you commonly encounter, you can become a better problem solver, which is always a valuable skill. 
5. Successfully taking on new challenges can boost your confidence, which can inspire you to take more ownership of your career and increase your willingness to take on even more ambitious projects.

Now that you know why exploring new opportunities and taking risks is essential for your career growth and fulfillment, here are some tips for identifying and pursuing new opportunities. 

It all starts with networking. Attend industry events, connect with other professionals, and join online communities. Keep learning new skills by taking courses or workshops in areas that interest you or could enhance your career. Seek out mentors who can provide valuable guidance and support as you pursue new opportunities. 

To push past fear and resistance, try reframing your beliefs about the situation, taking small steps, and seeking support from others. Remember, trying new things in your career can be scary, but it can also bring many benefits. By identifying your fears and resistance, and using the strategies that work for you to overcome them, you can build the confidence and resilience to pursue new opportunities and achieve more than you thought possible. So don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and take some risks. Who knows where it might take you? 

Feeling stuck in your current role and looking for ways to find that fulfillment you hear about? You might not actually have to change your role. Remember, there’s a lot of flexibility in how we do our work that can help us make our current role into one that suits our strengths. So, instead of sulking in your mundane or repetitive job, let’s explore some strategies to help you find more excitement and opportunity in your current role. 

Start by reflecting on what you want for the next phase of your career and make a plan for how you will get to that next stage. This can then be used in evaluating potential opportunities and determining whether they’re a good fit for you, and if they will help you in advancing your career in the direction that you want. Sometimes, you may have to say no to good opportunities in order to have the bandwidth to take on the great ones. You will find it much more exciting to put in the effort on something that’s difficult when you know it’s furthering your own career goals.

Another way to keep things interesting is by taking on new challenges. Don’t be afraid to volunteer for cross-functional or multidisciplinary teams or find ways to streamline or optimize current processes. By challenging yourself to work with different people, doing things in new ways, you might find more meaning in what you do every day. 

Be open to feedback from those around you. Feedback, from those who work closely with you, can help you identify areas for improvement and can help you find new ways to challenge yourself and grow within your current role. Find purpose in your work by identifying ways in which your work helps others or makes a positive impact on your organization or community. 

So, stop feeling stuck in your current role and start exploring ways to make it more exciting and better aligned with what you want to do down the road. By setting goals, seeking feedback, and looking for opportunities to learn, you can develop new skills and experiences ultimately leading to greater success in your career.

Remember, choosing your own adventure will improve job satisfaction and help you better align your current role with the challenges you’re really looking for. Many people don’t realize that seeking adventure and learning new skills outside of work can help them build resilience, creativity, and adaptability that they can then bring back to the workplace and apply to their job responsibilities. By expanding your horizons and challenging yourself, you can also build your confidence and boost your overall job satisfaction, which will help you seek out new opportunities in your career. 

Embracing new experiences and perspectives can help bring fresh ideas and inspiration to your work, leading to greater creativity, innovation, and success. To truly thrive in our careers, we must be willing to take risks, to try new things. So get out there and try something new.

And that’s it for this episode of Stop Sabotaging Your Success. Remember to download your Guide to Adventure and Discovery at cindyesliger.com/podcast, episode seventy-nine.

Thank you to our producer, Alex Hochhausen and everyone at Astronomic Audio. Get in touch, I’m on Instagram @cindyesliger and my email address is info@cindyesliger.com.

If you enjoy listening to this podcast, you have to come check out The Confidence Collective. It’s my monthly coaching program where we dig a little deeper into what’s holding you back in your career, and we find the workarounds. We help you overcome the barriers and create the career you want. Join me over at cindyesliger.com/join. I’d love to have you join me in The Confidence Collective. 

Until next week, I’m Cindy Esliger. Thanks for listening.