How to Reinvest Yourself in the Workplace - Time for a Change
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The secret to a resilient life in our kind of world is in knowing how to recycle yourself, over and over, letting go of what is no longer you, taking on new strengths, and shaping new chapters for your life, guided by your own emerging vision."
- Frederich Hudson, Pamela Me Lean

I was recently working with one of my San Francisco Bay Area executive coaching clients. We talked about her desire to reinvent herself, and why she was doing it. She was energized and motivated to unleash her entrepreneurial spirit, and transform her work and life. She boldly began her journey starting fresh with a beginner’s mind.

She was conscious that job security in the corporate world has gone out the widow! Getting ahead in a shaky and unpredictable economy can mean engaging in a career make-over. She had some fear about change, but was open to explore new possibilities.

We are all trying to understand and cope with the enormous changes in our work and personal lives. Conscious career changers in these uncertain times are aware of the need for resilience, and reinventing themselves to thrive and flourish in the new economy. Today’s career changers need to be resilient and persevere by taking the next steps for a better future. Re-inventers can learn to refocus, get inspired and be creative to align their purpose and passion with the ever-changing needs of the marketplace.

You can develop the courage and self-confidence that the right actions will help you reach your goals. Success awaits those who remain optimistic and creatively pursue new and rewarding career directions.

Time for a Change

Modern times may require you to reinvent yourself.
People and companies will have to shift their mindsets to stay competitive. You hear a lot about career changers these days. A number of 20-somethings or the so called Millennial Generation, don’t want to pay their dues. Why would they change careers that they just started? They want meaning right out of the starting gate. A number of Baby Boomers want to continue working through their senior years and contribute more than they did at their corporate jobs. Many need to work to keep afloat financially.

The recession and possible double dip has meant that people across all age groups need to reinvent themselves. There is a sense of urgency. People feel like the corporate world is not the reliable choice that it used to be, and if you're working in an uncertain career, you may as well be working on your own.

How you reinvent yourself differs based on your individual circumstances. It depends on your motivation, and whether you want to do it to spend more time with your family, develop a hidden talent or to work on your own.

Many of my coaching clients are pleasantly surprised when they discover that they can transfer skills from one career to another. It takes a lot of motivation, courage, and some just-in time learning. It may be stressful in the beginning, but the stress usually lessens when they’re further down the learning curve and have had some success.

In my experience coaching people in transition, the one trait that sets apart people who make a career change is persistence. If people are persistent and patient, they can bounce back when they have setbacks. If you don't have that internal drive, reinventing yourself may be very difficult. None of them took the path of least resistance. They took the “path less traveled.”

You create your way out of any fear that may be holding you back. You can dream and create your own life worth living. In the world of work, it may be a job or career that is more meaningful, or a new business venture that enlivens your spirit. Is it time for a change?