Earlier this week in my post on crafting a sustainable career, I mentioned that you have to start by believing you are the pilot of your own career. In my experience, shifting into a mindset that YOU are in charge is the number one thing that has to change for us to thrive in an uncertain world.  I talk to a lot of people who believe that they are piloting their own careers, but often what I see is that they have actually put their careers on auto-pilot. They're following the rules and doing what their companies ask of them, but they aren't really taking charge of their own lives.  For me, piloting your own career means that you have to:  Continually clarify your strengths, talents and most important work values. These can shift over time and you want to have a strong sense of who you are and how you do your best work. Self-awareness is the foundation you need to start from.  Be aware of changing industry and occupational trends and how you can bring value in a changing world. I can't emphasize this enough. You need to look beyond your current job, your current organization and your current circumstances. You need to understand what's going on in the broader world and how your talents and strengths intersect with these developments. That's how you find the opportunities.  Network on your own behalf, not just to get the job done. What connections are you making to broaden your horizons? Who is part of your circle who can help you learn and grow? Make it a habit to build, diversify and deepen your connections.  Develop multiple income streams and opportunities. You can't rely on a single job, not just because jobs are in decline, but also because a single job usually doesn't allow you to expand and grow as you need to in order to fulfill your potential. So you need to learn how to craft new options and create your own jobs. You do this not only to diversify your income streams, but also to diversify your experiences and skill-building.  Ultimately, being the pilot of your own career means re-framing the ways you think about your work. What capacities do you need to develop in yourself? What opportunities are there for you to jump on? How can you best use your talents to bring value in the world in a way that is sutainable and enjoyable? And how do you make sure that you are asking these questions on an ongoing basis?  I'm not going to lie. It's easier to live a life on auto-pilot. Someone else is doing the thinking and the work for you. But auto-pilot only works if you know the final destination. In an uncertain world, it's impossible for us to know where we're ultimately going to land--the destination will always be shifting. This means that you really need to take hold of that rudder and do the steering yourself.  _______________________________________________________________________ A great first step in becoming the pilot of your own career is to sign up for one of my upcoming virtual retreats. In both the Career Clarity Virtual Retreat on September 21 and the Career Resilience Virtual Retreat on October 19 you'll get the tools and resources you need to take charge!

  Fifteen years ago I did a weekend mini-retreat with myself to figure out my next career move. I planned for it on a Thursday and ran through my exercises on Saturday and Sunday, in between dropping my girls at softball practice and doing loads of laundry. On Monday, I walked in, quit my job and never looked back.  This is the power of the One Big Move, something Rosetta Thurman wrote about in 7 Steps to Release Negativity, Set Big Goals and Live the Life of Your Dreams. Although sometimes life is about tinkering on the edges, tweaking and fixing things, planning and being careful, sometimes you need something bigger, a shift that makes everything else shift with it.   The One Big Move is, as Rosetta describes it, is the action you take where there's no turning back. Sometimes it's a physical move to a new location. Or it could be quitting your job or leaving your spouse or putting money down on a business location.  Regardless, your One Big Move can do more to propel you forward than a thousand small steps could ever do. It is your "big bet" and it can be a game changer when you have the courage to make it.  The Tess Vigeland video below is a great example of your One Big Move. She left a surefire thing for the vast unknown. That's what the Big Move is all about--taking that big leap into a future you can't guarantee.  Tess Vigeland from Chris Guillebeau on Vimeo. What's your One Big Move? And what's holding you back from making it?  _______________________________________________________________________ Both the Career Clarity Virtual Retreat on September 21 and the Career Resilience Virtual Retreat on October 19 can help you uncover your One Big Move and find the courage to take it. There will be tons of support and resources to guide you. What better way to get started? 

  Creating content and services that are the most important and relevant to you is my number one priority. I have my own ideas about what you may want and need, but honestly, how do I really know if I don't ask the questions?! So, two things. . .  1. Complete the Survey As we work to evolve and grow The Bamboo Project and our services/offerings, it would really help me if you'd take a few minutes to complete this survey and give me your feedback on what you're looking for in terms of career and professional development.  2. Join Our Virtual Planning Team In addition to the survey, I'm looking to form a virtual planning team--a group of 4-5 people who would be willing to give me more detailed input and insight into the products and services that would be most helpful. In exchange for your time (probably only a few hours a month at most), you would get free access to the workshops, services, etc. Plus my undying gratitude and periodic public shout-outs.  If you're interested, email me at michelemmartin(at)gmail.com and we can discuss details.  As always--thank you!

