The Good Enough Career

Sometimes I'm tired of striving for perfect - how about you?

It's a real gift to recognize when what you have is good enough. It will do. It's just perfectly OK and alright as is.

When was the last time you thought that about your career? Or about anything in your life?

What kind of career happiness would be possible for you if you felt grateful for all the good things about your good enough career?

When we are always striving for something better in our careers, we lose track of the present. We focus on what we don't have (more money, a promotion, a better office, a more interesting project, a more compelling organizational mission, a better boss). We worry a lot, sometimes to the point of being unable to appreciate what we do have. This isn't fun.

I've worked with plenty of people who hired me to help them change careers, jobs or companies - only to decide a bit later that they really had it pretty good where they were and would simply stay put, with a slightly adjusted attitude.

They came to this conclusion after thinking and talking about what was working well in their careers, not just the disappointments. Many times the pros were more compelling than the cons.

I'm all for proactive career development and planning ahead. But there's something to be said for enjoying your good enough career and setting the striving aside for a while.

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

 

Comments

[Working Girl]

A book came out a few years ago called "Just Enough: Tools for Creating Success in Your Work and Life" by Laura Nash. Sort of along these lines.......

[Anita Bruzzese]

As usual, you're so good at putting difficult thoughts into words. I've been having this conversation a lot with myself lately: Embrace the moment, embrace the moment. When I do that, I find it much easier to be content with where I am now, instead of being stressed that I'm not where I'm supposed to be -- or where someone else is.
I'm printing this post out and putting it on my bulletin board. Thanks.
Anita Bruzzese
www.45things.com

[Kimberly Schneiderman]

Your ideas are right on. I am always surprised when clients describe their ideal job - and it sounds so much like what they have now! Where is the disconnect? It seems that sometimes people are after the 'soft' attributes of a job: better group of coworkers, easier commutes, less stress / less hours.

One thing I do is ask them how they will evaluate some of these things at a potential company during their search. Many need hard coaching on how to ask questions that address workplace attitudes and relationships, ease of commute/parking/public transport, expected hours, and culture of the company.

[Heather Mundell]

Kimberly, I like your point about helping clients to evaluate the "soft" attributes.

I also do think it's easy for us to think that our job problems will be solved if we move to a new job, company, industry, state, or even country! Yet so often the problems follow us, right? Just another reason to be clear about what the problems are, what we can do to address them, and what we do to invite them.