Embarking on a career change is often motivated by the desire for greater job satisfaction, alignment with personal values, and the pursuit of new challenges, much like an athlete seeking a new team for better opportunities and personal growth. Also, like an athlete, you become the seller in the labor market, showcasing your skills and expertise to potential employers. Unlike athletes whose talents are visible in games or trials, corporate athletes must demonstrate their abilities in less tangible settings, such as interviews or networking events.
Before you take the leap, here's a framework to help you keep your head in the game.
Step 1: Get Ready (Visualizing Success with Intentionality)
Visualize the next step in your career with intentionality. Maybe it's an upcoming interview, maybe it's taking on a new project to gain experience, or maybe you are just getting started to consider a career change and need a plan. In any case, for the next 60 seconds, imagine a situation where you are thriving and performing at your best. Explore what it feels like to be confident, engaged and sure of yourself. This visualization exercise is not just daydreaming; it's activating your brain's prefrontal cortex, setting the stage for goal-directed actions and creating a mental blueprint for success. This is how you get ready.
Step 2: Get Set (Establishing a Pre-Performance Routine)
Develop a pre-performance routine to solidify your career goals. A pre-performance routine helps direct your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to be in alignment with your long-term objectives. Built right, they also summon our confidence. Like an athlete that avoids superstitions and focuses on solid routines, we need to base our confidence on well-thought-out strategies. We suggest a simple mental routine like "Set. Set. Set.". It's value, in high pressure moments, is priceless.
Set your mind - Visualize what you want to have happen (skill development, networking, personal branding activities, interview, etc.)
Set your body/environment - Position yourself to win. Gather any/all resources, remove potential distractions, and...
Set your focus - With trained attention, lock-in and give it your best.
Set. Set. Set. Then Go!
Step 3: Go (Embracing Flow)
Flow can be found in any performance. In order to do so, we must be fully immersed, experiencing energized focus and complete involvement. By enhancing our skills and developing our confidence through this kind of intentionality, we can increase our chances of experiencing flow states, leading to improved job performance, decision-making, and creativity. All attributes that will add value to any organization that you are seeking to be part of.
Conclusion
These are skills that can be developed on your own with a little effort. Like many athletes, a coach can be invaluable in refining your talents and strategizing your career moves. A coach offers guidance, perspective, and accountability, helping you strategically prepare and perform at your best. If you'd like to have a discussion about your next career move and the role of a coach, book a time to talk with us here.
Ready. Set. Go!