  Am I the only one who has regular battles with her inner critic?  Sunday was not a good day for me. As I was working on some things for the virtual retreats, I got into playing the comparison game, questioning the value of what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, and so forth.  This happens to all of us, of course. We get down on ourselves, down on our work, down on life. Sometimes we can see why we're getting into a funk. Other times it seems to hit us out of nowhere. This was one of those "didn't see it coming" kind of things.  Ideally, I'd like to avoid feeling this way, but over the years, I've come to realize that questioning my work and how I'm doing it is just part of the process. Some of it is Resistance, I know. Some is just being human. What's most important is how I deal with it.  Three Steps for Fighting Your Inner Critic 1. Recognize what's going on. At first, as negative thoughts started to invade my brain like some kind of alien species, I kept pushing them aside, refusing to acknowledge them. But they would not be denied, so I was forced to accept that they were there.  This is the first step in the process--realize that you're heading into negative thinking. Or that you're already deep into it. You have to take the little step back that lets you say "Ah--I see what's happening here. The critic has arrived!"  2. Follow the feelings and listen to the messages of your inner critic.  Once I saw what was going on--that I was in the grips of some major inner critic stuff--I allowed myself to go with the feelings and to "hear" what I was telling myself.  "Who are you to think you can help people with these issues?" "No one is interested in this stuff." "Other people do this so much better than you do." "This is all a waste of time."  As a result of all this negative crap I was heaping on myself, I, of course, was starting to FEEL like crap. Instead of feeling energized and inspired by the work (as I usually do) I was discouraged and demotivated. I started thinking "what's the point?" and all my enthusiasm began to drain away. Not only that, I started globalizing, moving from "this isn't going to work," into "nothing is working." Which is a really bad place to be, and honestly, happened WAY too quickly for my liking! 3.  Fight back.  At this point in my life, these ongoing battles with my inner critic are old hat. I'm not going to lie. I'm kind of sick of them, but I recognize that this is just one of those things that goes on in my mind. Gotta deal with it.  So these are some of the strategies I use when this happens.  Write it out. Journaling what I'm thinking and feeling often has the effect of draining away the negativity. Seeing the words on the page can be like poison being purged from my body. Writing is kind of my "go to" when it comes to dealing with the inner critic. So that's where I started, but it didn't give me the relief I was looking for.  Talk to someone. My husband/business partner could tell immediately that something was up, so started asking me "what's wrong?" Often my response is to say "nothing" and just try to deal with it myself, but I've been trying to be better at asking for help, so I told him what I was thinking/feeling. We explored some of the issues and brainstormed some ideas and I felt a little better--but not completely because we were focused on solutions and I still had a barrel of bad feeling floating around inside.  Distraction. Since I can be the queen of rumination when I get on the negativity train, I often will try distraction--doing something else that is completely different and that will immerse me in some other world. This is where Netflix can be my friend. Reading a book or playing an Xbox game can also work for me. Basically we're looking for something that is engaging enough that it pulls you out of your own head.  Get some sleep. One word--naps. Sleep can be one of the best ways to disrupt the critic. Usually when you wake up, the critic has left the building. Or  at least is only whispering to you.  Accept that you're having a bad day. The final tool in my battle with the inner critic is just accepting that I'm having a bad day. When all else fails, I remind myself that this too shall pass and when I wake up in the morning, I can start again. Which is exactly what happened. I went to bed and when I woke up yesterday morning, I was ready to go again.  Of course, sometimes the inner critic keeps it up for days and weeks. Then we're talking a different kind of battle, which is the topic of another post. But for most of us, dealing with the critic is a periodic battle, rather than a long-term war. The more we develop our capacity to deal with it, the less power the critic has in our lives.  How do you deal with your inner critic? What strategies/tips work for you?   _____________________________________________________________________ Fall will be here before you know it--a perfect time before year's end to start thinking about what's next in your career. Click here for more info on the Career Clarity Virtual Retreat. 

  I'm working on my Career Resilience Guidebook and wanted to get the core resilience model onto one page. This is what I came up with.  Does it make sense? Is it too complicated? Too simple?  Your thoughts welcome!

  Are you making one of the most common networking mistakes?   On a call the other day, a long-time client shared with me his criteria for accepting requests to connect on LinkedIn. Like most people I know, when he receives a request, he checks the person's profile to see if they are in his industry and/or occupation. If they are, then he accepts the request. If they are not--they come from some other type of work--he does not.  I must gently, but firmly challenge this approach to building your network. It is exactly the WRONG way to go about connecting.  When you connect only with people who are in your field, your network is automatically too closed and insular. You will be living in an echo chamber, talking only to people who share fundamental assumptions and beliefs about how things work. You will also have access to only certain kinds of information and knowledge.   It's like living in a village, isolated from the rest of the world. You start to believe that everyone else thinks like you do. You forget (or don't realize) that people in other places are having different experiences, getting different information, accessing different resources.  Anyone who has traveled to another country knows what I'm talking about.  The problem with these kinds of closed networks is that they are less resilient, more brittle. In a world where you are likely to change careers (not jobs) several times in your life, the last thing you need is a network that keeps you tied to a particular industry or occupation. One of the most difficult things for career changers is getting into industries where they have no connections.  And even if you do end up staying in the same industry for most of your working life, diversified networks will make you more effective. You will have access to ideas and people that can help you be more innovative and bring new energy to your work.  It's fine to seek out people with whom you share things in common, but try seeking out people who share your work values or who are growth-oriented in their careers, regardless of occupation or industry. Look for people who are generous with their information and knowledge, who like to connect and share what they know.  Connect to people who energize you, who challenge your thinking and bring you new ways of looking at the world.  And for sure, network on your own behalf, not just for your company or organization.  Part of building your career resilience is developing resilient circles of connection.  Focus not just on the breadth of your networks, but also on creating diversified circles that connect you to all kinds of people across all industries and occupations.   So here's your homework for the day: Go into LinkedIn and look at who you're currently connected to. Is everyone you know somehow part of your industry and/or occupation? If they are, then it's time to do some work on diversifying.  ________________________________________________________________ We'll be doing lots of work on developing your circles of connection during the Career Resilience Virtual Retreat. More info here. 

Do you want to start a business or organization? Have you always wanted to write a book, hike the Appalachian Trail, get your pilot’s license or start an alpaca farm? What are you waiting for? Women on the Edge (of Greatness!) is a series of inspirational and practical online workshops, keynotes and other sessions designed to help you get started on your dream. Online sessions will be presented from October 14-30, 2013 and you can attend live virtual sessions or access the recorded versions at your convenience. There are also some fun Happy Hour chat and networking sessions planned.  I'm very excited to be participating in the Women on the Edge (of Greatness!) online conference and to be part of a great group of presenters, including my fellow Mastermind Group member, Nancy Seibel.  I have two sessions lined up: It's All About the Network--October 15, 2013, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (EDT) In this presentation I'll be talking about the "Connect" pattern in the career resilience model. More specifically about the kinds of people you need in your circles of connection, how to make sure that your network is more diversified (and why that's important) and strategies for reaching out to new folks while deepening your existing relationships.  I'll also be sharing a few stories from my own experience about how this process can work to bring you new opportunities and enrich both your professional and personal life.  Living the "What If?": Experimenting Your Way to Your Dreams--October 30, 2013, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (EDT) In this session we'll explore the power of experiments as part of the "Create" pattern of career resilience. We'll be discussing various kinds of experiments you can run in your life to try things out, how to set yourself up for success, ways to do experiments alone or with a group, and how to make sure that your experiments actually happen and become learning experiences for you.  I'm particularly excited about this session as career experiments are one of my favorite ways to explore new ideas and possibilities.  You should also check out Nancy's session on October 22 from 5-6 p.m. (EDT) on Getting Control of Your Busy-ness. She'll be taking a look at what being busy means in our culture, differences between "good" busy and "bad" busy and strategies for dealing with and preventing burnout. I've had the great pleasure of working with Nancy for several months now and I can attest to the fact that this will be a wonderful session! The full conference schedule is here and registration information is here. For $199, you get access to all the live and archived sessions, plus other resources and information.  If you're looking for support in implementing your dreams, be they personal or professional, this online conference could be a great place to start!

  Do you make time for what's most important?  As I write this, it's almost 9 p.m. Except for a break to work out, take a shower and run some errands, I've been at my desk since 6:30 a.m.  I have a ton of work to do on my upcoming retreats and to prepare for several presentations I need to record for some clients. The clock is ticking and I'm freaking out a little about all that needs to get done, knowing that there are only so many hours in the day.  Several weeks ago, my Mastermind group decided to take all day tomorrow to do a mini business/career retreat. It has nothing to do with what's on my plate right now and EVERYTHING to do with my future.  I've had a drumbeat in my head all day that goes like this "I don't have time for this. Too much to do. No time to do a retreat about the future when I have things that need to be done RIGHT NOW."  I briefly entertained the notion of backing out, but aside from the fact that I'd made the commitment to my group, what also brought me up short was remembering an article I wrote about a year ago. The article was by Laura Vanderkam in the Wall Street Journal where she reminds us that how we use our time is always a choice.  She suggests that rather than saying "I don't have time" for something, instead we say "That's not a priority."  Wow. Powerful.  Thinking of tomorrow's retreat in that way really brought me up short. Is the future of my business NOT a priority for me? Yes, I have a lot of things to do, but are they more important than doing the strategic thinking and planning necessary for my career and professional health?  This is exactly what I talk with clients about all the time--spending too much time dealing with today and not enough time looking at the big picture and planning for an inspiring future. Because the truth is, taking a step back could give me new perspective on how to do today's work. And it gives me the space to think more strategically about what's next. The retreat would also fill me with the energy and motivation I need right now to get through all that I have on my plate.  So when you read this, I'll be on retreat. Taking the time to do what's important, even when it feels like I don't have it. Because it's not really about lack of time It's about shifting your priorities.   _____________________________________________________________________ Priorities and making time for what's important will be a big part of the Career Clarity virtual retreat. Click here for more information and the link to register! 

Do you need to listen to what your busy-ness is trying to tell you? During last Friday's meeting with my Mastermind Group, we did a VisualsSpeak exercise together, exploring where we felt we were at right now in terms of our career/business development and where we wanted to be. Here's my image from that activity: The left side is how I'm feeling now. Notice all the frantic, jagged lines in it and the general sense of overwhelm. Seeing it in images like this, all grouped together, really brought home for me the extent to which I'm feeling under pressure and a little out of control. Especially when I looked at this in contrast to the right side, which is where I want to be.  My fellow Mastermind Group members, Nancy Seibel and Catherine Lombardozzi came to similar conclusions about their own work lives, which led us into a discussion of our "busy-ness" and how we could address it. We all feel a little harried right now, working with so many moving parts, and it was helpful to discuss this with each other.  Nancy went home from our meeting and did some more thinking, deciding that she wanted to try to learn more about what her busy-ness was trying to tell her. She's written a terrific post  on her thoughts about this, identifying some key questions she wants to ask herself. I wanted to share here because I think these are questions that could benefit all of us:  What is the purpose of busy-ness in my life? Does busy-ness give me something? Is busy-ness protecting me from something? What happens if I give up my busy-ness? How do I feel when I am "too busy?" How do I feel when I am just busy enough? Is there a risk involved in giving up the busy-ness? Do I want to give up my busy-ness? What will I gain if I give up my "busy-ness"? What I love about how Nancy engaged with this issue is not only that she came up with great questions, but also her willingness to accept the situation and try to learn from it what she can. Rather than just blowing it off and continuing to act without mindfulness, she decided to directly inquire into what this experience is telling her.  This is an incredible career resilience strategy, integrating habits of both clarifying (understanding more about the role that "busy-ness" plays in her life) and coping (providing Nancy with some potential strategies for addressing her busy-ness patterns.)  If you're feeling frantic right now, take some time to do some journaling and reflection on these questions. What is your busy-ness trying to tell you and how can you learn and grow from that?   _____________________________________________________________________ If you're looking for greater clarity about your next steps, my virtual Career Clarity Retreat on September 21 may be just what you need!  Click here for more information and the link to register! 

  Joe Nocera's Op-Ed in the New York Times, How Not to Stay On Top, is a description of what happens when companies ride the wave of their strengths for too long and forget to pay attention to what's next.  I think this is a bit of a cautionary tale for us in our careers, too. Sometimes we become very good at what we do, where we do it and how we do it. We are fooled into believing that this ride will last forever (or at least for our working lives), so we focus only on riding that wave. We don't pay attention to the next wave coming over the horizon.  Increasingly, though, this focus on our current circumstances can get in the way of us asking "What's next?" Just like BlackBerry and Wang found themselves outmoded within the space of a few years, this too can happen to our careers. It's a good thing to periodically lift your head up from what's working right now and ask yourself if it's going to keep working in the future. Don't just focus on what you do well. Also focus on what's next.  _____________________________________________________________________ The Career Clarity Retreat on September 21 can help you figure out "What's next?"  Click here for more information and the link to register!